Seniors Matter(s): Bedding

YUCK!

We spend a third of our life in bed.

Therefore, clean bed linens should be one of our must-do chores.

But is it really?

Think of the drool, sweat, dandruff, and other “stuff” you leave between the sheets. Ideally, you ought to launder them weekly, or at least, every other week. But a recent survey found that most people to be sheet slackers, going 25 days between washes.

Since you shed 500-million skin cells a day, many slough off while you roll around in bed. All those dead cells pile up on the sheets in between washings. Tiny dust mites love to feed on the shed cells. The critters and their droppings can trigger allergies, asthma, and cause itchy eczema to flare.

Animal hair and dander on the bedding become extra buffet fare for dust mites. If your dog has a skin condition called mange, also called animal scabies, you fortunately can’t catch it from your pet, but your skin can turn itchy and irritated. Your pets also can pass on a fungal infection called ringworm of the scalp.

Dead skin cells, sweat, saliva, and more can turn your comfy bed into a petri dish for germs to grow. For instance, lab tests found that swabs from pillowcases unwashed for a week harboured 17,000 times more colonies of bacteria than samples taken from a toilet seat.

If you or your partner has been ill, you need to toss your sheets into the wash right away to kill any lingering germs. Most bacteria or viruses can survive on soft surfaces for minutes to hours. The duration varies based on the specific microbe. For example, flu viruses live on tissues for just 15 minutes, but some stomach bugs can survive on fabrics for four hours

Where you rest your head at night can be full of fungus - some can be dangerous to those with asthma. If your pillow - the fluffy thing, itself - can be washed, do so at least twice a year. Follow the care label on how to do it. Make sure to rinse and dry it well to prevent mildew.

If you use a pillow protector, toss it into the wash along with your pillowcase. A dirty pillowcase could be to blame and can worsen acne. The embedded dirt, dead skin, and bacteria can clog your pores.

Some other things can add to the icky factor between your sheets. Strip the bed weekly (or even more often) if you sleep in the nude, snack in bed, sleep with your kids, sweat a lot at night.

Many people feel the best way to kick-start their day is to make the bed. But it might be wise not to rush. That’s because moisture builds up in your sheets after each night of slumber. When you wake up, peel back the covers and give your bed a chance to dry. That makes it a less attractive nesting spot for bacteria and mites and their eggs.

Bedding should be laundered with the hottest water suggested on the care label. Afterwards, toss it into the dryer. Studies show the dryer’s heat can kill some germs that survive the wash.

What about duvets and comforters? Many comforters and duvet covers aren’t machine washable, but still need to be addressed by dry-cleaning. You can also vacuum your mattress when you launder the bed skirt to suck away dust and dirt.

Bed bugs aren’t lured by dirty or clean sheets. They’re attracted by humans. They live in warm places close to people, so your bed is perfect. Bedbugs crawl out at night and feed on your blood. You may wake up with itchy bite marks.

The bugs travel to your home from places that are infested, such as a hotel, dorm room, neighbours’ apartments, schools, the workplace on your jackets. In other words - they are almost everywhere! You need to dry the bedding on high heat for 30 minutes to kill the bugs.

Part of maintaining your bedding is knowing when to replace it. With proper cleaning, high-quality down comforters and down pillows can last for years. But if you’re using a pillow with a polyester filling, you’re going to notice it starting to go flat after about three years. When your pillow is flat and starting to hurt your neck, it’s time to replace it. Similarly, certain materials in bed sheets may last longer than others.

If you notice your sheets starting to discolour, tear, or you’re unable to remove stains from them, you’ll need to replace them. Most of the time, it will be obvious when you need to replace your bedding because there will be signs of aging, or it will no longer be comfortable.

Finally, most people have several sets of sheets and comforters that they cycle through. How you store your bedding can help keep it feeling fresh for the next time to need it?

Before storing your sheets or comforter, make sure they are completely cleaned and fully dry. This will help prevent mould and mildew from developing on your bedding. Find a cool, dry place to store linens. You can use a closet, a trunk, or a dresser.

You might even want to invest in a cotton bedding bag to help prevent dust from settling on your bedding. Remember to fold your bed sheets and comforters before storing them. This will help prevent them from becoming wrinkly.

I’m looking for a new bed, new pillows, new linen, and a new start for a good night’s rest.

Sleep tight!

‘Till next time!