Be honest: How often do you wash your sheets? For the majority of people, it’s not often enough. One survey found that 55% of single men between the ages 18 and 25 reported changing their sheets only four times a year. Yep — you read that right. If the thought makes you cringe, it should. Considering that you shed around 15 million skin cells each night, washing your sheets four times a year is nowhere near enough to keep them clean and fresh. One item in particular you should be washing regularly: your pillow.
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Your pillow comes into direct contact with your skin each night, so it can quickly become a breeding ground for bacteria. The longer you go without washing your sheets, the greater the chances that dust mites will procreate and multiply. 15 million skin cells each night, remember? Just think of all the food you’re providing these little creatures by skipping wash cycles. In no time at all, you can end up sharing your bed with hundreds of thousands of the microscopic spider-like bugs. Cringing now?
Dust mites aren’t the only concern when it comes to unwashed sheets. Fungus can also grow on an unwashed pillowcase, which can end up affecting your lungs and other organs. One study found that an unwashed pillowcase and bed sheets had up to 39 times more bacteria than pet food bowls and several thousand times more bacteria than a toilet seat.
If you’ve been experiencing an acne breakout, your dirty pillowcase may be to blame. The oils from your skin, along with lotion and makeup, can build up on your pillow over time and transfer back to your skin each night, clogging your pores and inducing acne. An overload of dust mites can also cause cold-like symptoms, such as red, itchy eyes and a runny nose.
Luckily, there’s a simple way to avoid all of this — wash your sheets!
The National Sleep Foundation also recommends replacing your pillows every one to two years and extending the life of your pillow by washing it every six months. You’ll know it’s definitely time to replace your pillow when it becomes lumpy, the shape and comfort no longer resembles a new pillow, or you fold it in half and it doesn’t quickly bounce back.