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Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

How often do you really change your sheets?

77 replies

Bodicea · 28/04/2014 22:24

Excuses to beginf with: We have a 6 months old baby with severe eczema and a fair bit of reflux. This means a fair bit of washing. I am scrupulous about changing his mattress sheet -(every other day sometime every day - due to the amount of skin he leaves behind) and my bottom sheet ( we do a fair bit of co sleeping)
However getting a bit lax on our beds - both me and dh in separate King sizes - (mine is in the nursery) yes I know we are lucky - sheets fill up the washing machine, can't dry outside due to hay fever. Take the whole day to dry and then a pain to put on alone - especially on one bed which has a stupid lip all the way round at the level of the top of the mattress - not what I would have chosen - it is a hand me down.

Surely it is forgivable that I wash them ( esp dh s) less than once every two weeks maybe even every three weeks sometimes.

OP posts:
Bodicea · 28/04/2014 22:25

I realise I have used the term a far bit a fair bit on re-reading :-)

OP posts:
CannotSay · 28/04/2014 22:26

Once a week. Mainly because I love the feeling of new sheet night. If I've been busy and haven't got round to doing them after about 10 days then I start to feel icky when I climb into bed each night

Sometimes change just the pillow cases after 4 days or so

have ishoooos

CannotSay · 28/04/2014 22:27

By the way. Your "excuses" are all completely valid. Stop calling them excuses. It's real life

I'm just crazy. And I have no children. You're doing fine!

MrsAlexVause · 28/04/2014 22:28

Once a week, unless it's needed more.

MisForMumNotMaid · 28/04/2014 22:28

Weekly or if its really bad weather fortnightly. I dry stretched over the doors. It takes about three hours to dry them.

expatinscotland · 28/04/2014 22:31

Once a week usually. I hoover and steam clean the mattresses and turn them monthly and always use a mattress protector.

chocoluvva · 28/04/2014 22:32

Less often than the other posters on this thread. No excuses and no guilt either. Nobody complains.

expatinscotland · 28/04/2014 22:32

I have a tumble dryer, though, for poor weather, but am able to dry outside otherwise.

NormHonal · 28/04/2014 22:35

Also less often here - maybe once a month. I have young DCs and tend to change them when bodily fluids are spilt.

When DC1 was born and before that I changed them much more frequently, probably every 2 weeks, and there is nothing worse than watching your baby projectile vomit over the duvet cover and sheets you spent ages laundering and pressing (I iron most things) earlier.

DCs are starting to move out of that phase though, and we co-sleep less, so I probably ought to change them more often.

TheTerribleBaroness · 28/04/2014 22:36

Weekly. And sometimes change the pillow cases midweek too.

If you and DH are both in separate kingsized beds, the sheets are not going to get as manky as two adults sweating and exfoliating in one bed, and so aren't going to need changing as often anyway. And especially so if you wear pyjamas.

Bodicea · 28/04/2014 22:37

Cannot - thanks that's nice of you to say.

Chocco - glad am not the only one.

I do have a tumble dryer - just get grief if I use it for things like sheets.

OP posts:
siblingrevelryagain · 28/04/2014 22:38

Probably about once a month here too-I think both of us bathing/showering every night before bed helps prolong the life of our sheets.

Fairylea · 28/04/2014 22:39

Weekly. Sometimes every 5 days ish. But then I am a bit of a clean freak and clean bedlinen is one of my life luxury pleasures. Dh thinks I'm odd as I get excited about the smell of clean sheets!

EverythingCounts · 28/04/2014 22:39

Like chocoluvva less often than the others here! I would not worry about your schedule.

Bodicea · 28/04/2014 22:40

Terrible - that's true about. Need to tell dh to use the other side when one side is dirty - he is a creature of habit.

OP posts:
MirandaWest · 28/04/2014 22:41

About every two to three weeks I think. DCs beds less often.

ancientbuchanan · 28/04/2014 22:41

Every week but if can't do it, follow the WWll advice, top sheet to the bottom, bottom one off. That way the one that absorbs the sweat and fluff is changed each week.

And give up ironing unless exacerbates excema to have unironed.

Old fashioned standalone dryer near radiator works well, and if you have a house with tall ceilings get a ceiling airer. Had saved us $$$ in heating/ drying.

Greenstone · 28/04/2014 22:42

Op, these threads usually don't attract those with laxer housekeeping habits.
You're doing absolutely fine.

mydaftlass · 28/04/2014 22:42

Once a month if I'm lucky. And no good reasons here other than I don't think they really need it more often and I hate doing it.

Bodicea · 28/04/2014 22:48

Feeling better now - might get even more lax after what people have said and after wrestling With stupid fitted sheet for ten minutes!!!

I have never ironed a sheet in my life.

OP posts:
CannotSay · 28/04/2014 22:50

If it helps op (and without incurring the wrath of feminists), my mother always told me that as soon as you're married, changing the sheets becomes your husbands job (along with bins etc)

  • whilst you eat biscuits / have a bath / cup of tea

Try it Wink

ZenNudist · 28/04/2014 22:51

Also co sleep with ds, dh and I often in separate king sized beds. I change sheets every 2-3 weeks unless vomit/ child related goop calls for immediate change.

I shower before bed, wear pjs, use mattress protector, change bottom sheet and pillow cases more often frequently but really can't be arsed to do duvet cover that frequently.

I often think the more time you have on your hands the more you can fill it. Don't feel bad that you're too busy to do extra self imposed housework.

randomfemale · 28/04/2014 22:53

Once a week but only because I reckon I am peri menpausal and the night sweats are coming fast and furious Blush

Before that once a fortnight if I could be arsed (bigger) Blush

ouryve · 28/04/2014 22:55

Every other week, but sometimes a little longer but only if life or the laundry mountain gets in the way, though I really don't like to as it does get a bit stale. I'll sometimes strip the bed, but I give DH the job of putting it all back together.

e1y1 · 28/04/2014 23:16

You get grief for using the dryer?

I take it this is off DP?

If that were me, I would not wash his sheets - ever!

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