Part 1: Household items

Every Week

Bedding and Bed Linens

Most people wash their bed sheets between every one to two weeks. We advise you to wash your bedsheets every week – 10 days. You should wash your bedsheets more frequently if you tend to sweat in your sleep during the summer months or if you sleep with pets (which is a hygienic no-no but who hasn’t done this at least once?) Here is the full list:

• you have allergies 
• you are unwell
• you sweat at night
• your pet/s sleeps in bed with you
• you eat in bed
• you go to bed without showering (sorry morning people)
• you sleep naked

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Towels and Face towels 

It is recommended to wash your towels after three uses. We think it is realistic and hygienic to wash them once a week, which if you shower every day is once every 7 washes. 

You’ll need to wash your towels more frequently however if any of these factors apply:

• If the towel has body fluid on it should be washed after only one use.
• They are sweaty gym towels!
• If your skin is sensitive and easily irritated, wash all of your towels after one use (and use an organic and skin-friendly detergent).

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Every Month

Dishcloths

Ideally dishcloths get washed after each use. Is this realistic? No. Do we do this? Hell no. What we do advise is having up to 10 dishcloths that you can use and exchange throughout the month and washing them all together at the end of each month. 

This is to avoid putting on a half-full wash and wasting water. Washers run at maximum efficiency when the drum is full. That doesn’t mean crammed though! A study we commissioned found that while 5% of Britons always choose a water-saving half load setting if they don’t fill the drum, nearly a quarter (24%) said they don’t opt for the eco option, resulting in more precious natural resources going down the drain.

Bath Mats

Have you ever thought that when you come out of the shower or bath, nice and clean, smelling like a field of lavender (or Radox…) that the first thing you do is step on the grubby bath mat that you stood on just before your refreshing shower? Disaster! Bath mats need to be washed frequently as bacteria can build up in damp environments.

Mattress Pad and Pillow Liners

Mattress Pads and Pillow Liners are so easy to forget about. Set that reminder to put them in with your bed sheets once a month! These are the first line of defense to extending the life span of your mattress and pillows. 

Every Three Months

Throws and Blankets

Do you remember the last time you washed your throws and blankets? And not just because you spilled something on them? WASH YOUR THROWS! We cuddle them, we sneeze on them, we cry on them, we sleep on them. They treat us well, it’s time to return the favour and give your blankets that well deserved spa day.

Every Six Months

Duvets and Pillows

This is a complex topic and the answer is dependent on filling, type of duvet, and many other factors. The short answer is to wash duvets and pillows every six months, although we recommend every three months for allergy sufferers. We suggest after winter and summer months as our bodies are more prone to sweating due to hot weather and increased heating.

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Part 2: Clothing

It is important to not over-wash your clothes! Over-washing is not only wasteful for water but can actually reduce the lifetime of your clothes. Over 2000 people were asked recently about their laundry habits by YouGov. One in ten (10%) admitted washing their towels after every use, while 5 per cent said they put their jeans in for a cycle after one wear. Clothes like denim, sweaters and jackets can be worn multiple times before they need to be washed again.

Ask yourself after wearing an item ‘Do I really need to wash this?’ (yes, we know it is so much easier to chuck your clothes into the laundry basket after a long day…resist the urge!) Unless there is a stain that needs to be removed urgently, here is a handy guide for how often your items really need to be washed.

What do I do if I have stains?! ‍

Stains are our everyday arch nemesis, luckily the good guy always comes out on top! We have you covered with this blog on ‘Common Food Stains and How to Get Rid of Them Yourself’. It goes without saying that if you’re not confident that you will be able to get the stain out perfectly and are feeling doubtful, send your item in to Laundrex for a professional treatment and clean. Especially if it is a delicate or specialist material such as material like silk, satin, or merino wool. A useful tip to save not only water and electricity, but also the longevity of your items, check out our blog post on the optimal temperature to wash your items at.

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If you’re feeling overwhelmed with laundry, you’re not alone! Try out Laundrex now to reclaim your free hours. We have better things to do with our time than to be loading and unloading the washing machine. Sundays were NOT made for laundry, I repeat NOT!