Should You Wash Sheets Before Using Them
When you get a new set of bed sheets, it’s tempting just to throw them on your bed and slip into sleep without washing them. After all, they’re brand new and look crisp and ready to go, so why go through the hassle of washing them first?
There’s a good reason why you should wash new sheets, as well as other items, before using them.
Because sheets are produced in dusty, dirty factories and often made with dyes and chemicals like butane, propane, and formaldehyde that can irritate skin, eyes, and airways, especially for sensitive skin or allergies.
Your bedsheets have also gone through a great deal of handling by various people. We know it doesn’t sound cozy, but it’s true of many manufactured items.
To restore as much purity to your bed sheets as possible, toss them in the washing machine with some detergent before ever putting them on your bed. Wash your pillowcases, too. Anything that’s going to touch your skin — wash it.
Washing sheets before use isn’t a requirement, but it’s highly recommended if you want fresh, clean sheets.
If you don’t feel like washing them, consider a laundry and delivery service to take the hassle out of prepping your sheets for dreamland.
Not only should you wash brand new sheets, but other bedding like duvet covers, blankets, quilts, comforters, or mattress pads should also be sanitized before the first use.
However, these items often don’t fit or can be damaged by traditional washing machines. Dry cleaning for linens and bedding is often the better option for these items.
The following are the common types of bedsheets.
There are different types of bedsheets, but cotton sheets are the most popular and readily available type of bed sheets.
Cotton
Cotton sheets come in many different weaves and thread counts. This type of bedding ranges from super comfortable and soft to not so cozy at all. It’s important to feel the sheets before buying and to know how to wash the new sheets to make them as soft as possible.
Flannel
Flannel sheets are made of cotton, but they are created using a certain weave that makes them incredibly soft and cozy.
Percale
This is a tighter weave that is great for hot sleepers who tend to get night sweats.
Silks
This fabric is great on the skin, anti-aging, and wonderful for finding the “cool spot” you know you look for in the middle of the night. Silk sheets are high-quality sheets that are a true luxury item.
Linen
Linen sheets are made of breathable fabric and are a great choice if you want natural fibers, but it is one of those that need to be washed to increase the comfort of the fabric.
How Do You Wash New Sheets For The First Time?
If you choose to wash your sheets and other new items, always check the care tag for instructions on how they should be washed.
Darker colored sheets should typically be washed in cold water, and 100% cotton sheets or cotton blends can often be washed in warm water with similar colors. Follow the instructions on the tag carefully to avoid ruining your new sheets.
How to Wash New Sheets
Some luxury brands have specific washing instructions, so wash those correctly. If you have a standard type of bedding, washing should be simple.
Laundry Detergent
Use a gentle detergent when washing your new bedding or duvet covers. Use a “quick wash” wash cycle, then move on to step 2 and wash using baking soda as you normally would.
Baking Soda
Wash your sheets for the first time using 1 cup of baking soda. Use warm or cold water and wash your new sheets with baking soda. This helps clean your new sheets and even works great on older sheets!
Vinegar
Vinegar is an amazing fabric softener. Put 1 cup of white vinegar in your washing machine’s “fabric softener” section and allow it to work its magic during the rinse cycle. It’s best to use warm or hot water for this vinegar rinse. This will not only freshen the sheets but also remove any harmful substances on the cotton fibers of the bedding.
Fabric Softener
Try a natural fabric softener if you don’t want to use vinegar but still want soft sheets.
Dryer Ball
Dryer balls help to fluff and break up sheets in the drying process. This softens and relaxes the fibers, creating a softer sheet to sleep on. If you didn’t have dryer balls, a couple of tennis balls would work, too!
Dryer Sheet
If you want ultra-soft sheets, dryer sheets will give your sheets a pleasant smell and softer ones. Be sure to dry on low heat if you have sheets made of delicate fabrics.
Air Dry
If you are in a location and in a season where air drying is applicable, this is a great way to air out sheets and freshen them up. The sun does amazing things when it comes to sanitizing cotton.
After this initial wash, launder your bedding using the recommended amount of detergent. If you need to freshen your sheets, repeat according to these cleaning instructions.
Here are reasons to wash your new bedding:
- Washing New Sheets Removes Harmful Chemicals
Even if your sheets don’t have a label that tells you to wash them, you definitely should. This will help remove the chemical treatments placed on the fabric during manufacturing.
We know that bedsheets right out of the packaging look crisp and clean. This is because the chemicals added to the fabric are doing their job! Starch and sizing are additives used in sheet processing to give that crisp and smooth finish that makes sheets look so good in their packaging.
You’ll never see a wrinkled sheet on the shelf after all. However, you don’t want those additives in contact with your skin (or your family member’s skin).
Some chemicals used in sheet manufacturing include butane, propane, and formaldehyde. So you will want to wash your sheets at least once, if not multiple times, to remove all residue before you use them.
Sheets straight from the packet can have a strong smell. This can be from the aforementioned chemicals used in processing, but the plastic packaging used to wrap non-food-related products often has more harmful chemicals.
Chances are, you will notice the chemical waft as soon as you open up the packet of your new sheets. Unlike ‘new car smell,’ this is something you will want to get rid of.
- Washing Bedsheets Is A Good Way To Check The Quality
When you get new sheets, you will also want to see if they stand up to your quality standards, and washing is a great way to do this.
After washing your sheets, you will be able to notice if there are any minor defects more easily.
- Loose threads will be easier to spot.
In addition, when you buy new sheets with rich color, you will want them to keep that color. If they start to fade after a single wash, this will indicate that they won’t stand the test of time.
Bed sheets use colored dyes to give them their color, but the types and qualities of dies vary greatly. If you don’t wash before use, you risk the sheets transferring color onto your bed or other bedding. Not to mention, some dyes can cause rashes on sensitive skin.
For these reasons, you must ensure you wash your new sheets separately.
- You will want to check for shrinkage in your new sheets.
Many companies will say that their products are pre-shrunk, which means they shouldn’t shrink after washing. However, this isn’t reliable for all sheet types and fabrics. If you have a high mattress or pillow top, shrinkage might mean your sheets no longer fit.
Washing your new sheets within the return policy will allow you to identify any of these problems while there is still time to do something about them. If your sheets shrink, you could exchange them for a bigger size. If the color fades or runs too much, you might consider exchanging for another brand or contacting the manufacturer.
How often you should wash your sheets is a personal preference, but washing bed linens weekly are the most acceptable practice. Even though many people shower before going to bed, we spend hours on our sheets, and they need to be laundered regularly to remove dust mites, body oils, or dead skin cells.
If you can’t wash all your bedding weeklies, try washing the pillowcases weekly, so they are clean when you lay your head down on them.