What It Means
Sheet washing frequency is how often bed sheets and pillowcases go through the laundry. Cleveland Clinic advises at least once a week, because a bed collects shed skin, dust mites and bacteria night after night. It also suggests the hot cycle, where the fabric's care label allows it, to help kill bacteria.
Try It: How Many Sheet Washes a Year?
Slide to how often your sheets get washed now. Cleveland Clinic's advice is at least once every 7 days.
At least weekly, which meets Cleveland Clinic's advice.
Longer than a week. Cleveland Clinic advises at least once a week, which is 52 washes a year.
How It Sounds at Home
- "Sunday is sheet day."
- "Strip the bed before you go, I'll put the sheets in."
- "We need a second set so the bed isn't bare on wash day."
The Breakdown
How often, per Cleveland Clinic
| Item | How often |
|---|---|
| Sheets | At least once a week |
| Pillowcases | Weekly, with the sheets |
| Pillows, comforter and mattress | About every six months |
Make it last between washes
- Let the bed air out in the morning. Cleveland Clinic suggests not pulling the covers up right away, so the moisture dust mites and bacteria need can dry off.
- Change the pillowcases in the same load, since they sit against your face every night.
- Give sheets a fixed day in the laundry schedule so they don't slide to a second week.
One set, one week. A household that washes weekly runs 52 sheet loads a year for each bed. Buhata's suggestion: two sets per bed, one on and one in the wash or the closet, keep that rhythm easy.
Good to Know
Read the care label before choosing a water temperature. Cleveland Clinic recommends the hot cycle to help kill bacteria, and its dust mite guidance calls for bedding and pillowcases in hot water where possible, but some fabrics and finishes are labeled for cooler washes. Use one laundry additive at a time; as our chlorine bleachChlorine bleachHousehold bleach made with sodium hypochlorite that whitens, removes stains and disinfects, but can fade colors and damage some fibers. See more page explains, bleach must never be mixed with ammonia or acids.
FAQ
How often should you wash your sheets?
At least once a week, according to Cleveland Clinic. Wash pillowcases in the same load.
What temperature should you wash sheets at?
Cleveland Clinic suggests the hot cycle to help kill bacteria. The care label on the sheets has the final say, since some fabrics are meant for cooler water.
How often should you wash your comforter and pillows?
Cleveland Clinic suggests about every six months for pillows, comforters and the mattress. Its care label says how it can be washed.
Do It in Buhata
Tasks with a repeat and Duty Rotation
Add "Wash the sheets" to Tasks with a weekly repeat, or use Duty Rotation (Premium) so everyone in the house takes a turn.
Open BuhataRelated Terms and Categories
- Towel washing frequency
How often to wash towels. Cleveland Clinic advises at least once a week for bath towels, and more often in a humid bathroom or when someone is sick.
- Pillow washing
Washing the pillow itself, not just its case, which Cleveland Clinic puts on a cycle of every few months to every six months.
- Mattress cleaning
Cleaning a mattress itself, not just its sheets, by spot treating spills and giving it a fuller clean about every six months, the timing Cleveland Clinic suggests.
- Laundry sorting
Dividing dirty laundry into loads that can be washed together safely, by color, how dirty it is, lint and the care each fabric needs.
Sources
Cleveland Clinic, "How Often Should You Wash Your Sheets?"; Cleveland Clinic, "What's Hiding in Your Dirty Pillows and Upholstery? (And Can It Make You Sick?)"; Cleveland Clinic, "Dust Mite Allergy"
- health.clevelandclinic.org/how-often-should-you-wash-your-bed-sheets
- health.clevelandclinic.org/whats-hiding-in-your-dirty-pillows-and-upholstery-and-can-it-make-you-sick
- my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17712-dust-mite-allergy
Last updated .