How often do you wash mattress/pillow protectors?

[imip]

After lurking on many a 'how often do you wash your sheets/towels' thread, I've been a little concerned as to whether I should be regularly washing mattress covers/pillow protectors. They are infinitely more difficult to dry, especially in winter. I never used to use them, but 4dds have demonstrated to me that they are a necessity if you don't want to be regularly buying new mattresses and pillows. I've been washing mattress protectors when beds get wet. For each child that averages at about once a month/six weeks. Is this disgusting? They aren't turning yellow or anything, which is probably a good indicator of needing to be washed . Please come and tell me I am doing the right thing!

Personally i wash protectors every other chNge of bedding. Does this help?

when needed - as you are doing. Or grab a sunny day opportunity.

I wash pillow and mattress protectors on every change of bedding - once every one to two weeks. Bedding goes in tumble to dry, pillow protectors on radiators and mattress protector over dining chairs and dries overnight (I have two).

Eeeps. I work more on the theory that without a mattress protector, it would just be the sheets being changed/washed and the poor mattress would getting grubby with occasional vacuums and maybe the odd wipe down. The protector just saves the mattress a bit so while I change sheets every week or occasionally every other week the poor protector an every two or three month thing. Now I'm thinking I'm a total sluttern I should be changing it once a month...

annually when they look like they need a clea and the weather is fine, or if there have been any bodily fluid incidents.

Hmmm, so it's split pretty evenly into doing what I do, and washing them all the time. T those that wash them all the time, are you using the plastic backed ones that take forever to dry?

You Hoover mattresses? I have never hoovered a mattress in my life!

I wash mine only when there is room in the washing machine for them in the load I'm doing, so probably ever couple of months or so.

About every 3 or 4 months for mattress protectors, possibly slightly more frequently for the pillow ones on our bed. I don't have a tumble dryer, or a spare set so it has to be a day when it is sunny, or there is no other washing and I can get it washed and dried within the day.

My dc never wet their beds (just sheer good fortune on my part) so I wash their mattress protectors a couple of times a year. I guess that makes me skanky but, hey!

Pillow protectors every couple of bed changes. Mattress protector every couple of months. No kids so no little accidents. No tumble drier but find the type I have dry fairly quickly.

Imip I wouldn't worry on the vacuuming of the matress since mattress protectors are supposed to lessen the need to vacuum the mattress itself. I'm not sure it does that much good anyway. Apparently 95% of dust mites will survive the mattress being vacuumed.

I think a mattress protector and sheets washed at 60 degrees C or above is enough to keep the dust mites down. Not sure why I bother about it so much given the amount of dust under the bed. I'm terrible at getting the Hoover right under.

I vacuum the sofa too although only about once a month though.

yes hoovering is a good idea for all mattresses as it helps keep dust and dust mites at bay, also good to turn the mattress over a few times a year. i wash my brolly sheets mattress protector s every month, as its also waterproof that does also keep the dust mites etc out a bit

I do it as a sort of Spring clean thing...probably twice a year for the mattress cover, but a bit more often for pillow covers. And also, if we ever have bodily fluid issues (rare). I am looking forward to better weather so that they dry!!!

Seems to work for us!

Hmmm, I am feeling much better now. Except of course with regard to hoovering the bed. My Hoover is actually really filthy. Lots of hoovering kid's food mess off the ground etc. I wouldn't want to put it on my bed. Banking on the mattress protector to keep the mattress clean!