Surprise, You Are Probably Not Washing Your Sheets as Often as You Should

Laundry day is an important necessity for people everywhere. While not everyone loves the chore — although there are plenty who find the act of washing and folder their clothes soothing — it has to be done every so often in order to ensure you always have access to clean linens.

When it comes to how often you need to buckle down and get to your wash depends on a few different factors, like whether or not you have enough clothes to get you through a few more days.

However, when it comes to how often you should wash bedding essentials like sheets and blankets, the experts say it's not so much about how long you can stand sleeping on the same set of linens, but instead they say it's about your health and safety. That's why everyone from cleaning pros to medical professionals have weighed in on this issue, and they've come up with the exact frequency you should be changing and laundering your sheets.

Curious to know where your schedule stands? Keep reading to find out.

If you're someone who dreads the process of washing your sheets and puts it off for as long as possible, have we got news for you: you're probably not washing your sheets enough. According to a laundry expert from Dirty Labs who spoke with Real Simple, people should be washing their sheets and bed linens approximately once a week — or two weeks at the very most.

This is the ideal frequency for the average person, according to Pete He, PhD.

However, that's not to say that this answer is perfect for everyone. “If you sweat heavily at night, sleep with pets, or have allergies or sensitive skin, consider changing them even more frequently," Dr. He added.

Of course, there may be other reasons you want to change your sheets more often, like if you're someone who prefers the feeling of crawling into some freshly washed sheets after a long and grueling day, or if you've recently been sick or are recovering from an illness.

If you don't feel like adding another weekly chore to the to-do list, you may be wondering if you can stretch your sheets a little past the two-week mark if it's not interfering with your sleep. But, according to the Cleveland Clinic, you could be messing with more than your REM cycle by skipping your weekly wash day. That's because your sheets get loaded up with different contaminants during the week, and when you crawl into bed each night, you're snuggling with them as you drift off to sleep.

That includes dead skin, dust mites, dirt, pet dander, sweat, and body oils. Worst of all, the material that comes off your sheets while you sleep becomes the perfect breeding ground for bacteria, which can impact your health.

Want to know if you need to up your game when it comes to laundry day? The Cleveland Clinic says you can look out for a few telltale signs that it's time to change your sheets, which include but aren't limited to:

• Visible stains, discoloration, and sweat marks
• Unusual or unpleasant odors
• Foreign objects like crumbs, bugs, or dirt
• The feeling of slimy or sticky sheets

Fortunately, solving many of these problems is as easy as tossing your sheets into the wash and putting on a fresh set of linens. Not only will doing so keep you healthier, but it can also help you get a better night's sleep as well!