To think it’s unhygienic to change bedding every six weeks?

[Lycidas]

Had this discussion with SiL. She insists we can do it fortnightly because we only have one DC (they have three), and it’s too much effort to do it more often with so many beds to change. Pillowcases do get changed weekly. She’s obsessive about cleanliness in most other domestic areas so it’s quite surprising to me...

Way back when I was at uni and living in student share houses, it was hard enough to get your usual washing done, let alone bedding. It was generally only ever done in term holidays and even then we all gave it a miss in winter as it would never dried (we didn’t have tumble dryers). Newsflash is no one stank and we all lived.

I think once a week should be a minimum.Families have other priorities and those who are lucky enough to have laundry facilities have to appreciate that it's not the same for everyone. From a sanitary point of view surely pillowcases, at the very least, should be changed weekly.

From a sanitary point of view surely pillowcases, at the very least, should be changed weekly.

Really?

Based on what exactly?

If I’m being perfectly honest, ours are changed ever 2-3 weeks and none of us have come to any harm.

What do you think the consequences of leaving it longer are?

I think my mother's usual interval was once every 6 months for nylon sheets unless you threw up over them and once a year for the nylon duvet thing to be slung in the bath.

Strangely enough, my sister was regularly hospitalised for severe asthma, triggered by house dust mites and allergies to cats and dogs, both of which we also had. Can't imagine how the two were connected.

I feel that we're slacking if it's two weeks between full changes - mainly because I start to itch and sneeze.

Why do some people care so much about other people's laundry habits?
Then get competitive about just how clean and hygienic they are!

i have 3 super king sized with the deluxe teddy bear bedding(bloody expensive from the catalogue) on all and i change twice a week.
we all bath daily too

washing its ok but they are a bugger to dry so we have 9 sets of sheets and quilt covers

if i can do that twice a week people can certainly do cotton or normal type bedding at least once a week

if i can do that twice a week people can certainly do cotton or normal type bedding at least once a week
I'm sure most people can, but maybe they don't want to for environmental reasons or they have other priorities for their time.

Mine weekly, dd1 when I nag her, dd2 depends because she's away at univ, guest room as required, dog weekly.

if i can do that twice a week people can certainly do cotton or normal type bedding at least once a week

I could also set fire to a fifty pound note at least once a week. I'm not going to though.

Have you ever looked to see how much potable water and electricity your washing machine uses per cycle?

Don't get me wrong, I adore my washing machine with all the fervour of someone who knows how much they have freed women. But women (and it is women) shouldn't be ending up doing ten times as much washing to compensate for the time and personal energy they save.

What on earth is 'deluxe teddy bear bedding'?

Threads like this make me feel as though MN is a separate universe. Who has time for washing sheets twice a week?

Actually, it's not so much time, as inclination. I find the whole palaver of stripping beds, washing and drying sheets and putting them back on the bed on of the most tedious household chores. Particularly in winter when they can't be line-dried. I do it as infrequently as I can.

What on earth is 'deluxe teddy bear bedding'?

That's the stuff people with too much money and too little sense like to buy. The rest of us realise it's just £2.50 worth of fleece with a £100 price tag.

How can she forgo the pleasure of clean sheets?
I change mine at the weekend, have a really exfoliating shower, slather myself in body butter, andI get into the clean crisp sheets feeling like a dolphin ( due to smooth skin).

It’s a simple but lovely experience.

I was imagining shiny padded quilts, with a pattern of cute teddy bear faces.

Like this only with teddies. I take it that it's not as literal as I hoped?

I don't see a problem. My kids bathe and wear pjs. My son is old enough to do it himself now but I probably do my daughter's once a month, her pillowcase more frequently.

Once or twice a week here. Usually once tbf. I think that anything longer than that is a bit ... well I wouldn't sleep well.

Oh and we have very good cotton sheets and bathe before bed.

Teddy bear bedding is just fleecy fabric as opposed to sleeping on hay or nails or what have you.

direct.asda.com/george/home/bedding/duvet-covers/grey-teddy-fleece-duvet-set/050490828,default,pd.html?cmpid=ppc--ad-------_-dskwid-s92700048814438738_dm&ds_rl=1238816&ds_rl=1254577&gclid=Cj0KCQiArozwBRDOARIsAHo2s7s2xV4lDdiE7Yh0B7eBeK8r5jRi85czQPY_mzLTYx8kMqEJbWYaR40aAl_BEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Yep grim. Mine and dog’s done weekly (superking), dds done every two weeks max (king and double) and spare rooms done as and when guests stay.

It is 100% sweaty polyester though so not for me.

Mine and Dh’s 😂

Well, I was right about the polyester then. One out of three ain't bad.

I'll stick with cotton bedding!

I am a notorious Mumsnet Minger.

I can easily go 6 weeks without changing my bed. Why would I? I am the only one who sleeps there. I am clean when I get in. If I see a mark on my pillow, I'll wash the pillowcase, otherwise once a month or once every two months is fine by me for bed-changing.

Cos I tell you what - my ancestors were a lot dirtier than me, and yet here I am.

I change mine every 4 days when dh is home. But more like 3/4 weeks when just me as I wear full pj and dont sweat. Kids bed get changed perhaps every 4 weeks. They are under 10 and washed everyday with full pj so beds dont get manky

Yuk! Weekly here too.