We asked experts to share their preferred intervals—plus tips on how to do it well.
Every morning when Libbey Castle wakes up, she strips her bed and chucks her sheets into the washing machine. It doesn't matter if it's a weekday or the weekend, if she has a light or a busy day ahead, if she slept well or tossed and turned all night. The sheets will be washed. "I let them do their thing, and I go make coffee feeling happy," says Castle, 30, who lives in Washington, D.C. "Then I throw them into the dryer before I go work out. I come back, I grab a shower, and the sheets are done. I throw them on the bed, and then I start my day." Castle finds the reactions to her daily washing routine to be amusing. When she hosts a book club event or dinner, the group always asks the newest attendee if they're aware that she washes her sheets every day, and during Zoom meetings, her colleagues are excited to catch a glimpse of her famously clean bed. Castle tells them that knowing fresh sheets await her boosts her spirits throughout the day. Health experts agree that Castle is onto something: Most of us could benefit from washing our bedding more often. Sheets, pillowcases, and comforters can harbor dirt, germs, and allergens that affect our skin and overall health, says Dr. Hannah Kopelman, a dermatologist in New York. "It's a build-up of all these contaminants, and eventually that could lead to skin irritation and acne breakouts," she says. "You might notice your skin feels like it has clogged pores or folliculitis," which happens when hair follicles become inflamed. Or maybe your allergies, asthma, or eczema are flaring up because the dead skin cells we shed while asleep are attracting legions of dust mites. All are good reasons to make a trip to the laundry machine. But what's the sweet spot for washing frequency? Sheets At a minimum, you should wash your sheets once a week. But a variety of factors call for more frequent washing. One is the summer heat. "We obviously sweat more in the summer, and that can lead to bacteria and odor on our sheets," says…