The Great Mumsnet Laundry Debate, Part I. £300 Love2Shop voucher to be won NOW CLOSED

[PoppyMumsnet]

To celebrate Fairy Non Bio’s sponsorship of the Mumsnet Talk App, we’re launching the Great Mumsnet Laundry Debate – as with all great series, it's a three-parter. Part I is about how often you wash your bed sheets (as we know, always a hot topic on Mumsnet).

We all know that washing bed sheets can be total faff: there’s stripping the bed, then there’s putting the wash on (are you a warm 40C or a hot 90C type?) Then there’s hanging it out and the struggle for drying space (unless you use the dryer ?) After that there’s folding - and, for the super-keen, perhaps even ironing. Finally, there’s getting the darn things back on the bed.

So - how often do you wash your bed sheets? And how often do you wash your DC’s bed sheets? Do you have a specific process? Perhaps you change pillow cases weekly, but sheets and duvet covers every two weeks? How often do you change your mattress protector ( again)? Do you use softener?

Whatever your bed sheet-washing process, do share it with Fairy Non Bio in the thread below, and maybe even give us a live update from the Mumsnet Talk App as you're waiting for the load to finish .

Everyone who posts will be entered into a prize draw to win a £300 Love2Shop voucher.

Thanks and good luck!
MNHQ

T&Cs apply

Mine and DH sheets once a week including the mattress protector on a 60 degree wash. No softener.

DCs sheets once a fortnight on a 60 degree wash (no softener)

Once a fortnight, unless they're really stinky, so ours one week, DCs the next. Includes mattress protectors. Everything is washed at 40° and line dried if possible. If not, then hung over the bannister, rarely tumble dried. I have two sets of bedlinen for each bed so I don't have to wash it all in one day (baffled by people who do this!). Ours I tend to do as one load while the kids get added in with clothes as they don't fill our large capacity machine on their own. Never use conditioner and buy whichever large box of powder is on offer when I need it. Used to iron pre-kids but decided life's to short for that now - mostly poly-cotton mix so if they're folded well they don't look bad. I still haven't got the knack of folding fitted sheets neatly though

In the summer all the bed linen is changed weekly. I love the smell of the fresh air when you strip the bed and put the same bed linen back on. Therefore, no ironing unless I have to. In winter I aim to change everything once a fortnight although I have to admit that it can be longer depending on the weather. I use Fairy and never use softener and Vanish only occasionally. WE have sensitive skin sufferers in our house so really reluctant to add anything even remotely harsh or too scented in case it causes a reation.

All of our sheets get changed weekly. Pillow cases, duvet covers & fitted sheets all go in a nice hot wash, in the tumble dryer and then straight back on the beds. The mattress protectors get washed less often - my sons is a waterproof one and only gets a wash if he has an accident. I will confess it very rarely actually washing the duvets and pillows though as I have no idea how to get them in the machine and refuse to pay dry cleaner prices.

I was my bed sheets once every 3-4 weeks, my oldest son's every 2-3 weeks and our 7 month old every 2 weeks (depending on accidents!)

Before DC every weekend we'd change the bedding.

Post DC ... not so much. There is a Calpol stain on the bottom sheet of our bed that I know has been there for about two weeks. I'd say we wash and change the bedding every three weeks now.

I love clean bedding! With two DC the washing machine is going every day - just not with the bedding in it ...

I love these kinds of questions. I wash mine at least once a week, oftentimes more. Hot wash, lots of fabric softener and on to the radiator to dry as we don't have a dryer. I'll use a fabric spray every other day to keep them fresh, too. And never make the bed first thing in the morning!

I wash our bedding and both DC bedding fortnightly. I put in 2 separate loads, both on 40 or 60 if particularly grubby or DC have a cold. Most often chuck in tumble dryer unless very windy or sunny then it goes on washing line. Then despite having more than 1 set it normally gets out back on beds.

Ours every 2 weeks. The dc are a bit more as and when due to bed wetting, spillages and general being grubby. Certain no more than 2 weeks though. While lot gets done at 50 with extra fabric softener. Always tumble dried, never ironed

I have a laundry schedule so my bedding is washed on the same day every week.

It is a super king but I strip it of the duvet cover, pillow cases x 4 and fitted sheet and put it in the wash on 40 degrees. It then goes straight into the tumble drier (Dh is a severe hayfever sufferer so no putting it out on the washing line, unless I want his eyes swollen shut.)

I then manhandle it all back onto the bed.

The children are 13 and 10, they also have a laundry day for their bedding and they each strip their beds. They load the machine and set it to go.

Although we don't need fabric conditioner I do use it because I love the smell. I stick to the same washing powder again for the smell.

All beds have waterproof mattress protectors on and they get washed every 3 months or so. Same with the pillow protectors

I never iron bedding unless I am selling the house and have prospective buyers coming round

All the bedding is changed weekly, normally every Monday. I use a normal 40 degree wash. In the summer it's all put out on the line and the wind does a good enough job of flattening it out so there's no need to iron. In the winter, the tumble dryer is essential, but then so is the iron

Once a week.....love having fresh bedding. Would like it every day really ....maybe when I win the lottery....😀

Oh dear. No idea really. Either someone has spilt something, smeared something or some other accident and that triggers a wash, or it's just a bit smelly. Or my husband is away and i wash and have the luxury of a bath before bed with clean fresh sheets on my big bed all to myself! I usuallt also wash if it's been a while and it's a sunny day so i can dry them outside. I usually do the mattress protector or sometimes even the duvet at the same time... So guess maybe once every week or two for bed sheets and once every 6 months for the protector and at least once a year for the duvet (they are washable wool). Not too bad i guess. I also have a great rolling technique i learnt on facebook for getting our superking duvet cover back on - by myself and without breaking a sweat. It's genius!

Every week or two here, depending on whether the dc's have spilled/drawn/god know what else on them.
I wash at 60 and if it's a nice day get them hanging on the line otherwise they go in to the tumble drier. I have so much washing to do so the tumble drier do come in handy although I prefer not to use it when possible mainly because it costs too much!
I use a softener because I love the fresh smell it gives the sheets but I don't use it on towels because apparently it stops them absorbing so well.
I love getting in to clean sheets and I actually really love the whole laundry process for everything, especially ironing!

Usually wash everything weekly. 60 degrees with Fairy Non bio liquid and Waitrose Naturals fabric conditioner (only one which doesn't affect eczema). Non- bedding washing done at 40 degrees, no conditioner. Hitting menopause so hot flushes sometimes result in more frequent washing of sheet and top pillow

I wash all bedding every fortnight... if they have had a particularly sweaty night, I will wash more often. I always do a boil wash, and I try to dry outside, though over winter its always done in tumble dryer. I don't iron sheets, I would have no time for anything else!!!!

Once a fortnight :-)

I would like it to be weekly but its nearer fortnightly. Bedding usually goes in at 90. Tumble dry. Only iron the pure cotton pillowcases - ds has polycotton so non iron.
ds

Pillow protectors probably washed monthly, our mattress protector less often as it doesn't tumble dry so I need a good day to be able to get it back on the bed. Have several for ds so his get washed every bed change.

Every fortnight typically, although more like every few days during IVF-drug-related night sweats!

DH loves getting into a fresh bed, he gives such a happy little wriggle when he gets in

Oh, and I generally wash bedding at 60 degrees using biological washing powder and fabric softener.

Bedding washed fortnightly.

90 degrees. Lashings of Comfort Pure.

Ironed.

I sound like a right smug housefrau, don't I? But bedlinen is the only thing that I really make an effort with in our house!

I generally wash mine every two weeks. Gets dried on the airer and then folded away for a few weeks as I have a few sets in rotation....and it always gets ironed before being put back on! Love freshly washed and ironed bedding.

I wash my bed sheets every week and use softener. I have a 1 year old and a 7 year old and their bed sheets get washed every 2 weeks with softener. Mattress protectors gets washed every 2 weeks with softener. I wash all my bedding on a 40c cotton wash.

I have two doubles and three singles to wash.

I only strip and make my own double, the kids are responsible for stripping and remaking their own beds.

My bed is done weekly, usually.

Kids beds are done fortnightly, girls one week, boys the next.

All bedding washed at 60' with wqshing powder and napisan and fabric softener.

In dry weather it all goes on the line , if not on the airer and then into the airing cupboard to finish off if I need the airer for other stuff.

I don't iron bedding!!!

I hate tumble dried bedding, it gets really creased I find.

Everyone has at least 2 sets of bedding per bed. yeah and the rest!!

Either weekly or fortnightly.

I never wash bedding under 60 degrees and use lots of detergent and fab con. Line dry and no ironing.