# How often do you wash/change your sheets? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 24, 2014, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-wash-change-your-sheets/705486 "2014-11-24T14:57:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2014, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-wash-change-your-sheets/705486/61 "2014-11-28T20:18:37Z")
> [@Saturn\_Dreams](#): > > As I understand it, most Americans and Europeans do not not take a bath at night before going to bed. Isn’t it gross to get into bed with whatever dirt you picked up during the day and then be enveloped in that every night? I thought washing sheets at least once a week would be the default response, but I’m surprised at the number of people who go longer. You don’t wear clothes? I wear clothes… When I stay in one place with civilized facilities, every two weeks (laundry is generally weekly, the other week gets towels). Now that I’m bouncing between two places and the one where I spend most time has a shared laundry room, is in a place where sundrying wouldn’t work even if there were lines, and the dryer is currently broken… as little as possible. ---
**Author:** ![susanlinda823](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@susanlinda823](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susanlinda823)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2014, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-wash-change-your-sheets/705486/62 "2014-11-28T21:43:57Z")
Ewwwww. I wash my sheets once a week! Ya’ll who dont are gross!!! ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2014, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-wash-change-your-sheets/705486/63 "2014-11-28T23:08:33Z")
> [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](#): > > Doesn’t anyone vacuum their sheets? I used to do that when the bedsheets started feeling gritty and it gave them an extra week of life before I had to wash them. I used a hand vac. I figured if it’s good enough for the sofa, why not the bed too? Yikes, really? I figure if my sheets get “gritty” enough to warrant vacuuming, they’re gross and need to be laundered. What do some of you people have against actually washing sheets and pillowcases when they get funky? It takes me about five minutes to change bedding and whatever time it takes to toss bedding and other laundry that needs done into the washer and dryer. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2014, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-wash-change-your-sheets/705486/64 "2014-11-29T00:24:59Z")
It varies between weekly and fortnightly. Now, how often do you wash your underblanket? ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2014, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-wash-change-your-sheets/705486/65 "2014-11-29T02:25:02Z")
Even after googling, I still don’t know what an underblanket is (spell check doesn’t seem to know what it is either). All I saw were pictures of regular blankets. ---
**Author:** ![MrsTime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@MrsTime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrsTime)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2014, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-wash-change-your-sheets/705486/66 "2014-11-29T04:44:53Z")
Well I said weekly, but it is actually more like every week and a half . The sheets get tossed into the washer , dried and folded in the same day , and that is it. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2014, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-wash-change-your-sheets/705486/67 "2014-11-29T05:11:14Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > It varies between weekly and fortnightly. > > Now, how often do you wash your underblanket? > [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](#): > > Even after googling, I still don’t know what an underblanket is (spell check doesn’t seem to know what it is either). All I saw were pictures of regular blankets. Yeah, no kidding. What’s an “underblanket?” ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2014, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-wash-change-your-sheets/705486/68 "2014-11-29T05:12:17Z")
Probably a joke; think underwear for the bed. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2014, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-wash-change-your-sheets/705486/69 "2014-11-29T05:16:16Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Probably a joke; think underwear for the bed. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2014, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-wash-change-your-sheets/705486/70 "2014-11-29T06:00:08Z")
Weekly. I love “clean sheet night”! Also, my childhood allergist had that huge photo of a dust mite. :eek: I was traumatized. But it made me a pretty good housekeeper WRT changing the sheets and washing blankets. > [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](#): > > Doesn’t anyone vacuum their sheets? No, but I do vacuum and steam my duvet. Pulls out some of the dust and helps keep it fresh. The cats sleep both on the duvet and on the sheets/pillowcases (and anywhere else they damn well please), so, you know. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2014, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-wash-change-your-sheets/705486/71 "2014-11-29T06:46:53Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > 😕 Your sheets. You can even have them wear a pad under the undersheets. ---
**Author:** ![JustinC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justinc/32/8083_2.png) [@JustinC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JustinC)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2014, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-wash-change-your-sheets/705486/72 "2014-11-29T12:33:54Z")
Other - when I leave the ‘Please Clean’ sign on my apartment door. Living in a managed apartment block has some advantages, although privacy isn’t one of them. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2014, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-wash-change-your-sheets/705486/73 "2014-11-29T13:30:33Z")
> [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](#): > > Even after googling, I still don’t know what an underblanket is (spell check doesn’t seem to know what it is either). It’s what goes between the sheet and the mattress. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2014, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-wash-change-your-sheets/705486/74 "2014-11-29T16:07:44Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > It’s what goes between the sheet and the mattress. Ah, so a mattress pad! ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2014, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-wash-change-your-sheets/705486/75 "2014-11-30T00:06:42Z")
I wash them before first use and then at no particular frequency after that. Too long, I’m sure. The last three sets of sheets I’ve had have worn out before I needed to wash them. I think I need to stop buying such cheap sheets, because it wasn’t THAT long. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2014, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-wash-change-your-sheets/705486/76 "2014-11-30T12:16:16Z")
> [@TBG](#): > > The last three sets of sheets I’ve had have worn out before I needed to wash them. I think I need to stop buying such cheap sheets, because it wasn’t THAT long. Or maybe change your sex habits. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-wash-change-your-sheets/705486.md?page=3)