How to Wash Bed Sheets and Maximize Your Investments
How to Wash Bed Sheets and Maximize Your Investments
People spend hours in their beds. Bed sheets get soiled from body oils, fluids, and dirt. In time, bacteria may grow. This becomes problematic if the users have open wounds or sensitive skin. Properly cleaning on beddings will prolong their life and provide comfort to the users. It is important to take the right steps to wash bed sheets properly in order to ensure the sheet’s appearance and performance.
Users should follow instructions on the bed sheets’ care labels. Use the right temperature, detergents, and drying process. Since bed sheets wash well in-home washing machine, it is a good idea to have a thorough understanding of using your washing machine.
New Bed Sheets
Fresh out from the packaging, bed sheets may still have chemicals from the manufacturing process. Traditional detergent could lock in the chemicals, thus preventing bed sheets from reaching their intended softness. To resolve this, it is recommended that new sheets are washed before their first use. Experts recommend that users wash new sheets with baking soda and vinegar. Use one cup of baking soda to begin the wash, then add one cup of white vinegar to the rinse cycle. Perform this special initial wash on new sheets. Afterward, use the recommended washing tips below.
Tips to Wash Bed Sheets
Similar to all clothing, bed sheets launder better when they have adequate room in the washing machine. Therefore, do not overcrowd the washer and minimize its ability on stain removal. Also, make sure the sheets are properly placed in the washing machine to ensure that they do not get damaged by the agitator if you have a top-load machine.
Placing Bed Sheets in Washer
Place the sheets into the washer using a washer cycle designed for bed sheets. Check the sheets’ care label, as many of them may require gentle cycles. Wash the sheets separately, so other items do not get tangled with the sheets and damage the sheets. Note that the ‘heavy-duty’ washer setting is generally designed for heavily soiled clothes. Never include towels in the washer when washing bed sheets. The towels tend to behave like sandpaper and cause the sheets to wear faster. Towels can also produce lint balls that may end up on the sheets.
Water Temperature and Detergent
Refer to the sheet’s care label on proper washing instructions. Typically, the best overall washing temperature for bed sheets in warm water. Hot water may fade colors, and it can be harsh on fine threads. On the other hand, cold water may not thoroughly clean your sheets.
Select a mild one or your favorite detergent. As there are a variety of detergents such as high efficiency, follow the instructions on the detergent. Measure the proper amount for the load size measure and place it into the washer. Make sure not to use too much detergent as this could cause sheets to wear faster and left residues on the sheets.
Adding Supplement
If applicable, you can add a supplement to aid in washing the bed sheets. Natural ingredients can augment the cleaning process to make the sheets ready to enhance the sleep experience. For example, a quarter cup of lemon juice in the wash cycle can brighten the fabric. Lemon juice is a great alternative to bleach or brightening chemical additive. Also, a cup of white vinegar added to the rinse cycle can help remove any detergent that may be left.
Drying Sheets
Using Dryers
Drying sheets in dryers give the sheets an added soft-to-the-touch feel. Shake the washed sheets from the washer before placing them into the dryer. Since bed sheets are bulky, they take longer to dry. Do not leave the bedding in on an extra-long dryer setting, as this can cause shrinking and extra wear.
Follow the sheet’s care label and select the right temperature setting and dry cycle on the dryer. In general, it is recommended to use medium or low temperature to dry delicate sheets. Applying too much heat may cause the sheets to wear out faster. Furthermore, high temperatures may cause a bed sheet to shrink. If your dryer has a setting that stops the heat when it senses sheets are dry, this is a great setting to use.
Do not dry bed sheets with towels. Towels are generally thicker, so they take longer to dry than sheets. Drying sheets with towels may heat longer the sheets longer than necessary, possibly causing shrinkage.
Using Clothes Lines
If weather permits and you have space, hang the bed sheets outside on a clothesline to air dry. Use clothespins to secure the sheets to the line to avoid wind damage. One can dry white sheets under the sun. However, color sheets should be using a shaded space to prevent color fading from the sun.
Bed Sheet Pilling
Pilling occurs when the little balls of material develop on sheets and pillowcases after they have been slept on and washed several times. This is a result of weakened fibers as they lose their integrity. You can avoid these uncomfortable, unpleasant fabric balls using the following tips.
Minimize or avoid using hot temperatures with your washer and dryer when cleaning the sheets. Hot temperature from washing and over-drying tends to weaken fabric fibers. Minimize the use of bleach and other harsh chemicals because they discolor and weaken fibers, which also cause pilling.
Caring for Special Fabrics
Different bed sheets fabrics may have different needs when it comes to washing. For example, silk, satin, and linen are delicate fabrics that may need special care. Refer to the sheet’s care label for specific instructions. The tips below are helpful.
Washing Silk and Satin Sheets
Use a detergent specifically made for delicate fabrics such as silk and satin. Wash them in a gentle cycle and cold water. Stay away from harsh chemicals that may damage the sheets. Silk and satin sheets should not be dried in regular dryer settings as the heat may damage them. Instead, use a clothesline or special low or non-heat dryer setting.
Washing Linen Sheets
Weaker fibers in linen are weaker than cotton sheets. Therefore, linen sheets require special care. Typically, a gentle wash cycle with natural detergent in cold water is the best way to clean linen sheets. Afterward, use low heat for tumbling dry the sheets gently.
Washing Bamboo Sheets
Similar to linen sheets, one should also wash bamboo sheets on a gentle cycle in water. Similarly, use a mild detergent and stay away from bleach. Hang dry on a clothesline is the best method for bamboo sheets. This preserves the sheet’s fine fibers, color, and elasticity. When using a dryer, select the low heat setting and remove promptly when dry.
HomeGoodsTips.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and other similar affiliate advertising programs which are designed to provide a means for us to earn advertising fees by linking to such affiliates’ websites such as Amazon.com. Pages on this site may include affiliate links to Amazon and its affiliate sites on which the owner of this website will make a referral commission.
