Tom's Guide57%
This is how often (and the exact temp) you need to wash your bed sheets and pillowcases this summer, according to an infection prevention expert 87%
By Frances Daniels0%
7/25/2026, 5:30:00 AM
Keywords: Bed Sheets, Pillowcases, Wash, Temperature, Summer, Expert, Infection Prevention, Allergens, Dust Mites, Bacteria, Fungi, Sweat, Mattress Protector, Bedding Care, Sleep Hygiene
BS Summary: This article contains 25 faulty reasoning types, including Indoctrination, Post Hoc (False Cause), and Negativity Bias, with Appeal to Authority as the most egregious example at 27.7% saturation with 266 hits. Analysis detected 1,653 faulty-reasoning hits from 960 analyzed words, generating a BS Score of 79.3% and a BS Rank of 87% (2,933 of 21,887 articles). This article is worse (more manipulative) than 86.60% of the article peer group.
The average person washes their sheets every 3 weeks, but is this enough?
Not according to an infection prevention expert, so here's how often to change your bedding in summer.
Night sweats and allergens can ruin our sleep during the summer, and not washing your bedding enough can make these issues even worse.
Sweat, oil, and allergens can build up if sheets and pillows during heatwaves, but how often (and at what temperature) should we wash our sheets in the summer?
While research has found that the average person changes their sheets every 24 days, an infection prevention expert says this is way too long a wait wash your bedding.
"Bedding collects normal skin bacteria, environmental bacteria, yeasts, mold spores, dust mites, and the allergens that come with all of it," says Dr Shanina C.
Knighton, PhD, RN, CIC, a Research Associate Professor at the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing at Case Western Reserve University.
So, to set the record straight, I've called on Dr Knighton to tell us how often we should be washing our sheets and pillows during the summer.
She'll also tell us what temperature to wash your bedding at, and three other ways you can prevent summer allergens from piling up and disrupting your sleep.
Key takeaways: At a glance
* **Wash your sheets and pillowcases at least once a week:** but those with skin conditions, an active lifestyle, or allergies will need to change them more frequently.
* **Duvet covers should be washes at least every two weeks:** pillows and comforters can be washed every few months if they aren't visibly soiled or stained.
* **Wash bedding at a temperature of at least 130°F:** with 140°F being the optimal for killing dust mites.
* **Make sure bedding is well-ventilated:** this prevents moisture from encouraging bacterial growth, and use a waterproof mattress protector.
* **Wear slippers:** these stop your feet from picking up floor debris and bringing it into your bed.
How often should other types of bedding be washed in summer?
While Dr Knighton advises pillowcases and sheets be washed frequently, other types of bedding can survive a longer wait.
"Wash your sheets and pillowcases weekly at a minimum during hot weather," advises Dr Knighton.
"However, the infection expert stresses that many people may need to wash their bedding more frequently depending on their lifestyle, occupation, and conditions.
"Over time, that same combination is what produces the musty smell, the yellowing, and the staining that will not wash out easily," explains the health specialist.
What temperature should bedding be washed at in summer?
As for what temperature you should was bedding at, Dr Knighton points to research that found that 140°F (60°C) kills all house dust mites.
However, she suggests following the bedding's care labels and opting for the warmest temperature the fabric can stand, with most allergy guidance pointing to 130°F (which is 54.4°C).
What happens if you don't wash your bedding often enough in summer?
So, we know if we don't wash our bedding often enough, oil, sweat and allergens will start to accumulate in our beds, but what are the consequences of that happening?
"The risk is not the same for everyone, and that is the honest answer," Dr.
Knighton tells me.
"For a healthy person with intact skin, the usual result is odor, breakouts, skin irritation, or allergy and asthma flares.
"For someone with asthma, mold sensitivity, eczema, broken skin, or a weakened immune system, the picture is more serious, and there is real infection risk for the immunocompromised."
3 more ways to keep your bedding clean in summer
1.
Wear slippers or socks
"Slippers are not optional in my house and serve a purpose beyond just comfort," says Dr Knighton.
She says this rule applies especially to those who have pets or allow outdoor shoes indoors, where the floor could be covered in debris,
."
Walking across it barefoot and then climbing into bed means you have just dragged all of that up onto your sheets with your own feet.," she warns.
"A pair of slippers between the floor and the bed breaks that chain."
2.
Don't bring your phone to bed
You may want to skip your nightly doomscrolling session, as a phone's surface are "one of the dirtiest things most people own".
The same phone that has been on restaurant tables, in bathrooms, and in their hands all day, and they set it on the pillow or the sheets, " says Dr Knighton.
"My phone does not come to bed with me."
The expert also says she doesn't bring the clothes she's been wearing all day to bed either.
"Whatever my outdoor clothes and my phone touched during the day stays out of the space where I sleep," she reveals.
3.
Make sure your bed is dry
While washing your bedding is important, keeping it dry also prevents the risk of allergen buildup.
To prevent your bedding trapping moisture and encouraging microbial growth, Dr Knighton recommends using one of the best mattress protectors with waterproof protection and ensuring your bedding gets enough ventilation.
If excessive sweating at night means you're waking up to a damp bed, the infection prevention expert recommends allowing the bedding to dry before making it.
"After a sweaty night, throw the covers back, let the bed breathe for a while, and make it later," she advises.
For more cleaning advice, see our guide on how to clean a mattress.
This is especially important if you've invested in the best mattress for your sleep needs and want it to last as long as possible to get your money's worth.
Analysis
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