Do you wash your bedsheets once a year? — Scope | Disability forum
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Do you wash your bedsheets once a year?

Cher_Alumni
Cher_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 5,741 Disability Gamechanger
In today's Metro the results of a cleanliness survey of 2,000 adults were reported with some pretty grim findings.  The research found that:

"One in three (30%) admitted to washing their bedding just once a year, a habit which experts say can lead to bacteria build-ups, itchy skin, and mites... 36% of Brits only wash blankets once a year, and 18% admitted to only washing jeans annually"


I don't know about you but just reading this is making me itch. 

I try to wash my bedding every other week and my jeans normally get washed after every wear or every 2 wears! I enjoy doing the laundry and love the smell of some particular fabric conditioners (Any other hinchers on here?)

Could you sleep in bedding that hadn't been washed in a year?  How often do you give yours a clean?  Tell me I'm not alone in finding this study astounding!


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Comments

  • leeCal
    leeCal Community member Posts: 7,550 Disability Gamechanger
    I too am astounded. With sheets I change the top to the bottom and wash the bottom one once a week. That’s what I was taught when young. That means they both get washed every two weeks but one is washed every week. Blankets are hard to wash and dry so it’s a summer thing really and only once. 

    “This is my simple religion. No need for temples. No need for complicated philosophy. Your own mind, your own heart is the temple. Your philosophy is simple kindness.” 
    ― Dalai Lama XIV

  • janer1967
    janer1967 Community member Posts: 21,964 Disability Gamechanger
    Wow that is shocking I am the same wash my bedding every 2 weeks and change jeans after wearing twice any item of clothing actually

    I love the smell of freshly washed bedding and the crisp feeling 
  • Cher_Alumni
    Cher_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 5,741 Disability Gamechanger
    @leeCal You sound very much like me with your laundering routine!  I agree, my blanket is very heavy so probably gets washed twice a year at most.  

    There's nowt better than getting into your bed when it has fresh bedding! 
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  • vikingqueen
    vikingqueen Scope Member Posts: 1,410 Disability Gamechanger
          :o  I couldn't sleep in bedding that hadn't been washed in a fortnight never mind any longer... the thought makes my stomach churn   :s  
  • Cher_Alumni
    Cher_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 5,741 Disability Gamechanger
    @vikingqueen Me and you both  :o   

    What's everyones favourite laundry products?  I love a bit of Comfort Blue Skies (although there are many other good ones!) and tend to use powder over washing capsules.  
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  • leeCal
    leeCal Community member Posts: 7,550 Disability Gamechanger
    @Cher_Scope you can buy an essential oil called fresh linen! If it’s true to life that would be a lovely smell, a bit like when you’re ironing linen perhaps.

    “This is my simple religion. No need for temples. No need for complicated philosophy. Your own mind, your own heart is the temple. Your philosophy is simple kindness.” 
    ― Dalai Lama XIV

  • Cher_Alumni
    Cher_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 5,741 Disability Gamechanger
    @leeCal oooh.  I have a wax melt that is a fresh linen smell and its gorgeous! 
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  • chiarieds
    chiarieds Community member Posts: 16,007 Disability Gamechanger
    I'm the same; wash my bedding every 2 weeks, but sometimes more often in the summer if it's a sunny day. I use a bedspread in the winter, which probably gets washed 3 - 4 times. I have always used washing powder, but when my son couldn't get me any (due to some panic buying in recent months), he got capsules, & I've been converted! :)
  • Ross_Alumni
    Ross_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,652 Disability Gamechanger
    Once a year? Blimey...

    We aim to wash our bedding once a month or thereabouts


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  • vikingqueen
    vikingqueen Scope Member Posts: 1,410 Disability Gamechanger
        I would have clean bedding every day if I could, there's nothing nicer than climbing into a clean fresh bed. I'm a bit of a snob because I only like Egyptian cotton bedding, quite expensive but lasts for years  :)
  • Cress
    Cress Community member Posts: 1,012 Pioneering
    There is nothing nicer then a breezy sunny day when I can wash sheets, duvet covers, dry them in the garden and put them straight onto my bed...the smell of fresh air and fabric conditioner is just so nice and calming I find.
  • Adrian_Scope
    Adrian_Scope Posts: 10,821 Scope online community team
    Not as often as I should, but definitely more than once a year! :D

    I think when you're dealing with depression, this (like most household chores) can be a challenge to stay on top of. So there have definitely been periods in my life where even once a month would've been pretty ambitious!
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  • Cress
    Cress Community member Posts: 1,012 Pioneering
    Very true @Adrian_Scope
    When I'm finding it all too much I'll get the old bedding off but then cant find the energy to put new bedding on...so I'm literally sleeping on the mattress cover with no cover on the duvet...or as my son would say "why haven't you coloured your bed in yet?"
  • Seanchai
    Seanchai Community member Posts: 411 Pioneering
    My wife insists on washing our sheets and duvet cover every two or three days ....this is due to me sweating badly ( due to medication) . She likes Egyptian cotton of so many threads per square inch  ( so do I to be honest) ...out of either IKEA or dunelm. She started using squidgy washing tablets as the powder seemed to be affecting my sons irritable skin problems  . My family have all flown the nest now but she continues washing swith squidgy tablets of some sort . I am fed up changing fitted sheets and duvet covers ? ....but I must admit that I live going into bed with fresh sheets and the smell of comfort . If it was down to me I would change the bedding every week or so....maybe ? I, m afraid I let my bulldog ( Hamish) up on the bed ...my wife does not like that . ....but Hamish does, he knows he gets his bit chocolate every night ( a leaf of chocolate orange ) ??
    She boils the sheets but does not boil the duvet covers ( we also have an overnight electric blanket that's used just to heat the bed up before we go to bed at night... in winter ).
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,333 Disability Gamechanger
    This makes me cringe. I wash my bedding once a week without fail, even in the winter. Thankfully my eldest daughter makes the beds because i find doing this extremely difficult. Although during lockdown i had no other option but to do it myself. I use the tumble dryer during winter, not as nice as being dried outside on the line but better than nothing.
    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.
  • OverlyAnxious
    OverlyAnxious Community member Posts: 2,586 Disability Gamechanger
    I like the idea of washing jeans anually...do they set a calendar reminder for the annual jean washing event?  :D  I wear jeans every day and use 2 pairs a week so average 3-4 wears between washes.  I feel like they get contaminated every time I leave the flat so could easily wash them more often, but try to save water & electric, and reduce their fading speed!  I do sometimes Dettol them when I get home to tide me over...  :D

    I'm another fortnightly bedding washer, seems like that's the most common so far.  Tbh, I can start to smell it after about 12 days, particularly the pillowcases...I can't believe anyone could put up with that for 50 weeks while waiting for the next annual wash!!

    I don't have blankets but use a duvet instead...haven't ever washed the duvet...  :#  Good job the duvet cover is air & water tight eh...  ;)  Seriously though, I just try not to think about it lol, pretty sure it wouldn't fit in the washing machine!

    I was using powder for years, buying a massive family box once every 3 months or so. But since Covid (and being less financially restricted) I've swapped to the liqui-tabs and don't think I'll be going back!  I don't worry about the scent too much, I tumble dry bedding and towels so the scent gets lost anyway, I still buy whichever are on offer at the time.  I used to like the citrus scented Surf, Caribbean Crush I think it was, but don't think they do liquitabs...or at least not on offer in Tesco!

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