Bedding hygiene is also essential for better sleep. You won't believe how quickly our pillow can turn into a breeding ground for bacteria if you don't wash the pillow cover often enough.
Please wash your pillowcases regularly - if not for a better night's sleep, at least for a better night's sleep own hygiene. Be honest, how often do you wash your sheets? According to the recommendations of experts, it is necessary to wash the bedding at least once every two weeks, but only a few do this. Even pillowcases can quickly turn into a real breeding ground for bacteria, which can also have a bad effect on your scalp.
So don't wait for your pillows to turn yellow. According to a recent study by a mattress company Amerisleep, a period of one week can be problematic. In just 7 days, your pillowcase should have between 3 and 5 million colony-forming organisms (CFU) of bacteria in just a few square centimeters. This is 17,000 times more than the amount of bacteria found on the toilet seat. Yes, you read that right.
If you only wash your sheets once a month, your pillowcase can collect almost 12 million CFUs per 6.4 cm2. That means your face is touching 39 times more bacteria than your pet's bowl. However, the types of bacteria that were most often detected on pillows in the mentioned research can be anything but innocent.
How to wash pillowcases?
Your clothes go to the machine after every wear, but what about your pillowcases? Too often people forget about it. Here are some tips on how to wash bed linen.
- Wash the pillow at least once a week. This will remove sweat, saliva, body oils, allergens, dust mites, bacteria and more.
- Use hot water. Washing pillow covers in hot water helps kill bacteria.
- Wash special pillow covers gently. If you sleep with a silk pillowcase or non-cotton pillowcase, you can still clean it in the washing machine. To preserve the delicate fabric, it is best to place it in a mesh laundry bag and wash it with delicates on a gentle cycle.
- Don't forget to wash the pillow. Of course, the pillow cover can be a breeding ground for unpleasant bacteria, but your pillow also needs a thorough cleaning. If your pillow has sweat stains, you can spray it with laundry detergent and scrub with a toothbrush. Let it soak overnight in hot water with bleach, then wash and dry.
