Everyone knows it's crucial to keep your bedding clean – not only does it make for a delightful sleep experience, but it wards off nasty bacteria build-up.
But the real debate is how often pillowcases should hit the laundry basket. While many agree that sheets need a weekly wash, your pillowcases might be screaming for a scrub even sooner, and logics in their favour.
Who wouldn't want to rest their head on a pristine pillow rather than a case laden with days' worth of sweat, saliva and all manner of invisible nasties? Dirty pillowcases aren't just unpleasant; they could be culprits for ache breakouts too.
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Este Medical Group's CEO Sam Cinkir says: "As gross as it sounds, our pillowcases are a lot dirtier than we might think and are often full of dead skin, oils, sweat, sebum and even tiny bugs such as dust mites. This in turn can clog up and inflame the hair follicles on our face, which then bulge outward as the body tries to heal itself." To avoid such grim repercussions, Sam advises an at least weekly change for pillowcases - and if you've got oily skin, consider freshening up every four days. Remember, while spotty skin may have other roots, don't ignore your pillowcase as a potential pimple party host.
An expert has revealed the skin-crawling reasons behind those pesky blemishes, stating: "Blemishes can be down to a range of factors, but there's no doubt that our environment can play a big part in causing breakouts." When it comes to how often you should wash your sheets, opinions vary.
However, the bedding specialists at Bed Kingdom have weighed in with their top advice and the rationale behind it: "Once a week is a healthy balance between washing sheets regularly enough to avoid the build-up of bacteria, germs, and dirt, without being so often that it becomes hard to fit into your routine.
"We lose a lot of fluid and body oils each night through sweating and respiration. We shed dead skin cells, and dirt rubs off our bodies as we toss and turn. These can build up over a week, making your bed sheets dirty and smelly. This can attract bacteria and fungi, which can cause various skin and health conditions."
