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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

aibu to not change sheets for a while...

109 replies

Cactuar · 12/05/2013 00:06

Having a discussion with dh and friend about how often it is normal to change bedsheets. My mum cannot go for a week without changing bedsheets and we think this us excessive. We feel, as disgusting as is it is, that it is far more normal to leave it for weeks and only do it when it gets absolutely necessary. We think more people are like this than are willing to admit. Are we being unreasonable?

OP posts:
Wuldric · 12/05/2013 12:01

Weekly during the winter, 2-3 times a week in the summer if weather really hot

This I don't get. Shouldn't it be the other way around?

BaronessBomburst · 12/05/2013 12:11

Every week, and change the pillow cases mid-week too.

Some of you lot are rank! I bet you use the same tea-towel all week as well...... Yuk.

Wuldric · 12/05/2013 12:14

How often do people wash their duvets and pillowcases?

Ours are done once a year with a big trip to the launderette, but the feathers take a flipping age to dry. SHould I do this more regularly (please don't say any more than twice a year).

CecilyP · 12/05/2013 12:14

No, changing tea towels is effortless, so done more often - not that we do much drying up.

massagegirl · 12/05/2013 12:14

Not being competitive about dirtiness! Just that we both work full time and have pretty busy social life so changing sheets is not at the top of my priorities, as much as I love the feeling of clean sheets, we don't have a tumble dryer or clothes line so would have super king sheets draped round the place all the time.

Wuldric · 12/05/2013 12:14

Sorry - I meant pillows, not pillowcases obv

BrandyAlexander · 12/05/2013 12:14

Ewww. Adults changed weekly, dcs twice weekly. More frequently in hot weather. If anyone is sick with flu, fever etc then changed daily. Going for Weeks at a time without changing the bedsheets is just minging!

CecilyP · 12/05/2013 12:17

Wuldric, I hope you won't be too shocked, (though you may be reassured) but I have just replaced my 30 year old feather duvet and it had never been washed. I didn't even realise you could wash them. I mean, you don't wash your matress, so why should would you wash a duvet?

Wuldric · 12/05/2013 12:22

With mattresses, there is a mattress protector ensuring nothing gets through to the mattress. You can wash the mattress protector. But duvets themselves - well there is only a couple of thin layers of cotton between my sweaty teens and the feathers. Hence washing the duvets and the pillows once a year. I am reassured though :)

CecilyP · 12/05/2013 12:25

I have now swapped to a polyester-filled duvet, so might hit the launderette in a couple of years.

QuinionsRainbow · 12/05/2013 12:27

Sheets, pillowcases and duvet cover washed weekly, and duvet turned back for airing most of the day. Mattress cover and pillow covers washed every three or four weeks. DH and myself showered every evening before bed and most mornings as well.

specialsubject · 12/05/2013 12:56

a bit skanky but it is your house and doesn't affect anyone else. As long as visitors get clean beds!

puds11isNAUGHTYnotNAICE · 12/05/2013 13:00

I do a duvet rotation. So I have a clean set ready to go on then I was old set ready to go back on.

I do mine more often than DD's as she is at her dads 50% and in my bed the rest Grin

I have to do it at least every 2 weeks because i always get make up on my pillow and its bad for my skin.

Bunbaker · 12/05/2013 13:20

"I have to do it at least every 2 weeks because i always get make up on my pillow and its bad for my skin"

You don't clean your make-up off before going to bed Shock. Now that is skanky. Your skin might improve if you clean your make-up off every night.

IEatCakeInBed · 12/05/2013 13:37

Our bed weekly, maybe more in summer. And we shower at night before bed. DD1 (4) at least once a week, DD2 (2) 2-3 times a week, as she is quite a dribbler.

Doesn't the average person sweat about a pint a night, or something like that??

And all those dead skin cells too!! Yuck.

Nagoo · 12/05/2013 14:05

I reckon if I lived alone once a month would be alright, TBH, as my side of the bed seems alright.

DH is a sweaty stinker so every week.

loofet · 12/05/2013 14:16

I think once a week isn't too bad, wouldn't call it excessive. Excessive would be twice a week or every other day for adults anyway.

We do ours once a fortnight. The DC are stinky bum toddlers still in nappies so there's get changed quite frequently, probably

loofet · 12/05/2013 14:16

*twice a week.

ShatnersBassoon · 12/05/2013 14:22

Weekly. We are often sweaty and usually naked in bed, it would be unwise to leave the sheets unwashed any longer.

Nagoo · 12/05/2013 14:50

often sweaty and usually naked Show off.

miffybun73 · 12/05/2013 14:56

A week to 10 days, usually every Sunday.

I'm sure that our sheets would feel greasy and smell after 3 weeks.

We both shower twice a day, but everyone sweats at night don't they ?

miffybun73 · 12/05/2013 14:58

Grin at ShatnersBassoon We're the same :)

TrippleBerryFairy · 12/05/2013 15:05

Every 3 weeks or so. Doing it weekly is a waste of my time plus i dont like drying them in a spare room. Trip to launterette to dry them- waste of my time too. DP doesnt do any house chores so fuck it, im not wasting my time on that.

Fairylea · 12/05/2013 15:07

Once a week. I couldn't stand to leave it longer than that!

ShatnersBassoon · 12/05/2013 15:08

The nudity is a symptom of the sweating, not the cause of it Grin