We go through our everyday lives getting caught up in the busy bandwagon and often overlook the necessities in life, self-care, mental health and perhaps the utmost important thing that links them both together, cleanliness.
Arguably, we spend the most time in our beds. An average person spends 229,961 hours in their lifetime sleeping, that's basically 1/3 of our lives! (Well you can minus the hours spent dozing off on the couch or sleeping on the beds of Airbnbs in Europe)
Regardless, the beds in our sweet home play a huge part in all of our lives as some of us work on our beds and I kid you not, some even eat on the bed!
Does that not convince you that of all things, the bed should be kept the cleanest?
One of the most important steps to ensure cleanliness for our beds is understanding the right way to clean and maintain your bedsheets, this should be of no surprise because they're the "clothes for your bed".
Washing and maintenance tips for your bedsheets
Correct washing temperature for different thread countsA general washing guide dictates that you should be washing your bedsheets in cold water for bedsheets in the 1,000 thread count range due to the thinner yarns and warm water for sheets in the 300-500 thread counts.
If you own bamboo sheets, this should be non-negotiable and they should be washed in cold water. Do not use cleaning products such as fabric softener as it would damage the sheets in the long run as they will weaken the fibres.
Do not overload the washing machine
A really straight-forward step but not practiced by many due to convenience, you should separate your towels and clothes from the sheets and the setting of the washing machine should be set to "delicate".
When you overload the washing machine, it might not get all of the soap residues off which means your sheets won't feel as soft.
Washing frequency
Optimally, you should be washing your sheets at least thrice a week due to the humid climate in Singapore but the tribe understands that due to our fast-paced lifestyle, it may sound unachievable.
That's fine, washing it once a week will suffice as long as you maintain good personal hygiene.
Dry the sheets properly
It's best to dry the bedsheets on a clothesline or drying rack to prevent any wrinkles. If you prefer using the dryer, try to take them out before they are completely dry and transfer them to the clothesline.
For cotton sheets, it's best to tumble-dry them as line-drying could cause the sheets to feel crusty. If your sheets come off wrinkled, you have to do a bit of ironing.
Keep a minimum of 3 sets of sheets per bed
Storing 3 sets of sheets per bed ensures that you have one fitted on the bed while you wash the other and one more in storage in the case of a soiled sheet. Frequently rotate them to ensure they wear out evenly.
Bonus Tip
If you want to brighten white sheets naturally, add a quarter cup of lemon juice to the load when you wash.
At the end of the day, cultivating these washing tips and routines for your bedsheets does not only guarantee hygiene and cleanliness, but it also helps with your general mood knowing that you have a clean and comfortable bed to come home to.
Sometimes the simplest way to treat yo'self is to... wash your sheets.
If you enjoyed reading this article and found some helpful tips, do take a look at our article on!