Bed expert says you're not washing your pillows enough – and it's making you ill

A bed expert has claimed we should all be washing our pillowcases more often than we are – as they say that leaving it too long between washes could be making us sick

We all love the feeling you get when you first slip into a bed with freshly changed sheets, and sleeping in a clean bed can do wonders for both the quality of your sleep and your overall health.

But did you know that you’re probably not washing your sheets often enough?

That’s the claim made by bed expert Malik Karman from Eachnight Mattresses, who says that we should be washing our bedsheets once a week – and our pillowcases could even do with washing more often than that.

Malik says that our pillowcases are the most important thing to be washed regularly, and if you have oily skin or hair, you may benefit from washing your pillowcases more than once a week.

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The expert said: “Cleaning a pillowcase can eliminate skin oils and other allergens that collect in the fabric, ensuring the surface stays clean and comfortable.”

Pillows themselves can go slightly longer without a wash as long as they’re regularly placed in clean pillowcases, but you should still aim to wash them every four to six months.

And if you find yourself skipping your pillows’ wash day, you could start to notice some health issues developing on your skin, as a dirty pillow can cause facial acne due to the oils that build up on the fabric.

Malik said: “Pillows absorb many things throughout the night, such as skin oils, sweat, dead cells, dust, and other allergens and irritants.”

This also means that people who are susceptible to allergies may have a tougher time with them if they’re sleeping on unwashed bedsheets, meaning that not changing your sheets often enough could actually make you ill.

To wash your pillows, you should always check the label to make sure they’re machine-washable before chucking them in your washing machine with a gentle detergent.

Once your pillows have been washed, transfer them to the tumble dryer on a low heat and allow them to dry before sticking them back on your bed ready for a good night’s sleep.

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