How long do your sheets and towels last?

[SobranieCocktail]

I'm my head they should last at least a few years before they get so ripped/stained that they need to be retired. The reality is that they start to look pretty rough within a year or so.

I have three teenagers who manage to stain things (period accidents, make up, acne cream that bleaches fabric), and two cats who manage to snag sheets with their claws when they have the zoomies.

It just feels like such a waste to chuck out towels and sheets when they're still functionally okay, but look a bit manky. What do other people do?

I donate the old ones to animal shelters. They always need towels. Well, my local PDSA does anyway.

They're indoor cats and we live in a flat, so can't really keep them away from our beds... And obviously I don't just sit there watching them shred stuff 🤣

My main bed linen and towels were wedding presents so almost 19 years old.

I had to replace the sheets when we got a bigger mattress so they are probably 10 years old and the pillow cases (only 2 of 4) were repaired several times before falling apart.

I have older towels and older bed linen! The bed linen on my son's bed must be 24 years plus?

I've towels still in use of about the same age. I do need to think about replacing but am frugal and trying to be eco conscious.

Sheets have lasted through teen years of 2 daughters. One used acne cream that bleached everything! I always use white sheets / pillow cases as they can be bleached if stained - they still look fine.

Blimey, what sort of cats do you have - cheetahs?

I'm a lifelong cat owner - we currently have four cats - and have never had a sheet ripped by cats' claws. Never once, not even a tiny hole in any kind of bedding.

They do sometimes pull threads in towels and jumpers though.

We've got sheets and towels that were wedding presents so 12 years old. No rips but probably not as white as they once were! I've also got 2 sets of MILs towels because she replaced them for another colour and I can't bear to see perfectly good towels chucked away. If they get to the stage where they don't fluff up in the tumble dryer I use them to line the guinea pig cage.

Tbh I see sheets and towels as exceptionally boring ways to spend money so I'm not one to rush out and buy more!

I've The White Company towels that have been on the go for 20 years. The IKEA towels I bought when DD1 born 15 years ago are now a bit thin though. I never use softener on towels which I'm sure helps.

All our beds have fitted sheets. Usually last about 3-4 years. Pillow cases don't though. Bloody DH with his oiled beard.

I’ve always bought good quality sheets and towels and they are still in use after 15 years, so I think it must depend on what you bought previously.

We're still using our wedding present towels and we got married in '94.

We did buy different towels to use specifically for dyeing hair etc, specific flannels for use by the kids who were using the (bleaching) acne stuff to spare the original set.

They're indoor cats and we live in a flat, so can't really keep them away from our beds

Keep the bedroom doors closed?
As for acne cream bleaching stuff, why not have white bedding and towels?

This is one of the culprits.

Aww

Ahahah he’s even hugging the sheet in the photo. Maybe they think it’s funny and that’s why they’re doing it. You could purchase them a tiny bed with sheets? Try to lure them away from the big bed?

That would leave them with only the kitchen (we have a sofa bed in the sitting room). And unfortunately although white fabrics survive the bleaching, they get stained. 🤷

I still kind of have some from my wedding presents. Towels 23 years old, and used for the dog now, sheets ripped into oil rags in the garage.

I must admit I now have MY towels. Petrol blue. And MY sheets 600 thread count. Have had both for 10 years now with no signs of wear or staining... because they are miiiiiiiiiine... and I like nice things and take care of them.

🤣. (Also that's me she's hugging! It's purely a stealth move to absorb my warmth).

I'm feeling a bit defensive here... I'm a hardcore preservist (if that's a word). I'm a careful person and most of our stuff is ancient (and looks fine). That's why I'm perplexed about our sheet/towel situation.

We have a few towels that DH was given when he went to boarding school 32 years ago, I used one yesterday.

And I've got a tea towel from Charles and Diana's wedding, it's a terrible piece of art and she looks well pissed off but then it's not historically inaccurate so I kept it.

I also don’t have these issues, my towels are white company and habe had them about 8 years, they are like new. My sheets are all white, Egyptian cotton. No cats. My daughter uses a separate towel when using acne cream as she knows it bleaches towels. I haven’t seen any period stains on the towels , she cleans herself properly and wipes with tissue to be dry. As do I. Any accident on the sheets we wash with Cold water first and it comes out. No issue with white bed sheets with acne cream as they are white and bleaching doesn’t show.The dogs don’t damage the sheets, so we don’t have any of these issues.

What washing powder do you use? Maybe switching to a different brand might help?

That would leave them with only the kitchen (we have a sofa bed in the sitting room). And unfortunately although white fabrics survive the bleaching, they get stained

with what? Make up, blood all wash out.

Throw an old blanket or something over the bed so the cats can sleep on that.

(this is from a person who has to fight for pillow space and regularly has a furry purring nocturnal hat)

We use ecoleaf laundry liquid. Sheets are all cotton from John Lewis, towels a mixture of JL and Ikea. We used to have some single polycotton bed linen that was indestructible.

I think the quality of things has got worse. I bought some lovely John Lewis towels 4 years ago, within a year the edge had frayed on 2 of them and colour looks awful. I have a set of nice display towels that get put out for guests etc and the really manky ones are used for hair dye etc. when too tatty I cut them up and use as floor cloths etc. quite a few recuses by me collect them for the dogs too. Sheets seem to last up to 2 years before needing replacing due to DH, he doesn’t wear PJs so skin oils ruin them over time. I’ve converted to various shades of grey sheets as I replace the white ones he’s ruined

I’m with you also on the make up stains. I have a white towel I got foundation on and no matter the powder/stain remover used it won’t come out, it’s fading but still there. I’ve given up trying