Linens & Sheets Care Guide
Considering that we are usually sandwiched between bed sheets, taking good care of them isn’t a bad idea! If you treat your sheets well, they will stay smooth, soft, and beautiful like when you first bought them. Here are some care tips for your sheets and other linens.
- When washing your sheets, don’t loop them around the agitator, this can stretch them out of shape. Instead, ball them up. As the fabric slaps against itself, it helps get the dirt out.
- Wash your sheets separately. If they do end up in a mixed load, the long cotton fibers may interact with short bits of fuzz from towels and other items, causing the sheets to “pill.”
- Even if you really aren’t in the mood, attend to stains immediately. Most stains respond well to citrus-based cleaners. For blood, try soaking your sheets in cold water before washing. For body oil, soaking the sheets in a pre-treatment solution can help. Whatever you do, make sure the stain is out before you throw it in the dryer, the heat can bake the stain in, making it all but impossible to remove.
- Washing your sheets once a week is good, having a few different sets that you rotate is even better. If you wash a set sheet, once a month (using other sets the other weeks of the month) they can last a long time; a quality set treated right can live as long as 15 years. Be sure to use only non-chlorine bleach on colored sheets, and bleach white sheets only when strictly necessary as bleach weakens fibers. A natural way to brighten whites is by adding ¼ cup of lemon juice to the wash cycle, washing in warm water, then tumble drying or sun-drying to increase the effect.
- Resist the temptation to over-load your machine. Not only will your clothes and linens not get as clean, too big of a load will strain your washer’s motor. In the dryer, an excessively large load will take forever to dry, and the clothes will come out wrinkled. It’s best to sort your clothes by weight, and to dry sheets separately from towels and clothing. This quickens and evens out the drying process.
- Wash and dry your sheets on medium or low settings – high heat can damage the fibers, leading eventually to breakage.
- Try to use mild detergents and be careful not to add too much. If it doesn’t rinse out completely, the sheets will come out stiff. Half of the manufacturer’s recommendation is usually good enough, and you can also add a cup of white vinegar to the rinse water to remove the detergent traces.
- Store your laundered sheets in a dry, cool place away from direct sunlight, which can cause colors to fade. If you want to stay organized, you can try keeping each set in its matching pillowcase.
Other Tips:
If you have new printed sheets and are wondering why they are so rough, it’s because the dye used in printing is extra thick … the sheets will soften after a few washings. If your sheets have a high thread count, they will become softer every time you wash them. Tumble dry them on a medium setting, and fold them up as soon as the dryer clicks off to prevent wrinkling.
If you really want to save yourself trouble, you can also take your sheets to the cleaners. Many dry-cleaners now offer hand-washing, which is though pricier, but is the easiest on your delicates, and saves you time.
If the care labels instruct you to hand-wash, do so with cool water and mild soap, such as dish detergent. Dry these fabrics out of direct sunlight on a wooden drying rack, using clean terry towels to cover the dowels.
As with down, linens need to be stored in cool, dry places where air can circulate. Also refrain from stacking them in or on shelves or drawers made from unfinished wood as resins can cause stains.
