When purchasing bed linens, you may find that there a variety of colors, pieces, and fabrics to choose from. For every fabric and piece, there are specific ways you should care for them.
However, there are some generally known methods of care that apply to almost every sheet, pillowcase, and bed linen in terms of washing and general care. Read on for best practices on caring for your bed linens this winter.
Utilize The Care Instructions
With the instructions carefully spelled out on the label, it is easy for you to determine if the material requires hot or cold water, line or tumble dry, hand wash or machine wash, and so on. Every single linen comes with specifications and instructions on the label, it is important that you follow these instructions to the best of your ability to ensure your bed linens hold up year after year.
You should also save the label carefully as they are very valuable. Cut the label off and tape it to a file card with the product it applies to. Keep it in your laundry room, ready to assist you with information on how to handle specific materials when you need to.
General Guidelines to Apply When Washing Sheets and Linen
As mentioned above, it is best to follow the care instructions on the label. However, there are a few general washing guidelines you should follow:
- Do not wash linens in temperatures above 104 F
- Set wash cycles on “gentle”
- Use the extra rinse cycle to remove the residue of detergent
- Use less detergent than specified by the detergent label (as low as half)
- Do not use bleach as it can break down the fabric fibers
Guidelines For Drying Bed Linens and Sheets
Ensure you follow these laundry guidelines for drying the linens:
- Avoid over-drying your sheets as this may lead to more wrinkles in the fabric
- Remove them from the dryer and fold immediately
- If your sheets are not removed from the dryer immediately, throw in a damp towel and dry the sheets for 5-10 minutes longer to release any wrinkles
- Iron the top section of your flat sheets
Guidelines for Pillowcases
Ensure you buy more pillowcases than sheets, as pillowcases tend to wear a lot faster than bedsheets. Also, iron them often to give them a crisp look. Depending on your climate, ensure you change pillowcases as often as twice a week or even more.
How to Store Your Linens
At all times, it helps to have at least three sets of sheets for one bed. Keep one on the bed, another in your storage and the last one in your laundry. Ensure you use them for an even amount of time so that one doesn’t wear out before the others. Change your sheets at least once a week or more, depending on your climate (more for warmer climates and less for cool climates).
Other General Laundry Tips For Linen Care Include:
Other general tips for linen care include:
- Place a mattress pad between the mattress and the bottom sheet. Ensure you wash this pad as often as required.
- Buy the same pattern of pillowcases and top sheet for a more aesthetic look
- If you use a sheet as a fabric to make a pillowcase, do not wash it as washing it will make them lose body. Dry clean instead.
As much as possible, check the fabric, pattern, and color of the specific sheet you need. How to care for your sheets is specific to the fabric. Use these helpful laundry tips to ensure a wonder-filled experience with your bed linens.
If you are unsure of how to properly wash and fold your bed linens, it may be useful to bring them to your nearest laundry service provider and laundromats to ensure the best quality and care.