Washing the bed linen is often not as easy as you think - there are a number of things you need to be aware of when it comes to the detergent and washing program.
Every day we cuddle up in the soft bed linen and spend several hours in bed. No wonder that it has to be washed regularly so that it is still hygienic. However, there is often a lot of uncertainty about how often the bed linen has to be washed or which detergent is necessary. It is not uncommon for the right washing program to be at odds - here we have a summary of how to properly wash bedding for you.
How often do I have to wash my bedding?
If you belong to the group that only wash the bed linen once a month or less, you have to hold on: Because, as the industrial association for body care and detergents explains, it is best to treat your laundry to a refreshment every two weeks . Between the bed sheets, mites spread very quickly, which feel very comfortable in the warm, humid climate. Their faeces, in turn, can trigger asthma or allergies in humans.
There are also groups of people who should wash their bedding even more often, i.e. weekly : These include allergy sufferers and smokers, but also those who sweat a lot or sleep naked. If you leave your pets in bed, you are also well advised to put your laundry in the washing machine once a week.
Find out more about why and how often bed linen should be washed here.
What should I pay attention to when washing clothes?
Don't forget to turn the laundry inside out before washing. This is how you protect the colors and print motifs that you want to keep for a long time and ensure that the fabric does not wear off too quickly. In addition, you should always keep the zipper closed so that the laundry in the machine does not accidentally turn over or different laundry items get caught in one another. You will also get rid of lint on the inside.
Put an end to this : black laundry no longer fades during washing.
What detergent and how many degrees do I need for the bed linen?
Color detergents with few additional fragrances are particularly suitable for colorful bed linen. Up to 60 degrees you can use this for almost all textiles, especially cotton. As a rule, the laundry gets clean even at 40 degrees with normal soiling - this also protects the fibers. However, you only attack the mites at 60 degrees. White cotton bed linen can even be washed at 95 degrees with a full detergent.
However, if the bed linen is made of sensitive materials such as silk or wool, you should use mild detergents : these contain no bleach or optical brighteners and work with more enzymes.
Ultimately, it is up to you whether you use a detergent in liquid form or as a powder . However, the powder is more environmentally friendly because there are fewer surfactants and additives that could get into the environment.
You can read about the dosage of the detergent on the packaging of the product. Each manufacturer specifies different quantities - it also depends on the local water hardness and machine load. Some detergents have already included a dosing aid in the packaging.
Also interesting : How to get your washing machine clean in no time.
Washing bed linen: which program do I have to set?
You choose the right program for your bedding based on the material . If your bed linen is made of cotton, microfiber or natural linen , you can put it in the kitchen or colored linen. However, other materials such as satin need a washing program for delicates. There are usually separate washing programs for wool or silk .
In the table you have an overview of different materials for bed linen and how they have to be washed. However, always observe the manufacturer's information for your laundry and detergent first:
material | laundry detergent | temperature | Washing program |
|---|---|---|---|
cotton | Color detergent (heavy duty detergent for white fabrics) | up to 60 degrees for colored laundry / up to 95 degrees for white laundry | Cottons or colored linen program |
beaver | Fine or wool detergent without optical brighteners | up to 60 degrees for colored laundry / up to 95 degrees for white laundry | Cottons or colored linen program |
linen | Mild detergent | up to 40 degrees for colored laundry / up to 60 degrees for undyed laundry / up to 90 degrees for white or natural linen | Delicate wash cycle |
Maco satin | Delicate or color detergent without optical brighteners | up to 40 degrees | Delicate wash cycle |
Microfiber | Color or full detergent | up to 60 degrees | Cottons or colored linen program |
satin | Delicate or wool detergent | 30 to 40 degrees | Delicate wash cycle |
silk | Delicate or silk detergent | up to 30 degrees | Delicate or silk wash cycle |
Wool | Wool detergent | up to 30 degrees | Wool or hand wash |
Is a fabric softener necessary to wash bed linen?
Fabric softeners are designed to prevent laundry from drying out after the wash. So it seems logical to add fabric softener to the bedding - after all, you want it to be nice and fluffy. However, it is usually not recommended to use one as it reduces the absorbency of the bed linen . And this is an advantage, especially in summer when the heat is high - after all, we sweat a lot. In addition, many fabric softeners contain unnecessary fragrances that can prevent you from falling asleep or even trigger a headache.
Fittingly : That is why a fabric softener is often completely unnecessary.
How to dry the bed linen after washing
You can tell whether your bedding can be dried by the dryer symbol on the label . If it is completely empty, you can safely put the laundry in the dryer. If there is a point in it, you should only dry it at low temperatures. If the symbol is crossed, you must not put it into the machine at all. This is mostly the case with silk bedding. It is best to air-dry sensitive materials.
Read here which bed linen you should have in the autumn. Or : Wash towels properly - you have to take that into account.
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