Life & Style

Temperature you must wash bedding at or risk dust mites and bacteria – not 40C


It can be tempting to throw all of your bedding in the washing machine and put it on any setting, but this could be damaging.

Not only can washing bedding at the wrong temperature shorten its lifespan, but it may also not properly clean it.

According to the experts at Pizua Linens, dust mites are a common issue when it comes to bed sheets, and they can multiply very quickly.

They explained: “Dust mites are tiny arachnids that love to chomp on skin cells shed by people, all 15 million of them each night, and chill in a humid and warm environment.

“As you can imagine, your bed is the equivalent of the finest all-expenses-paid luxury resort for dust mites.

“You might be horrified to learn that a mated female house dust mite can lay up to 100 eggs in the last five weeks of life.”

Luckily, one way you can prevent them and also banish them is to wash bedding at the correct temperature.

The pros recommended washing all bedding, including pillowcases on a 60C wash to make sure all bacteria is killed.

They added: “This temperature is correct for killing dust mites and allergens.”

Once your bedding is washed, make sure it is fully dry before storing it or returning it to your bed as dust mites thrive in warm environments.

Make sure to wash other laundry such as clothing separately as this can be washed at lower temperatures, helping to save on energy bills.

Check your detergent’s instructions for further information on which temperature is suitable.

As well as washing bedding at 60C, it’s also super important to change or rotate them regularly.

According to the experts, this should be at least once a week, or even more often when it’s warm weather.

If you have pets sleeping on the bed or you suffer from allergies, this should be around twice per week.

When you wake up in the morning, don’t immediately make your bed either.

It’s important to give it time to air and breathe to avoid bacteria and encourage dust mites.

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