8 Facts About Bed Linens and How to Care for Them
The fact that we spend about a third of our lives in bed begs the question: what kind of sheets do you have? Your linens can affect your sleep quality which affects how you spend your day and the quality of life which you reach. When we do not sleep well, it can completely throw off your day and give you that ‘get back in bed and try again’ feeling. So, in light of that, here are some facts about bed sheet sets that you may or may not have known.
- Easy cleaning isn’t always best.
This is the whole wrinkle free, easy care advertisements that you see on different kinds of bed sheets. If you see something like this on the packaging, stay away. This means that the fabric of the sheets has most likely been treated with a toxic chemical called formaldehyde resin and it does not wash out. Stick with higher quality like belgian linen sheets and other higher thread counts. - Pillow cases get gross the fastest.
Pillow cases, that is. It is pretty inexpensive and easy to replace your pillow cases. You should to this about six to 12 months. This helps to keep germs to a minimum. Your pillow cases should be getting regularly washed which means that the color is probably starting to fade, white is starting to turn yellow and the soft feel of the fabric it once had is going away. If you find yourself making your bed so that you don’t see the pillows, it’s time to buy new ones. - Top sheets aren’t necessary.
In fact, in Europe, hardly anyone uses a top sheet and even here in America, 40% of people don’t sleep with one. They just use the fitted sheet to lay on and the blanket to cover with. If you are one of these people, that’s fine, you just want to make sure you have a good quality sheet like belgian linen sheets because you are going to need to wash them more often. Same goes for the blanket. - You don’t have to iron.
Ironing can be a pain in the neck. So, all you have to do is take your sheets out of the dryer when they are slightly damp and put them on your bed to dry the rest of the way. Not only will you get the same affect as ironing once they are dry, but you will be freshening up your mattress somewhat as well. Win/win. - Organic doesn’t always mean safe.
Just because the fibers were grown organically doesn’t mean that fabric wasn’t processed without toxic chemicals. Find belgian linen sheets or something similar in order to ensure that no toxic chemicals were used in the whole process. They should have a certification that they come with that promises this. - There are different kinds of sheets.
They could be anything from percale to sateen, jersey, flannel or flax. Belgian linen sheets are often made from flax which is washed to provide a soft, lived in feel even when they are brand new. Percale stays cool which helps in the summer, sateen stays warm, jersey makes it feel like you are sleeping on a t-shirt and flannel is a little fuzzy and the warmest kind of sheets. - Washing sheets should be a priority.
You’d be surprised at how many people forget to wash their sheets. It’s important to not only wash those but also duvets, covers, blankets, pillow cases and pillows. If you wash with cool water they you will preserve the fibers of your sheets. - Making the bed helps more than you know.
You’ve heard that if you make your bed, you’ll start your day off right. It helps to make the room feel cleaner and is nicer to get into bed at the end of the day. But, it also will keep dust mites off. If that’s not enough to convince you then it’s hard to say what will!
There are many different kinds of linens and covers that we can use. Choose the kind that you feel the most comfortable in and then find out what the care instructions are for that type of material to properly preserve it. You’ll help your sheets go a long way and last a long time doing that.