Singaporeans lead a hectic and fast paced lifestyle which is why after a long tiring week at work, things like laundry and housework usually take the backseat and is the least of our priorties. If you are anything like us, you probably too delay doing them as long as humanly possible and only unwillingly drag your feet to do so when you absolutely have to. The issue with that is that unlike apparels where you wash them after every wear or housework which force you to clean when it looks or feels dirty, things like Towels, bedsheets, Curtains, etc do not come with a specific set of instructions of how often should you wash them and bacteria on bedsheets, towels etc are not usually visible to the naked eye.
So here’s a recommended guide on how often should you wash your linens.
-Pillowcase
Nobody wants to throw out their beloved “chou chou”. But if you think about it, Pillows come it contact with our sensitive face for approximately 8 hours per day and the least you can do is to wash the pillow case regularly. Our Pillowcases houses bodily fluids, perspiration, skin cells, drool (if you do) and should be washed every 3 days or at the very least, once a week. If you have been suffering from outbreaks, your pillowcase could just very well be the source of your problems.
-Bedsheets
Mattress Company, Ergoflex, did a survey and found out that almost 55% of Single Men that are aged between 18 to 25 wash their bedsheets only once every 3 months. Sure it is a hassle to have to change out your sheets after a long day at work, but much like how pillowcases come in contact with our faces for almost 8 hours a day, it’s pretty much the same for bedsheets. Humans shed over 500 million skin cells per day and if you sleep for 8 hours, that’s 33% of our day which equates to shedding about 166 million skin cells when we sleep. That’s made worse with bodily fluids, sweat and dirt etc. These Bacteria build up and multiply the longer you leave them there. You should wash and change out your bedsheets about once ever 1~2 weeks.
-Quilt Covers
Nothing feels better than wrapping yourself up like a cocoon after a long day. Think of quilt covers as clothes you wear for 8 hours a day when you sleep. We wash our clothes everyday yet most of us don’t wash our quilt covers quite as regularly. Like bedsheets, Quilt Covers should be washed about once every 1~2weeks.
-Curtains
Given that Curtains don’t exactly come in contact with our body, but due to it’s sheer size and placement (usually by the window and high up onto the ceiling), Curtains are prone to dust and floating particles. Curtains from brands like Hunter Douglas etc would require lesser product maintenance as their fabrics are specially treated to repel dust and dirt. But as a general guide for Curtains, washing them once ever 6 months would clean out the dust particles. However, if you have allergies or living with someone who has, you should increase that frequency.
The Curtain Boutique is a leading Singapore Curtains & Blinds provider and we are proud to be one of the few authorised Hunter Douglas Gallery Dealer which allows us to carry an exclusive range of products not available elsewhere.
-Towels
There’s a lot to consider in determining how often do you need to wash your towels, such as material, how often you bath a day, how damp or dry your home is etc. A good guide would be once every 3~4 uses and we strongly encourage you to hang up and dry your towels after use to prevent bacteria build up. If your towel starts turning black or growing moulds, discard it immediately.
-Face Cloth
We use Face Cloths to wipe dirt off our face. The dirt doesn’t go anywhere but stays in the cloth unless you wash it away. To reuse them without washing is not only unhygienic but might result in outbreaks etc on our more sensitive face. Wash your Face Cloths after every use! Don’t undo all the effects of the expensive face creams you bought.
-Hand Towels
We usually hang our Hand Towels in the toilet and share it amongst multiple people. The toilet is filled with airborne germs and should be washed about once every 2~3days.
Share this article with all the slobs you know to remind them just how often they should wash all their daily linens