The average person spends one quarter of their day sleeping in bed, yet proper mattress cleaning and how often you should wash your bedding is a topic that is not widely covered. In this article, we will uncover the various frequencies and best practices for keeping your mattress and bedding clean.
The Importance of Bedding Hygiene
Bedding accumulates skin cells, body oils, sweat, dust, and bacteria, which can then cause allergy triggers, skin irritation and ultimately lead to poor sleep. This article will give you guidelines for proper bedding hygiene, breaking down exact washing frequency by item based on my research from experts like the CDC, American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), National Sleep Foundation, and Standford Health, not guesswork.
How Dirty Does Your Bed Really Get? (The Science Behind the Sheets)
Let’s break it down – your sheets and mattress come in contact with a variety of fluids and bacteria from your body, clothing and potentially pets. It’s estimated that the average person loses .5 to one liter of sweat a night while sleeping. This is a natural process for you body to help regulate temperature at night and can be impacted by your room temperature, bedding type, sleepwear, and individual body types. If you are not regularly cleaning your sheets and mattress, this sweat can accumulate and cause a build up of bacteria and fungi. Â
Besides body fluid and sweat, you also shed skin cells that attract dust mites. According to studies done at Stanford Health Care, “A female dust mite can lay 25-to-50 eggs every 3 weeks, resulting in dust mite populations of up to 1 million inhabiting a single bed!” Disgusting. This is a significant health concern as feces from dust mites can trigger allergens and asthma. That’s right, you are sleeping in microscopic dust mite poop that can be making you sick.
It’s also important to keep your bedroom so what cool and dry. Humid, warm environments can add fuel to the fire in helping bacteria, fungi and dust mites proliferate in your mattress and on your sheets.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the best temperature for your bedroom is around  65°F (18.3°C) to ensure good night’s rest. The best environment for sleeping is a cool, quiet, completely dark room.
It’s not as easy to get rid of dust mites and bacteria that get trapped in your mattress since you can’t machine wash it as you typically do with pillows, sheets and blankets. Mattresses weigh a ton and are bulky with layers of foam, feathers and cushioning, and more dense, harder services than breathable fabrics on most clothes.
The following tips and recommendations will help to reduce your contact with common mattress irritates and promote good hygiene overall.
How Often Should You Wash Bedding?
Here’s an easy to follow chart and breakdown by bedding item with insight from the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America(AAFA).
| Bedding Item | Recommended Frequency | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sheets (top & fitted) | Every 7 days | Every 3–4 days if heavy sweater |
| Pillowcases | 2–3 times per week | Especially important for acne |
| Duvet covers | Every 1–2 weeks | Inner comforter washed less often |
| Comforters / Duvets | Every 2–3 months | More often if pets sleep on bed |
| Blankets / Throws | Every 2–4 weeks | Decorative ≠clean |
| Mattress protector | Every 1–2 months | Essential for mattress hygiene |
How Often Should You Clean Your Mattress?
I never really thought about how often I should clean my mattress beyond changing the sheets every week and using a protective mattress cover and washing it monthly, but there are more steps you can take and methods you can use to get a deeper clean and reduce irritates and bacteria.
Just because you can’t easily wash your mattress with a machine doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be regularly cleaned and protected. Vacuuming every month or two can eliminate or reduce dust mites.
If you notice any sweat stains or spots from some spilled liquid, try to absorb as much as you can with a paper towel or cloth and then treat with stain remover or fabric cleaner. I like OxiClean the best. The foaming action really zones in and lifts the stain. Alternatively, I’ve had success with Resolve carpet cleaner. If you are looking for something more natural or have a spill and no stain remover products on hand, try a mixture of dish soap, vinegar and water in equal parts in a spray bottle. Just spray and rub until it’s clean.
One of the best methods to free a mattress of odor is using a sprinkle of baking soda on your mattress and vaccuming it up. This is a great practice to adopt once or twice a year. I also have found it helpful to spray with Febreze two to four times a year. These products eliminate bacteria and keep your mattress smelling great.
The most IMPORTANT thing you can do to preserve your mattress and keep it clean is to use a removable mattress protector. This is the single most effective way to maintain the cleanliness of your mattress, since you can machine wash the cover regularly and it provides a barrier between spills, body fluids and dust mites.
How to Clean Pillows, Mattress Toppers & Protectors
Regularly and thoroughly cleaning pillows, mattress protectors and mattress toppers if often overlooked, which is not great since these are also some of the dirtiest parts of your bedding that can accumulate dust mites and bacteria. Here is a breakdown of what to clean and when.
Pillows
Pillows trap oils and accumulate moisture even more than a mattress or sheets because of the prolonged contact with your head. The composition of a pillow is basically like a sponge, absorbing all your neck sweat, drool, and hair and skincare products that are your head and face.
Pillows should be washed every 3 to 6 months and replaced every 1 to 2 years. Mainly pillows are filled with feathers or down-like fiberfill, so they can be machine-washed. Make sure to check the manufacturer label on your pillow for proper care instructions, as memory foam or latex pillow should be spot cleaned and not machine washed. The best method for washing pillows is to wash them in pairs on a delicate cycle and make sure to use cold water and mild detergent.
Tumble dry on low in multiple cycles until there are not cold or damp spots. You can also use tennis balls or dryer balls to help even out the heat distribution during the cycle.
Mattress Protectors
Mattress protectors are an essential item to have to protect your mattress and preserve it’s lifespan. They create an extra barrier between you and the mattress and are so easy to wash. They should be washed every 1 – 2 months to keep your mattress clean and keep you protected for irritants.
Mattress Toppers
Many people like to use mattress toppers to give themselves an extra layer of cushion and support. Most come in foam, feathers or fiberfill. They can be voluminous, so they are not easily machine washable like a mattress protector. The should be cleaned 1 to two times a year in the same way you clean your full mattress. You can vacuum and then spot clean with stain remover or a mild soap mixture.
Special Circumstances That Require More Frequent Washing
My advice above for how often to wash your mattress and bedding does not consider some individual situations and variables that should be considered to best meet your needs.
Alleriges or Asthma
If you suffer from chronic allergies and asthma, you should wash your mattress and bedding even more frequency and with care. The AAFA recommends vacuuming your mattress weekly with a HEPA-filter vacuum, and make sure to focus on the crevices and edges of the mattress where dust mites tend to thrive.
It is ideal to conduct a deep cleaning every 3 to 6 months by sprinkling baking soda over the entire surface of the mattress. Let it sit for 30 min to one hour, then vacuum it up.
Hot Sleepers & Night Sweats
People whose body temperatures run hot or who have frequent nigh sweats need to worry about having their mattress absorb even more than one liter of fluid per nights sleep. In these cases you should use a waterproof mattress protector and bump of your deep cleaning schedule to every 3 to 4 months.
Pet’s Sleeping in Bed
If you enjoy some furry cuddles at night and allow your pet to sleep in your bed, then you need to worry about the accumulation of pet hair and dander in addition to your own. We personally do not let our dog and cats sleep in our bedroom and on our mattress because we don’t want to worry about the necessary extra cleaning. If we temporarily let them on the bed, we always make sure to cover the bed with an extra pet-friendly blanket to avoid their dander getting into the mattress.
Illness
It’s a good idea to not only wash your sheets, but to clean your mattress and pillows after you have a cold, flu or skin infection. You do not want bacteria and viruses from illness lingering where you sleep, so take some extra steps to freshen your bed once you are well.
If you have a specific medical condition or illness, please make sure to consult your doctor or medical specialist to get their recommendation for any extra steps you should take to clean your mattress and bedding.
Best Practices for Washing Bedding Properly
Keeping your bedding and mattress clean is not just about washing your bedding often, but also the way in wash it. Here are some of the best methods to implement.
To remove built up body oils, stains and sweat from your sheets, you will get the best results using warm (90 – 110 degrees F)Â or hot (greater than 130 degrees F) water.
Hot water is best for sanitizing, so if your bedding is heavily soiled, it is best to use hot water hot, but be warned that using hot water over time can cause the color of the fabric to fade and deteriorate. Using warm water is the best practice to get the most clean while also protecting the material.
The good news is also that hot water can actually kill dust mites and reduce overall allergens, according to the Mayo Clinic. Dust Mites can’t be totally eliminated from your bed, but washing your bedding once a week in hot water will get rid of a lot of them.
Always check the care instructions label before washing, so you don’t ruin your bedding with temperatures that are too warm. If your bedding can’t be washed in hot water, it is recommended to put items in the dryer for 15 minutes at a temperature above 130 degrees to kill dust mites and sanitize.
FAQs on How Often to Wash Bedding and Mattresses
Is it really bad to wash sheets every two weeks?
Ideally sheets should be washed every week because in just a few nights lots of body oils, sweat and bacteria can accumulate. It’s not dangerous to wait two weeks, especially if you shower at night and sleep in a cool room, but we recommend washing sheets every week.
Can you wash a mattress?
You can’t wash a mattress like a load of laundry or a car, and getting it soaked completely can damage it. However, there are ways to clean your mattress that are very beneficial . Vacuuming and spot cleaning with fabric cleaner every month or two is the best way to keep your mattress clean. Additionally using a mattress protector that can be machine washed every month is essential.
Does cold washing actually clean bedding?
Not as well. Washing your bedding in cold water is much less effective at killing dust mites, but it’s better than not washing it at all. It’s also less effective at getting rid of bacteria and allergens. Luckily, many laundry detergents are designed to still get rid of dirt and oil in cold water, so if you want to only wash using the cold settings, make sure to get a high quality detergent.
In Conclusion – Should You Clean Your Bedding Regularly?
It might seem like a lot of work, but it is important to wash your sheets every week. Additionally, be sure to deep clean your mattress a few times a year.
You will have better sleep, fewer dust mites and bacteria present – and much better health outcomes. Keeping your bed sanitary and clean will help you maintain excellent sleep hygiene, so be sure to follow a good cleaning routine every week.