How Often Are We Changing Our Bedsheets?

The unmistakable scent and feel of fresh bed linen is truly one of a kind, and it seems to make being in bed even cosier.

But let’s be honest, the actual chore of stripping the sheets, putting them in the washer, hanging them out to dry and then putting them back on the bed can be a bit of a hassle. Sometimes it’s tempting to just skip it altogether.

We were curious to find out how often most people change their bed sheets. Do we do it weekly without fail, or is it more like once a year? We conducted a survey of 500 people across the UK to find out more. Here’s what we uncovered.

How regularly do we change our sheets?

On average, most of the people surveyed say they change their bed sheets approximately 50 times a year (a). So, that works out at around four times a month, which is pretty good going!

More than 42% say they usually change their bed sheets once a week. (b). This was closely followed by 22% of people who say they normally get around to it every two to three weeks. (c)

At the other end of the scale, just over 5% admitted to never changing their bed sheets! (d)

Male vs female

It seems females are slightly more clean-conscious - more than 50% of females surveyed say they change their sheets once a week, compared to just over 34% of males. (e)

And when we looked at who changes the sheets, an overwhelming 86% of women said they usually did it, compared to 65% of men. (f)

Younger vs older

Most people over the age of 25 say they change their bedding every week (g).

23% of those aged 16 to 24 admitted to only changing their bed sheets every two to three weeks (h), and more than 10% of those aged between 34 and 44 revealed they never change their bed sheets! (i)

North vs south

Of the regions we surveyed across the UK, those living in the Northwest appear to be the most vigilant about refreshing their sheets. More than 14% say they change them at least two to three times a week. This was a much higher percentage than those living in the Southeast, where only 1% said they did the same. (j)

Married vs single

Our survey results indicate that keeping bedding clean was more of a priority for those in relationships. More than 47% of married people said they usually change their sheets once a week, compared to just over 31% of single people. (k)

Who usually changes our sheets?

In many households, domestic tasks such as cleaning, cooking, and laundry are often divided up, so everyone does their fair share. But we wanted to see if the same goes for changing the bed linen.

Almost 50% of males say it’s usually their partner who changes the bedding. (n)

Just over 10% of those surveyed say their parents usually change their sheets. (o) 9% said it’s their housemate’s job, and 9% say their friends do it. (p)

Why do we need to change our bed sheets?

Although you may not see it, dead skin cells and sweat from our bodies accumulate on our bed sheets over time, leading to a build-up of bacteria and dust. In fact, it’s estimated that the average bed contains around 10,000 dust mites. (1) Doesn’t bear thinking about, does it?

And if you’ve ever wondered what those small yellow stains on your mattress are, the chances are they’re due to sweat. Excess moisture can lead to mould and mildew, resulting in those not-so-attractive yellow patches.  (1)

But don’t worry, this is all completely normal and harmless if you wash your bedding frequently. A regular sheet change will help keep those pesky mites and bacteria at bay, so you can sleep easy knowing your bed is fresh and clean. And for even more protection, a mattress protector will help keep your mattress even more hygienic.

How often should we change our bedding?

To reduce the amount of bacteria lurking in your bed, it’s recommended you wash your bedding, including your sheets, duvet cover and pillowcases, at least once a week.  (1)

It’s also advisable to vacuum the surface of your mattress on a weekly basis to remove any dust build up – this is particularly important if you are sensitive to dust, or if you share your bed with a furry friend.  (1)

Ideally, you should wash your pillows every four months, and your duvet and mattress every six months.  (2)

Here’s more help and advice on how to wash your bedding.

Breathable bedding

While we can’t completely reduce bacteria and dust mites from creeping into our beds, there are bedding options that may help to reduce the amount that builds up.

Our range of Silentnight Sleep Healthy Beds and Mattresses feature HeiQ Viroblock technology which can help protect against bacteria. The entire collection is hypoallergenic and contain Silentnight’s Eco Comfort Fibre™ for enhanced breathability.

Alternatively, the mattresses in our iGel Advance range is made with anti-bacterial and hypoallergenic materials that are easily cleaned in the washing machine. Each iGel™ mattress also contains FreshNow™ moisture-wicking and temperature regulating technology to help keep you feeling fresher all night long.

We also offer a wide selection of anti-allergy duvets and mattress protectors to help your bed stay clean and fresh. For example, the iGel™Mattress Protector features a naturally breathable Tencel™ cover, while our Anti-Allergy Mattress Protector has been specially treated to prevent the build-up of dust mites and bed bugs – perfect for allergy sufferers!

iGel Perfect Partner Mattress Protector

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Anti-Allergy Mattress Protector

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If you’re investing in a new bed or mattress, have total peace of mind your new purchase will be covered for accidental spills or stains with our fantastic BedGuard™ Care Plan .

SURVEY RESULTS

a) Of the 500 people surveyed, 50.61 was the mean number of times per year people surveyed said they change their bed sheets.

b) 214 of 500 people surveyed answered ‘once a week’ when asked ‘How often, if at all, are your bed sheets changed?’

c) 114 of 500 people surveyed answered ‘once every two to three weeks’ when asked ‘How often, if at all, are your bed sheets changed?’

d) 27 of 500 people surveyed answered ‘never’ when asked ‘How often, if at all, are your bed sheets changed?’

e) 129 of 254 females surveyed answered ‘once a week’ when asked ‘How often, if at all, are your bed sheets changed?’ compared to 85 of 246 males surveyed who gave the same response.

f) 219 of 254 females surveyed answered ‘it’s usually me’ when asked ‘Is it you who normally changes your bedsheets or someone else? Compared to 161 of 246 males surveyed who gave the same response.

g) 28 of 87 people surveyed aged 25 to 34, 29 of 77 people surveyed aged 35 to 44, 30 of 78 people surveyed aged 45 to 54, and 115 of 193 people surveyed aged 55 and over answered ‘once a week’ when asked ‘How often, if at all, are your bed sheets changed?’

h) 15 of 65 people surveyed aged 16 to 24 years old answered ‘once every two to three weeks’ when asked ‘How often, if at all, are your bed sheets changed?’

i) 8 of 77 people surveyed aged 35 to 44 answered ‘never’ when asked ‘How often, if at all, are your bed sheets changed?’

j) 1 of 70 people surveyed living in the South East answered ‘two to three days per week’ compared to 8 of 55 people surveyed from the North West who gave the same response when asked ‘How often, if at all, are your bed sheets changed?’

k) 95 of 201 people surveyed who are married answered ‘once a week’ compared to 40 of 128 people surveyed who are single who gave the same response when asked ‘How often, if at all, are your bed sheets changed?’

l) 380 of 500 people surveyed answered ‘its usually me’ when asked ‘Is it you who normally changes your bedsheets or someone else?’

m) 93 of 500 people surveyed answered ‘it’s usually someone else’ when asked ‘Is it you who normally changes your bedsheets or someone else?’

n) 42 of 85 males surveyed answered ‘partner’ when asked ‘As you selected that someone else usually changes your bedsheets, please select who usually changes them?’

o) 13 of 120 people surveyed answered ‘parents’ when asked ‘As you selected that someone else usually changes your bedsheets, please select who usually changes them?’

p) 11 of 120 people surveyed answered ‘housemate’ and 11 of 120 people surveyed answered ‘friend’ when asked ‘As you selected that someone else usually changes your bedsheets, please select who usually changes them?’

REFERENCES

1) How to Clean and Care For Your Mattress | Sleep Hub - Bensons for Beds

2) How Often Should You Change Your Sheets? Plus, Why It Matters