Wash Your Pillowcases

cleanliness of bed sheets and pillowcases is often overlooked yet nothing in your bedroom is as dirty as your pillowcase. Studies have shown that after just one week of use, pillowcases harbor bacteria levels surpassing those found on a toilet set by a staggering nearly 20,000 times. ⁽¹⁾

Fabric covers can accumulate roughly 3 million bacteria colonies per square inch after just one week of sleep. That's millions of bacteria touching your face as you toss and turn in your sleep, more than what's on your toilet seat.

Your body sheds about 15 million skin cells every night

This is in part because your body sheds about 15 million skin cells every night, and those can build up if you don't wash your bedding often, feeding thousands of dust mites living in your sheets. Not washing your bedding also give fungi and bacteria a chance to build up as you sleep. Nothing in your bedroom is as dirty as your pillowcase. ⁽²⁾

In addition to dust mites, our beds harbor a variety of fungi. Feather and synthetic pillows used for 1.5 to 20 years may contain up to 16 types of fungi. ⁽³⁾

When participants abstained from washing their bed sheets for four weeks, their pillowcases harbored 39 times more bacteria than a pet bowl, and bed sheets contained 5.4 times more bacteria than a toothbrush holder. Four strains of bacteria were found: gram-negative rods (41.5 percent), gram-positive rods (24.9 percent), bacilli (23.4 percent) and gram-positive cocci (10.2 percent). ⁽¹⁾

Here are several common health effects caused by dirty bedding:

1. Asthma and allergy symptoms- Dust mites in bedding can exacerbate allergies ad asthma symptoms.
2. Rash and eczema symptoms- Bacteria in dead skin cells can increase the risk of developing a rash. Eczema, one of the most common types of skin rashes, is caused by a combination of dry skin and overactive bacterial colonies on the skin. Additionally, dust mites can also cause skin rashes.
3. Acne and folliculitis- Bacteria can also cause folliculitis, an infection that can sometimes be painful and results itchy skin and acne like bumps.
4. Fungal and parasitic infections- Pets may carry fungal organisms and parasites, such as ringworm and scabies, which can then be transmitted to bedding and human skin. ⁽⁴⁾

National Sleep Foundation (NSF) emphasizes the importance of keeping your bedding clean for your health and sleep quality. It is recommended to change your sheets and pillowcases weekly. If you have pets that sleep on your bed, changing bedding every three to four days is advisable. NSF also recommends cleaning your comforter and blankets every two to three months, pillows every four to six months, and mattresses every six months or so. ⁽⁵⁾

Maintaining a clean bed goes beyond making the bed every morning

The Cleveland Clinic also recommends changes in bedding for specific situations. For instance, if you live in a very hot climate, experience excessive sweating during sleep (such as hot flashes), are recovering from an illness or infection, have allergies or asthma, or prefer sleeping naked, changing bedding more frequently is advisable.

Maintaining a clean bed goes beyond making the bed every morning. The risks having an unhygienic bed poses on you and your family's health are something to be avoided.

References

1. David Chu, "Pillowcases have nearly 20,000 times more bacteria than a toilet seat," principia-scientific.com, August 15, 2023
2. Joey Hadden, "Pillowcases are one of the dirtiest things in your home, and experts say you're probably not washing them nearly enough," insider.com,
3. A. A. Woodcock et al., "Fungal contamination of bedding," PubMed, January 2006
4. "How often you should wash your sheets and the gross reasons why," health.clevelandclinic.org
5. Daniel Noved, "How often should you wash your sheets?", sleepfoundation.org, January 31, 2023