By: Kimberly Rodrigues
Household chores like changing bed sheets, ensuring towels are put in for washing, or clearing your refrigerator are not on most people’s list of ‘fun’ activities to do. In fact, most people try to escape mundane tasks around the house.
However, according to experts, it’s very important to stay on top of your household hygiene and regularly clean your towels and bedsheets as these items could be breeding grounds for germs.
Doing this will not only help you stay clean but will also protect your health – thereby preventing the build-up of bacteria and germs that could make you sick, The Sun reports.
In order to reduce your risk of getting sick and contracting allergies, experts share how often you should change your bedsheets, wash your bath towels, and other things around your home.
Bedding
According to Thomas Høegh Reisenhus, sleep specialist at TEMPUR, every night, the average adult loses 285ml of fluid and sheds 454g of dead skin during the span of a year.
He says: “Think dead skin cells, body oils, sweat, and general dirt all accumulating in your pillows, duvet, and mattress, as well as your bed sheets.
“Unclean bedding can also be a breeding ground for dust mites that can cause skin rashes and irritation, potentially worsening allergy symptoms.”
Pillowcases
Did you know that your head and face rest on your pillowcase for more than 50 hours a week?
Georgia Metcalfe, founder of luxury bedroom specialist French Bedroom is reported to have said, “This causes sweat and general dirt to accumulate on your pillowcase from the natural oils and cleaning products that come off our body and face, which can discolour linen or aggravate skin conditions.”
Therefore, pillowcases should be changed weekly or more.
The expert advises that those who wear makeup or have oily hair should change their pillowcases frequently to avoid breakouts on the face.
“Particularly in winter, we tend to wear heavier moisturising creams which can sink into linen leaving stains,” she said.
Duvet covers
Georgia suggests that you should wash your duvet cover once a week to get rid of dust mites.
“As the cover sits on top of the bed, dust and dirt will accumulate from day-to-day use.”
She adds, “If a top sheet is used then the duvet cover may last longer without a clean.”
Georgia also warns that not changing bed linen often enough could result in poor-quality sleep due to allergens.
Bed sheets
According to Thomas, “Your bed sheets should be washed once a week, although if you allow pets on your bed, you’re also contending with animal fur, dander and any dirt they bring in, so it’s recommended to change to fresh sheets every three to four days.”
Duvets
“In order to decrease the build-up of bacteria and potential allergens, duvets should be washed every three to six months,” Thomas said.
While duvets made of synthetic fibre can be washed in a washing machine, the expert recommends drying cleaning for duvets that are made of feathers and which are down-filled.
Pillows
Though it’s important that pillows are changed every three years, you should ensure they are washed at least every four to six months – according to the care instructions.
Mattress
“In addition to bodily fluids and dead skin cells, on average, a mattress houses between 100,000 and 10 million dust mites – microscopic creatures that cause skin rashes, and irritation and can potentially worsen allergy symptoms.
“It’s therefore vital to ensure you’re cleaning your mattress every six months,” Thomas warns.
However, if you suffer from asthma or allergies, it’s advisable to clean your mattress once a month.
Mattress topper
“While mattress toppers don’t come into direct contact with your skin, they still require regular cleaning to avoid the build-up of dead skin cells, body oils, and sweat,’ Thomas said.
Therefore, “You should wash your topper once every three months.”
Cleaning of the rest of the house
The kitchen
“The kitchen is arguably the most important room in our homes to clean,” Instagram cleaning specialist, Laura Mountford said.
She adds, “Kitchens are a breeding ground for bacteria and as they are also food preparation areas, keeping on top of the cleaning is vital to avoid spreading germs or contaminating food.” Ideally, get into the habit of wiping down kitchen surfaces daily, especially if you have been cooking with raw meat or poultry.”
Wiping out the fridge
Food kept inside the refrigerator should be prevented from getting contaminated, therefore the fridge needs to be cleaned regularly.
“Aim to remove expired food weekly then do a quick wipe clean of any visible spills with an antibacterial cleaner and clean cloth,” Laura said.
Giving your fridge a deep clean every once in three months is also recommended by the expert.
She is reported to have said, “A dirty fridge can cause mould and harmful bacteria to breed like salmonella and e.coli, so it’s definitely worth keeping on top of.”
Dish towels
Emily Barron, cleaning expert at Rezigo reportedly said, “Dish towels are used for many purposes, from drying up dishes and wiping your hands, to getting something out of the oven and cleaning up messes.
“This makes them a hotbed for germs and bacteria.”
The expert recommends washing the dish towels once a week at the least, and ideally every few days.
Blankets
Emily is quoted as saying, “Whether you keep blankets or rugs on your couch or bed, if they are used regularly, they should be cleaned once every three months on a cold cycle with gentle detergent.”
Cushion covers
“Your couch and pillow covers should be washed on a cold, delicate cycle every two months, or every month if you have a busy household with young children or pets,” Emily said.
Towels
Emily explains that “The optimum time to wash your towels and face cloths is every three uses.
“If you shower daily, this means you should be washing your towels twice a week.”
Towels that are dirty can spread fungi, bacteria, and viruses, leading to irritated skin and possibly spreading infections.
A bath towel can be used two or three times between washes. Also, washing your towels in regular laundry washes can kill germs and refresh your towels. However, to keep the towels at their cleanest, it’s best to always allow them to fully dry between uses.
