The UK is currently facing its third heatwave of the summer, with temperatures climbing higher than 30C and heat health alerts in place until around July 15. But most UK homes don’t have air conditioning, making hot nights feel particularly sticky and uncomfortable.
While you already know that hot weather can disturb your sleep, what you may not realise is just how quickly your bedding becomes a breeding ground for bacteria. Because of this, it’s more important than ever to make sure you’re washing your sheets frequently. And according to experts, it’s more than you may think.
Warm nights inevitably mean you sweat more, and this sweat doesn’t just disappear. According to Dr Gareth Nye, Lecturer in Biomedical Science at the University of Salford, it ends up all over your bedsheets and the clothes that you wear.
He said, “Most individuals lose around 500-700ml of sweat every night, which ends up on bed clothes and bedding.
“This can be significantly higher, though, as most people will have variable sweating rates through the night, with men normally sweating less and women going through menopause sweating the most.”
How often should to wash bedding during a heatwave?
Phoebe Street, brand manager at Pretty You London, has recommended increasing how often you wash your sheets during particularly warm weather.
She said: “Most people wash their sheets every week or two, which is usually enough during cooler weather. But during a heatwave, when you’re sweating more, it’s important to wash your bedding more often.
“Every three or four days is ideal, but if you don’t have time to strip the whole bed mid-week, just throw the sheet and pillowcases into the wash instead. They collect the most sweat, dirt and bacteria because they’re in constant contact with your face and hair.”
How to wash bedding and kill bacteria
According to Phoebe, the temperature at which you wash your sheets matters more than you might think.
She said: “In normal temperatures, washing bedding at 30 or 40°C is fine, and better for the environment too. But when it’s very hot, bacteria and sweat increase rapidly, so washing at 60°C is much more effective at killing germs and getting sheets truly clean.”
If you’re concerned about energy use or protecting delicate fabrics at high temperatures, Phoebe recommended adding a laundry sanitiser or antibacterial detergent in order to keep sheets as fresh as possible.
She also warned against overloading the washing machine, explaining that bedding needs enough space to be thoroughly rinsed and any trapped dirt or sweat washed away properly.