Why you should wash your sheets more often in the summer

How often do you wash your sheets?

The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America as well as SleepFoundation.org says most people should wash them once a week.

A lot of us squeeze an extra week into that recommendation and change our sheets twice a month. Still others go way longer than that.

What’s going on with your bedclothes?

Experts say the average person sheds about three-eighths of a teaspoon of dead skin every day — much of it in bed when we toss and turn. It’s a small amount in the scheme of things — but it’s enough to feed a million dust mites every day!

These dead skin cells in your sheets — combined with dirt, oil and sweat from your skin — can be a breeding ground for bacteria and dust mites that live on your sheets, mattress and pillows.

And if you sweat when you sleep, you probably do even more of it in the summer. Bacteria and dust mites thrive in warm, humid environments, hence the recommendation to wash those sheets at least once a week during the summer.

The dirty details

• Bacteria

  The skin is one of bacteria’s favorite places. When dead skin cells hang out in your sheets, bacteria can thrive. If the dead skin flakes get back onto your skin, it can lead to folliculitis or make eczema, a common type of skin rash, worse.

• Dust mites

  Dust mites occur naturally and are nearly everywhere.

  Although they don’t bite, sting or burrow under your skin (they don’t have teeth or mouths!), these microscopic eight-legged relatives of the spider are an allergen for many people.

  Unlike pet allergens, dust mite allergens usually don’t stay airborne and settle within minutes into dust or fabrics, clinging to bedding, mattresses, upholstered furniture, carpets and curtains.

  Most exposure to dust mite allergens occurs while we’re sleeping and disturbing dust when we roll over, and toss and turn. About four out of five homes in the United States have detectable levels of dust mite allergen in at least one bed.

  The inhalation of dust mite allergens can cause some people to experience an inflammation of the nasal passages, a runny nose, watery eyes and sneezing. Dust mite allergens can also trigger asthma flare-ups, itching, and other seasonal allergies or rashes if too many of them come into contact with your skin.

• Pets

  A four-legged reason you should be throwing your sheets in the washing machine more often: pets. If yours sleep with you, know that as you gaze at their adorable faces … they and their pet friends are common harbors for fungal organisms that can cause skin issues in humans.

  These can include simple infections such as ringworm. They can also include more aggressive infestations, such as scabies, which is caused by mites that can live on dogs and be transferred to humans. There are several other parasites that can be transferred from pets to their pet parents.

The good news?

Not everyone has a dust mite allergy, and the risk of getting a bad bacterial infection under your skin is pretty low, say the experts. But, it’s still a good idea to practice good bed linen hygiene to be safe.

• Wash your sheets at least once a week in the hottest setting recommended — check the care instructions on the label. Dry them in the clothes dryer, or hang them out to dry in the hot sun (the downside to this: the clean sheets can collect pollen or grass).

• Don’t make your bed the minute you roll out of it. Leaving the bedding open allows sheets to “air out,” reducing the moisture that bacteria and dust mites need to grow.

• Your other bedding — blankets and pillows — doesn’t need to be washed as frequently, but should be washed at least every six months.

So, get ready to wash your sheets more often this summer. Here’s to sweet, dust mite-free dreams!