Collapsing into bed after a long day, devouring an entire Netflix series propped up against your pillow, or snuggling under your duvet on a Sunday morning, there’s no wonder that our beds really are our ‘happy place’. But the reality is that even your most treasured Egyptian cotton sheets can actually be a health hazard if not cleaned frequently.
That’s why we’ve put together some top tips for getting a great, and clean, night’s sleep, along with some facts that might just make you squirm…
Squirm-worthy facts:
It might come as a surprise, but doing the laundry is one of the nation’s least hated cleaning chores – with our survey showing that only 12% listed the job as their most disliked compared to cleaning the bathroom, which 29% of Brits hate the most! – so we have no excuse not to clean our bedding regularly.
Bedding has the potential to last for up to 20 years, but not without care and attention, so here are some top tips to help your bedding go the distance.
Choose the right wash cycle
According to microbiologists, all duvets and pillowcases should be washed at least once a week to destroy bacteria. If you have eco friendly bedding, choose a delicate cycle, which lasts for approximately 45 to 60 minutes. For linen, select a cold wash.
Eco laundry detergents like ours allow you to wash items at lower temperatures with the same results, which also helps lower your carbon emissions!
Air Dry
Hanging bedding is the gentlest way to dry it; this makes the bedding smooth without any need to iron it.
Take note: After just 20 washes and high-heat drying cycles, your bedsheets could have lost nearly 50% of their original tensile strength!
Go to bed clean
Bedding can get very dirty, very quickly, due to a mix of oils, make-up, sweat and dead skin cells that we shed during sleep. The best way to help minimise this is to make sure you’re clean before getting your 40 winks. Bathing beforehand and making sure to take off make-up before bed helps. A study found that taking a hot bath about 90 minutes before bed could help people fall asleep more quickly too, so it’s win, win!
Do no harm
If you suffer from allergies, sensitive skin, or if you’re washing bedding for children, then it’s really important to choose an eco-friendly laundry detergent to wash your bedding. Many household name laundry liquids contain chemicals that can damage both our wildlife and environment. That’s why it’s best to choose an ethically sound alternative when washing your bedding.
Vacuum your mattress
Mattresses benefit from being vacuumed – you’ll be horrified at the amount of dust that comes up if you have a vacuum with a see-through container! That ‘stuff’ is composed of dust mites, skin particles, and lint.
Be selective with storage
Believe it or not, where you store your bedding can make a big difference as to how long it lasts. It’s important to store spare bedsheets, pillowcases and duvet covers in an area with adequate airflow to ensure the bedding can breathe. This prevents problems like mould and mildew, meaning you can keep your bedding looking great for longer.
Storing bedding in plastic storage bags can create the same problem by trapping moisture, so choose storage containers with breathable materials that give bedding access to air.
Making sure to store away from direct sunlight also helps prevent fading, keeping your bedding bright.
Interested in eco friendly laundry detergents? Explore our full range here!
