How often do you change your sheets? What do you wash them with?

Every 5-7 days. I wash them in my washing machine using Amway SA-8 laundry detergent powder.

Every leap year. I use an industrial solvent and Downy Unstoppable scent booster beads.

Every time the blood moon comes, OP

Every 3 or 4 days. Use Woolite or Method or some baby detergent with fewer chemicals.

Who knows? Ask the help.

Twice a week.

Hot water wash after the soak cycle. I also add some boiling water to the machine and just a little bit of bleach. NO fabric softener.

Crisp white percale sheets.

I add baking soda to the white wash to help it stay white.

Change the sheets?

Change them to what?

I iron my pillowcases after spritzing them with lavender water.

What are your sheets pronouns?

I wash them once a week with detergent and I add vinegar during the rinse cycle.

Once a week.

Line dried year 'round.

Cotton percale in the warm months, cotton flannel in the cold months.

Consuela! It’s for you.

[quote]I iron my pillowcases after spritzing them with lavender water.

I worked with woman who ironed her towels! Talk about needing a hobby.

My clean sheets bring all the boys to my bed.

I would never iron bath towels...it would make them less fluffy,

I do iron my kitchen towels and they look fabulous folded in threes and stacked in the pantry linen closet.

Sheets for what? <----How I tell someone I'm not getting laid, by not telling them them I'm not getting laid.

I am very very very bad at this....maybe twice a year, if that....

If having sex, then more often.

I put on a couple of layers then peel off top once a week or so, replace and wash the old as they accumulate. I have about six sets to rotate out.

Once a week during the summer months, every two weeks the rest of the year. I typically used Seventh Generation detergent, it's phosphates free.

After every .lynching or cross burning. Clorox gets out the soot, mud and blood.

I’m the seventh generation slut

They have to want to change

I wash my sheets and duvet cover 1X / week. Mind you, I sleep alone. If I didn't, I would double that frequency.

I use Oxyclean on white sheets plus a Gain pod. On coloured fabrics I use Resolve laundry booster, plus a Gain pod. Two dryer sheets in dryer per sheet set. No fabric softener.

This sort of thing is also down to the individual. Do you sweat at night, for instance.

Importantly, use dust mite covers on your pillows / under your pillow cases, always, and wash them often.

[quote] I am very very very bad at this....maybe twice a year, if that....If having sex, then more often.

Okay, so almost always twice a year, if that.

That is pretty appalling. Try changing them every week and get back to us.

Maybe if you were the type of person who changes his sheets once or twice a week, you would be having sex more often.

I sleep with 2 dogs. Every 5 days I wash!

[quote] I sleep with 2 dogs. Every 5 days I wash!

Good idea! Maybe it should be upped to every 3 days.

This summer I did the annual cleaning the sheets. It may be longer than yearly, but we’ll go with that. I took the sheets off sometime in 2021, which was a chore because I had to remove all the stuff accumulated on the other side of the bed. I slept on the mattress pad for a few months and used a throw to keep warm. Eventually, I did wash the sheets and I put on a new mattress protector and put the sheets back on. I really like the sheets I use. I have other sets of sheets, but I prefer the set I use. I use Gain laundry detergent with the built-in Febreze.

I don't change my sheets.

The housekeeper sees that my sheets are changed.

And she does it Monday, Wednesday and Friday. People today expect most weekends off.

Guests' sheets are changed daily, on principle, unless they are environmental activists who share their opinions with the staff who takes care of their rooms.

Actually, I just asked to make sure I had this right, and have been told I may add that (1) beds are not made with duvets or coverlets, but they are there if wanted. There are not laundered until after a guest stays, along with bed skirts and shams; (2) pillowcases are changed daily for guests, of course, and on the thrice-weekly schedule; (3) bedspreads, quilts and coverlets usually are dry cleaned and hung out four times per year, although a few can be laundered; (4) one guest room has an old bed with a frame and bed curtains. Those are cleaned at least four times a year.

We haven't had anything like our usual company during COVID, so everything continues to be adjusted.

Does this answer your question, OP? I wouldn't have responded if I realized the egregious pest at R26 would be squirming around here. Someone should spray or free some Glyptapanteles in our DL garden to combat it.

[quote] This sort of thing is also down to the individual. Do you sweat at night, for instance.

I sweat at night occasionally, but what I do to mitigate it is to sleep on a bath towel between me and the sheet. It’s easier to wash the towel a couple times per year than it would be to wash the sheet that often,

1x per week Method Ginger Mango Detergent Cotton percale sheets and linen coverlet in summer.

[quote] I wouldn't have responded if I realized the egregious pest at [R26] would be squirming around here.

Hey, fuck off. I'm the one who started this thread.

[quote] I wouldn't have responded if I realized the egregious pest at [R26] would be squirming around here. Someone should spray or free some Glyptapanteles in our DL garden to combat it.

Yeah, fuck off. You say you wouldn't have responded? Well, it wasn't too late to "not respond" when you were typing that. Yet, despite saying "I wouldn't have responded..." you did. You could have stopped.

You sound like an asshole.

it's phosphates free.

Just stop this shit, all domestic detergent is phosphate free and has been for a long time. You are not some special eco frau.

How disgusting, who the fuck washes their sheets a few times a year?! 🤢 🤮🤢 🤮

I change my sheets and pillow cases twice a week, especially during hot weather. I sometimes turn the bedroom air conditioner off when it gets too chilly, then, I wake up sweaty.

If you don't like doing laundry, have more than a few sets of sheets. Who is so lazy they can't change their sheets more often that a few times a year?! The stench must be unbearable.

Again, how disgusting!

I ❤️ r35

R31 at first I thought you were trolling. But then I found this. You are in good, gross company.

Every 10 days. And I go to the laundromat for that as it takes less time using the big machines there. And I have one full extra set of sheets and blankets.

Once a week baby. I like Gain.

Every other day with Dreft.

I always thought suavitel as ghetto, but I'm now hooked on the scent of the dryer sheets.

R42 Their Sunshine Bloom and Morning Sun are nice fresh fragrances. Both are very light and clean. I wouldn't want my clothes to smell like them, but use the liquid for my slipcovers as well as my curtains. I hang the curtains wet, and stretch the slipcovers damp, and the room smells absolutely lovely.

Morning Sun in the yellow bottle is ligjter than Bloom in the orange, for anyone curious. Their dryer sheets I like for blankets, and throws. I used to use these products on my dog's bed and blankets, and he seemed to like it too!

Every Sunday, in hot water with Tide. The sheets are white and once a month I add bluing to the laundry

I wash them in the blood of the lamb.

Miss R30, can we assume that you change your caftans at least as often as your sheets, whether your own or your extremely fortunate guests'?

I strip the bed every Monday and Thursday morning.

You people with your artificial scents made from who-knows-what chemicals are amusing to me!

To me, overly scented laundry is just like a person who bathes in perfume or cologne -- covering up something!

My neighbor on one side of my house uses some rank smelling shit in her wash or dryer that permeates her yard and my yard too when it's laundry day over there. I can see her dryer's vent from my driveway.

I'm hooked. Laundry smells too good to be fragrance free.

wow, i assume those of you who are changing your sheets 2-3 times a week are whores, incredibly sweaty or you don't shower before bed. (Possibly all three.)

Weekly. Sometimes the Pugs leave a mud print or drool stain.

I invested in linen, so once a week I trade out and wash them in Tide, tumble until almost dry, and then roll them loosely. You don't fold them or the linen remembers the crease.

I've ironed after I hand washed a set and the result was no better. Linen does not allow me to do crisp bedding. It is heavier and feels sexier.

I switched all of my sheets to Land’s End jersey sheets.

I can’t believe none of you bitches are adding this to your rinse cycle! I also use it when washing underwear, kitchen towels, and regular towels.

Never seen that product, r54. I will look for it. Covid has me very fucking paranoid.

R54 I use it but not on my sheets because I sleep alone and don’t have sexual partners cumming and pissing on my bed

[quote] I can’t believe none of you bitches are adding this to your rinse cycle! I also use it when washing underwear, kitchen towels, and regular towels.

I started using it during Covid, especially when I began adding mesh bags with my cloth masks into the washer. I don't dry those in the dryer, I hang them up to air dry, so I wanted an extra germ killer.

Make sure when using laundry sanitizer to leave it in the rinse cycle for at least 16 minutes. I leave it in for at least 30 minutes.

R54 & R57 How might you describe tbe scent of the product? I've been curious to try it as well for socks and towels.

I smell it when I pour it out into a small baggie to bring down to the laundry room, but the scent disappears on my clothes. It's a nice, clean laundry scent. But again, it's not strong and I don't really smell it on my clothes.

Every 7-10 days, using a tide pod and bleach.

Once weekly.

I work in a hotel, so I just take clean sheets home each day and toss the dirty ones out.

R54 I have three bottle of Lysol Laundry Sanitizer and it made my cloths feel rough and stiff. Now I’m stuck with all the bottles I overbought during the first wave of Covid19.

Where are your sheets going out that they’re catching Covid?

What the hell are you gassing on about, R65?

r4 here again. I also line dry. In fact, I will often leave sheets out 2 days - the freshness is incredible. Beats any fabric softener by a mile.

I wonder if access to your own in-home washer and dryer impacts how often you wash your sheets? I have to lug my laundry down to the basement of an old co-op. If I had my own washer and dryer I would do laundry every few days rather than once a week. I have king size sheets, plus towels and other laundry, so have to plan my laundry room trips to times when I know I can find 3 machines free at the same time. (9pm Wednesday nights - but don't tell anyone in my building.)

Yeah if I had to do what you have to do R68 I would still change my sheets weekly but to have enough bedsheets to not have to wash them straight away.

Pillow cases every other day, sheets once a week. Our girl bundles everything up and they go to the laundry. Things returned washed, ironed then are put away until ready for next use.

R70 I could get used to that! I bet it cost a small fortune.

Once a month like clockwork. It is just easier to remember to wash the sheets on the 1st, along with changing my toothbrush.

Tuesdays and Fridays EVERY week I wash the fitted sheet , flat sheet and my two pillow cases.

I take a shower every night before bed, so my sheets don't get so dirty.

There's also the mattress pad, how often do you guys wash that?

Washing sheets frequently is great way for people to say FU to the environment and climate change.

What are "sheets"?

R70

Shirts used to go as well, so weekly bill was rather high, but now with WFH we're sending more of just bed linens. For bed things alone comes to around $70 or per week, but it's worth every penny.

First nothing beats sleeping on freshly laundered and ironed bed linen.

Two, this place seems to do a very good job in that things don't wear out. Our European bed linen were being killed going to local wash and fold places.

R77 perhaps they use Calgon!

Before I adopted a cat? Once a week. After I adopted a cat? Every 3 days.

They're not sheets; they're Hand Painted Periwinkles 100% thousand count Egyptian cotton works, custom made by Royal Doulton. I send them out after Sheridan and Tarquin have stayed in my gracious home over school holidays. - Hyacinth

As a teenager up to and including most of age 18, my mother did the sheet changing and I was unaware of the frequency.

When I went away to college at age 18 I lived in a college dormitory. Every Friday morning we had to take our sheets to the basement laundry room and exchange them for fresh ones. This is where I learned that "you had to change sheets once a week".

The once a week thing stuck with me to the age of 50.

At age 50 I made the decision to go to changing them every 2 weeks, because I had really noticed that by that age body odor had diminished greatly, and I made the decision that "once a week" was no longer necessary.

Now over 20 year have gone by and I am still changing them every 2 weeks, on every other Friday.

good grief, the fucking fraus flooding this site...

[quote] Once a month like clockwork. It is just easier to remember to wash the sheets on the 1st, along with changing my toothbrush.

You don't have to change your toothbrush once a month. Recommendation is once every three months. I do once every two months because I tend to bear down a little hard when I brush.

I send my laundry out, also. Another habit I picked up during Covid. I pay a service that picks up two bags every two weeks and returns them washed and folded the next day. And 1-2 times a month I will go downstairs and do a load of laundry myself when I need to wash masks.

My washing machine has a sanitize cycle. I use it for sheets, underwear, anything that gets sweaty.

Laundry prob once a week or so. I keep the duvet tossed all the way back all morning to let the sleeping areas of the sheets get some air (and let any dampness evaporate); making the bed is my last thing before heading out in the AM. And I flip the duvet daily so both sides get air every other day.

^ especially on (most) days when I can keep the bedroom windows wide open ^

Has anybody tried the laundry detergent sheets? I really like them. I'm on a quest to reduce plastic-container purchases, so am using the sheets every other wash until I finish the liquid stuff. I have tried a few brands, and so far they all work fine. Plus they weigh nothing, so much easier to carry. And, yes, they dissolve completely and my was comes out clean.

Weekly, but I don't wash them. I hire my bed linen from a local company that mainly works with Hotels, they drop off/collect 4 sets (more if I have guests) once a month.

Probably be less expensive if I had my own linens, but then I'd have to replace them regularly.

[quote]Morning Sun in the yellow bottle is ligjter than Bloom in the orange, for anyone curious. Their dryer sheets I like for blankets, and throws. I used to use these products on my dog's bed and blankets, and he seemed to like it too!

I never noticed Suavitel in an orange bottle. The local Bravo supermarket carries the Morning Sun, the regular blue bottle scent, Lavender and Vanilla.

Sometimes, when they carry the smaller bottles of imported Downy and the Suavitel, usually at $1.99 for that size, there is a very wide selection of scents. The Downy from Mexico must have over ten different scents!

Costco sells a huge bottle of the blue scent Suavitel, it's larger than the biggest size sold at supermarkets, it's usually about $7.99-$8.99, a bargain! During the pandemic Costco was selling this huge size for only $5.99.

[quote]good grief, the fucking fraus flooding this site...

Don't be a bloody moron. Fraus only care about cleanliness? You must reek!

Go fuck yourself.

R89 Sunshine Blooms is somewhat new; I suppose it may not be in your market yet. I don't care for the scent of most fabric softener, and I find the unscented versions reek of their raw materials, so they're not an option for me.

I didn't particularly care for the frangrance in Blue Suavitel either, but agree the product is a good bargain if you use softener. Liquid Fabric softener makes a world of difference reducing wrinkles from items that are air dried, and not ironed. I find my canvas slipcovers and cotton-linen blend curtains are terribly wrinkled without!

For R89

r1 I live in Ada right by Amway headquarters and I don't even know anyone who uses their stuff. Interesting.

[quote] At age 50 I made the decision to go to changing them every 2 weeks, because I had really noticed that by that age body odor had diminished greatly, and I made the decision that "once a week" was no longer necessary.

The truth is, by your age, your sense of smell has diminished. Change your sheets every week.

R94 Agreed Greg. It doesn't matter if one claims he hasn't any BO, or that he showers before bed, as we all sweat an enormous amount each night. There's also dust, dust mites, and dead skin cells which are invisible to the naked eye. Too many dirty nests in this thread. It's just nice to have fresh sheets as well.

I wash my bedding once a week. If its my silk sets that need cleaning, I use a specialist detergent and no fabric softener. My percale sets I wash with normal detergent and I either add a little softener and line dry or dry in the tumble dryer with dryer balls in winter. I only ever use eco-friendly products!

And your point is r93??

[quote]Two dryer sheets in dryer per sheet set. No fabric softener.

Dryer sheets ARE fabric softener, aren't they?

R89, I tried Suavitel a few years ago and the liquid went rancid about six weeks after I opened the bottle.

r97 I wondered how their products are, I guess it is good if you like it. I guess I got turned off by getting tricked into Amway spiels so never tried them.

I've always been fussy about my sheets but now that I have a kitten he lays on my pillow. But I usually use Tide with Downy in the rinse.

R100 their products are really great. I do not interact with any reps or pyramid scheming people. I order from the Amway website and they ship whatever I want to my home with no interaction or spam.

Amway SA-8 laundry soap is exceptional. My mom and I have been using it forever.

There are some very sensitive to the touch bitches in this thread.

[quote][R89], I tried Suavitel a few years ago and the liquid went rancid about six weeks after I opened the bottle.

The problem with any fabric softener, the softening agents, which are obviously some type of oil based chemicals, will separate if not used in timely manner.

A relative, is a scientist, he usually tells me what's added to these detergents and softeners. I always tend to assume the foreign products actually have less chemicals and preservatives than US products.

In the past, I'd stockpile the smaller bottles of Downy and Suavitel, if they weren't used for months, the chemicals separated and the contents turned into a greasy mess with almost no fragrance left.

btw, there is an expiration date on the imported Suavitel and Downy, not sure if the US Downy, Snuggle, and other US bands of fabric softeners, have the expiration dates. It's assumed they do. If the US counterparts don't, I guess that would mean there are more preservative chemicals added.

[quote] I always tend to assume the foreign products actually have less chemicals and preservatives than US products.

Oh, Dear.

'...actually have [bold] fewer [/bold] chemicals and preservatives than US products.

Do you have Ecozone or Ecover in the USA? I've switched entirely to their stuff (general cleaning as well as laundry) and have been very impressed. No unnecessary chemicals included.

Does anyone need a good tutorial on how to fold and store your sheets? Mastering this will make your linen closet look amazing!

Once a week, or after each sex session. So once a week for years.

Once a week.

I flip and turn over my mattress twice a year- in mid February and mid August. I guess it works because I've been using the same mattress since February 2004.

wow, that is way too long to have a mattress, R110. Especially if you're able to flip it. That means there's no pillow top and it's probably lower end. But whatever the case, mattresses shouldn't go for more than 10 years, tops.

You guys should stop using fabric softener. Hate to lecture, but it's so unnecessary.

I use a liquid detergent, scent-free, from Costco (Kirkland). I tried the powders, but they tend to clump in the water and leave residue on my clothing, etc.

R111- It is a pillow top mattress from Sealy Posterpedic and it's- two sided- which they no longer make and were already phasing out in 2004.

Every two weeks, unless I’ve had an impromptu orgy.

Once every two weeks in unscented Tide…. I iron and starch my sheets which is very time consuming so sometimes only every three weeks.

R112 I find it IS necessary for sailcloth (thick cotton canvas) slipcovers and linen blend curtains. I'm not about to begin ironing them. It also is useful for eliminating static on rugs and blankets. I don't however use it on my clothes, towels, sheets or cases.

It does weaken fibres over time, and can build up over time. I've tried wrinkle releasing sprays for the curtains and slipcovers, and they simply don't work. They also leave a tacky film as if someone sprayed hairspray all over the fabric. If there's a different alternative, I would consider it. I'm not steaming curtains or slipcovers either: been there, tried that before finally accepting that fabric softener has its place. There really is a slight level of stain protection afforded by the softener as well; It's not only Suavitel, but all of them really.

Mango Ginger laundry? 🤣🤣 I love it.

Can not figure out how to fold fitted, elasticized sheets.Correctly.

[quote] Can not figure out how to fold fitted, elasticized sheets.Correctly.

I have just the thing for you. I fold my sheets this way and also keep them in bundles (flat sheet wrapped around the fitted sheet and pillowcases). Give it a try.

I remember my mom saying she didn't like Jackie O. because she demanded that her sheets be changed every time she so much as sat on the bed. Odd thing to say.

When I had a much bigger house, there was nothing more fun than grabbing fresh linens out of the dryer, dancing through rooms ala Millie Dillmount at the cottage, to fit them onto a waiting bed.

That shit doesn't work in a fourth floor walk up.

Don't care how "clean" people say they are; reason behind changing and frequently washing bed linen is to keep them from developing that nasty yellow color.

Just like shirt collars oil from skin becomes embedded in fabric. If it isn't washed out totally as wont with oils it will go rancid and turn yellow. Then you've got that awful "ring around the collar" that seemingly nothing will shift.

Once a week. It'll be more often once I get a pine needle mattress.

Some of you sound insane. This could be my pillow. I have a pillow case on it that I wash every so often. I am assuming that all of you posting are fully vaccinated, never smoke or drink or take drugs, and do not have unprotected sex, right?

When I get a new job I will buy some new pillows.

I’m in the minority, every other week.I shower right before bed though. I knew someone in college who didn’t change her sheets for the entire school year, but did right before the end of term. On top of that I think she showered maybe twice a week at most, & had her bf over many times & had sex in that bed!

[quote]You guys should stop using fabric softener. Hate to lecture, but it's so unnecessary. I use a liquid detergent, scent-free, from Costco (Kirkland). I tried the powders, but they tend to clump in the water and leave residue on my clothing, etc.

Some people simply enjoy having nice smelling sheets. I don't use fabric softener on anything but my sheets and pillow cases. I don't use this product on my towels or my clothing.

How about people who have terrible BO, no matter how often the bathe, they still remain stinky? Their heavy duty BO could be from the food they eat and/or genetics, then their sheets get super smelly from their natural body odors.

There are also heavy duty detergents which take away strong body odor on clothes and bed linens.

Every week and I use Oxydol powder.

Does anyone here have a pine needle mattress or pillow?

Every two weeks. I use Dr. Bronner Sal Suds for detergent, vinegar in the fabric softener cup.

Since we're talking about sheets, I'll recommend Bokser sheets. Someone on DataLounge recommended it (for percale, which is what I ordered). Supposedly (according to poster on DL), gay-owned. Anyway, they sell sateen & "French linen" sheets as well.

Bummer for me is that they discontinued the navy blue color. I love navy blue sheets and towels.

Best, smoothest sheets I've slept on were and still are Ralph Lauren I just found them on e-bay actually. Beautiful pattern of deep burgundy mixed with navy blue and a dozen other colours giving a kind of oriental meets middle eastern vibe. The sensation of the Egyptian cotton is indescribable - better than silk, very comforting and soothing to the skin.

Off topic maybe but I was looking at r130's image of linen sheets and they look kind of rough to sleep on. Maybe it's the angle.

twice a week

^^^^ Meant to say. I bought the sheets about 20 years ago at a retail store for around the same price they're going for on ebay right now. I posted that image to show the vibrancy of the fabric or bedsheets themselves. The quality, unfortunately does not come through in the image at r131.

I wash my bed sheets every week. I do not think I would be able to sleep in filthy linens.

Yes, I've had Ralph Lauren sheets before. Got them from Ross. They were supposedly imperfect, but I couldn't see what was wrong with them. Anyway, very nice. I had leopard print and tiger print sheets, both Ralph Lauren. I'm over my animal print phase in life.

Bacteria Queens....LYSOL....LOL. You people are demented. Wash your stuff with a regular laundry soap and forget about it. There are no GERMS lurking in your bedsheets. What utter bullshit.

Assuming you run sheets through the dryer, the heat will kill germs. You do not need any sanitizer products in the wash.

Every 1 or 2 weeks. Tide "original" HE in powder form. It comes in a cardboard box, not an environmentally tragic plastic bottle. I would rather die than use fabric softener or dryer sheets.

I use cotton batiste sheets in the summer, linen in the winter. I use a silk pillow case as a liner, as this helps retain the feel of my pillows which are latex noodles in a knit shell.

Either way I change the sheets once a week, usually on a Tuesday, and wash in cold water the laundry powder from The Laundry. No fabric softener. I hang to dry indoors and then iron with my steam generator iron.

^^Very tender to the touch.

Some of you must be unemployed to have time for all these intricate, multi-step laundry processes.

every 2-3 days in summer or more often in heat waves. I have no air conditioning. 2x a week in winter. I have a vast linen closet, enough for a small chateaux. Sheets are washed on warm with a little bit of clear eco soap and a scoop of oxygen bleach powder and extra water cycle and 2 rinses. line dried and ideally in the sun. I once paid someone to help me wash a part of my linen collection the 18th C way - lye, alum water and spreading them to dry on a grass lawn in the sun. Has to be clean green grass under the hot sun. It was interesting but hardly matched current chemicals.

If any of you sleep naked you better wash your sheets at least weekly!

I sleep with Norma Desmond densities of beauty lotions, all very high tech mind you, and often with my body slathered in greasy cream, so best to change often!

You should wash your sheets once a week if you only have one set. If you have two rotate them. You should flip or spin your matress (if it is not flippable) once every two months.

R98 I misspoke. I meant the liquid or other concentrated varieties that I find way too pungent. Dryer sheets seem more diffused.

I grew up without fitted sheets, then was in the military where there were no fitted sheets. I use an oversized blanket as a bottom sheet. When I'm lazy I leave it hanging, and when I'm not, I tuck it in. I wash the blankets (no sheets) every other week in All Baby with vinegar in the rinse.

I say fuck it and spray a little Febreze on em

Dirty sheets are greasy, clammy and uncomfortable.

For those of you who are getting ripped off by the Lysol laundry sanitizer, I have a better and far less expensive suggestion.

An product that many people are unaware of (until covid) is OdoBan. It's a concentrated disinfectant, sanitizer, and fabric softener. It's not a great cleaner IMO, but works well mixed with detergent (not bleach). You can use a couple ounces per quart of water to make a spray fabric deodorizer and surface sanitizer.

It has the same active ingredients as both Lysol laundry sanitizer and Lysol spray and most other spray disinfectants. This product is used in nursing homes, assisted living, daycares and kennels because it's very effective at removing shit and piss smells from fabric and surfaces.

It comes in several flavors but my favorite is the most common one, eucalyptus. Thing is, it doesn't smell at all like eucalyptus to me or anyone else. It smells almost like baby powder. The fragrance isn't strong and doesn't linger. The lavender scent is weird and smells industrial and sorta like pine-sol.

1/4 cup in a front loader or 1/2 c in a top loader in the bleach or 2-3 Tbsp to 1/3 cup in the fabric softener dispenser. I prefer it in the bleach dispenser but it is also a fabric softener. I only use it on smelly stuff like workout clothes and dog beds. It's less than $9 a gallon at Sam's Club and comes with an extra quart spray bottle of the stuff. OdoBan is also at Home Depot and Lowes. I never see it at Walmart around here.

Febreze!!

You Method users should check out the consumer action suit and get some of your $ back.

Ginger Mango laundry! 🤩

What's wrong with Method, other than Method products have always sucked, R152?

R131, I had some fabulous Ralph Lauren sheets. I’m sorry I ditched them when I changed decor. Probably 20 years ago and I still miss them. They were good fabric.

I was raised understanding that colored or patterned sheets were decidedly middle / lower class, originally created for households who weren't able to change their linens very often. To this day, I only have white sheets and white towels.

"The Princess and the Pea" was based on R156's life story.

R156 Go tell that to Ralph Lauren, and most of the designers... You must be very advanced in years. I recall twenty years ago or so now, a MUCH older friend of my uncle kvetch about the cream coloured towels at a hotel we were in; he said he couldn't possibly see if they were really clean enough. He was so fucking tedious. He seriously brought his can of Lysol to the hotel as well.

Never and with nothing.

You guys have beds? Lucky...

[quote] I was raised understanding that colored or patterned sheets were decidedly middle / lower class, originally created for households who weren't able to change their linens very often. To this day, I only have white sheets and white towels.

I agree. I only have white sheets and white towels. It makes for a very nice looking linen closet. And I love crisp percale sheets. I loathe silky, sateen sheets.

Who has a favorite maker of old fashioned crisp white percale sheets?

r29 = the elusive straight male Datalounger.

L.L. Bean makes good white percale sheets that are crisp for a while. There might be something better out there, but that's what I have.

Funny some of you girls moaning about how coloured or patterned bed linens are tacky or whatever.

It was Porthault that introduced patterned and coloured bed and table linens back in early part of prior century. Results were an instant hit with things getting even better when Porthault introduced patterned terry towels.

R120

Jackie Kennedy kept to the old ways of upper income households. Bed linens were changed twice day, once in morning after they'd been slept in overnight, then again in late afternoon presumably after someone took a nap. Thus family (and or their guests) always slept on fresh clean linens.

When Jackie Kennedy became First Lady as chatelaine of the White House she imposed same rules. It wasn't widely known nor covered then but Mrs. Kennedy did have her reasons for imposing all that extra work on WH maids. JFK suffered various aliments including a bad back and often took naps or otherwise rested in bed during day.

WH had by then commercial washing machine, dryer and ironer which handled the large bed and table linens among other things. Contrary to popular myth First Families do not get free ride of laundry services in WH. They must pay or do their own personal laundry, and there are smaller "domestic" laundry appliances for such use.

WH laundry

President Ford drops in.....

Some people of course will always take advantage....

JFK's shirts were not done at WH, but were sent out to "Louise Hand Laundry" run by a woman named " Beulah Hall".

An order of President Kennedy's shirts were waiting to be fetched from said laundry when he was assassinated.

I actually ADD "STPP" (Sodium Tri-Poly Phosphate) back into my wash loads in addition to TIDE.........to add back in the phosphates that the government and environmentalists removed from detergent back in the mid '80s...........cleans SO MUCH better ...........screw what it does to the environment............it is available at a very reasonable price at The Chemistry Store dot com.......................I also add one tablespoon of it to my detergent cup in my dishwasher (in addition to the Cascade).........for the cleanest dishes anyone has seen come out of a dishwasher since the '80s.....................

^^^^^^^^^^^notice that Sodium Tri-Poly Phosphate (STPP) ..........IS NOT THE SAME CHEMICAL as the readily available STP (Sodium Tri Phosphate).........totally different animal............order the correct stuff (STPP)...............you would not like what STP does to your clothes or dishes............

R169

Have you ever known such a housewife?

Good grief! So many fussy old queens on here with too much time and money on their hands with all their fancy products and steps.

And, yeah, why the hell do you need so much disinfectant for your sheets? Are you fucking lepers in bed every week?

I like to say I change sheets every week but honestly it's probably more like every 10 days.

All my bedding is cotton, linen or a cotton/linen blend. It's all white/off white except I did splurge on an all linen sheet this year that is "fog" colored which is fancy way of saying "grey". I'm slightly suspicious of it just because I prefer white bedding because it's cooler and I'm a hot sleeper. I'm one of those people with a fan on year round.

Bedding is washed in hot (though, not that hot; my building's laundry room water doesn't really get that super hot) and I use Arm & Hammer detergeant because it's cheap.

I will use bleach once in awhile on the white cotton blankets to give them a good bleachy clean smell.

I do use dryer sheets. I hate static cling.

R161, I just received a set of cotton percale sheets from American Blossom Linens, and they are so soft yet crisp. The cotton is grown in the US and the sheets are made in the US. I received them three days after ordering. 4 pillow cases are included with every queen and king size set.

Love 'em!

I spent a lot of money on sheets from Riley based on glowing reviews I read. However the flat sheets for a king size bed are narrow and short. They barely hang to the bottom edge of the mattress. And while I have a thick Sterns and Foster mattress, it's not a pillow top.

I need disinfectant because like you, I use a communal laundry room. I didn't see the lysol disinfectant for sale, its sold out in my area. Obviously I'm not the only one paranoid about germs and viruses specifically covid.

R174, there are FOUR types of king size mattress and a product's details page provides you with dimensions for sheets sold.

Measure L*W*D and use that as your guide.

For the ones you own, find coordinated cotton table runners at least 14" wide and French seam them onto the foot side of your sheets. Viola! Problem solved.

[quote] Viola! Problem solved.

Why not violin? Or cello?

Oh, DEAR...you mean voila?

Once a week. On Saturdays I throw my Brooklinen sheets and my rescue dog into the washing machine with a Tide Pod and a treat. They come out clean and crisp.

Seriously...who makes the best cool, crisp, old fashioned white sheets? I want them to rustle when I move in bed. Rustle, I say.

R177 Hey Greg🙋‍♂️, that's one of the DL memes like Pron, Cak & Graxy, and so on. There are a few others, but they elude me at the moment.

R81

"At age 50 I made the decision to go to changing them every 2 weeks, because I had really noticed that by that age body odor had diminished greatly, and I made the decision that "once a week" was no longer necessary."

No dear, it's just that you're getting older and with age often comes decreased capacity to detect scent (or smells).

It is one reason why older women douse themselves enough perfume to stink up Grand Central Terminal.

They cannot smell whatever scent, so they practically bathe themselves in it until that is possible.

There is also after a certain period we all become accustomed to certain scents (or smells). You get used to something so it doesn't register or bother, even when rather strong.

[quote] Hey Greg🙋‍♂️, that's one of the DL memes like Pron, Cak & Graxy, and so on. There are a few others, but they elude me at the moment.

Oh, thanks for letting me know!

When they crackle.

R181 Two weeks is a tad long but unless you're someone who doesn't bathe daily or has a naturally strong body odor or has been ill recently or had messy sex, I'm not sure why sheets would "reek" after two weeks.

But, I also think changing your sheets very two or three days is ridiculous overkill and rather wasteful of water.

The Daily Guardian says....

Pillow slips should be changed daily....

Washing sheets and making your bed once a week may seem excessive, but it’s well worth your time. Even after a few days, bed sheets can accumulate significant amounts of:

Dirt Dead skin cells Body oils Sweat Dust mites, including their carcasses and fecal matter While most of us can reconcile sleeping in our own dirt and sweat to a degree, it’s this last item that concerns many of us the most.

Dust mites are microscopic creatures that are very common in most households. They do not bite, but they can lead to skin rashes and irritation, and may worsen allergy symptoms for many people.

Dust mites can reproduce at prolific rates and can live solely off of dead skin cells. At any given time, there can be tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands, of dust mites living in your mattress and bedding. Even if you’re not allergic to dust mites, you probably don’t want to be sharing your bed with thousands of them. Washing sheets regularly can help.

Our girl Dolores does our bed linen. Washed in the Maytag then hung out on line to catch south wind. Sheets are always hung with six pins, not five. I must remind Dolores of this constantly...

This house has a number of rules, I'll tell you them myself so we can avoid a teary scene later.

Sheets, pillow cases, napkins and handkerchiefs must be hand washed, starched and ironed....

Ugh r181 That reminds me of the "old people smell" you get periodically in stores. Smells like B.O., greasy hair that hasn't been washed in yonks, days old clothing, dirty socks, probably smelly dentures, rotted teeth. I'll stick to washing my sheets every 3 days thanks. No matter how old I am.

[quote]You guys should stop using fabric softener. Hate to lecture, but it's so unnecessary.

Half the people I've seen who have said this will talk about using dryer sheets, but dryer sheets ARE fabric softeners.

I'm not saying you personally said that, I'm just talking about the long-standing "don't use fabric softener" thing that goes on here at the Dee Ell. It's very confusing.

I've been getting the basic sheets from Company Store and also found them to have changed sizes recently, r174. I just bought the same fitted sheet I bought previously but in a different color, and it's so oversized that it comes off after one night, while the flat sheet is too narrow. The set of flannel sheets I got for the twin guest bed were two different shades of light gray, too. Another case of a good product falling in quality, I guess.

I buy my bed linen on sale at Walmart so I just throw them out after a day or two and buy a new set. Still cheaper than laundry.

I don't wash my bedsheets. I long ago learned to burn them to destroy all evidence.

I like percale sheets from Thomas Lee.

Are these sheet things edible?

[quote] Are these sheet things edible?

Yes, Mr. Orphan, they are indeed edible and taste best topped with a blanket of béchamel.

I change my sheets quarterly. If you don't like it, you can stay home.

In the warm months, twice a week, in the cold months, once a week.

Of course, due to climate change, we now only have two seasons, Summer and Winter.

I’ve never washed my sheets. I see them the same way as I see a good skillet — every time I sleep in them I season them a bit more.

My sheets and bed cover are white. I wash them all once a week in hot water with detergent and bleach and dry them with a Bounce sheet. The bleach does tend to wear the sheets out faster than normal so I have to buy a new set twice per year. Unlike Marie Kondo, I hate folding fucking fitted sheets so I don't alternate sheet sets.

[quote] I’ve never washed my sheets. I see them the same way as I see a good skillet — every time I sleep in them I season them a bit more.

So that's why your sheets smell like chicken cutlets.

Ewww

I only have white sheets (600TC by Hudson Park). Which is better - liquid bleach or the powder bleach alternatives like Oxyclean?

I would do it more often if putting the fitted sheet on the mattress didn't take up an entire afternoon.

Who knew that the changing and washing of bed linen would spark such interest?

I did. I wrote three fucking best-selling books about it.

Are Brooklinen sheets high quality or just overpriced?

I wash my pillowcases every week and my sheets and duvet cover every two weeks. I use whatever scent-free detergent I can find easily, so usually Seventh Generation.

I use white silk pillowcases year-round, with white linen sheets from Rough Linen in the summer and white flannel sheets (the super thick ones) from the Company Store in winter. Twice a year when I change my sheets over, I launder my pillows and duvet and rotate my mattress.

I bought a couple vintage quilts from Etsy for the dog to sleep on at the foot of the bed and wash those every two weeks as well.

I sleep in a fresh pair of white cotton or linen PJs every night.

I don’t understand people who fuss about folding fitted sheets or who enjoy scented laundry products. Some of you must get quite the workout from washing and changing sheets every couple of days!

I sleep on a bare mattress

From the Onion:

I bought this extra-thick mattress online (Saatva), and I love it except that it’s much heavier than I’m used to. Lifting it up to put sheets on and tuck them is tiresome.

I have a Saatva mattress too (luxury firm) and I can't rotate it by myself. Way too heavy.

R126 there is also a bacterial infection (and sometimes a fungus too) that caused that. A lot of military men get it. You can can actually see the infection if you look close under the armpit hair.

But it has an easy fix if they go the derm.

White sheets, twice per week change, wash in hot water using bleach and Arm & Hammer free detergent. Adding baking soda 1/2 to 1 cup seems to enhance whiteness and freshness.

Likely once a week change is enough, but sleeping in freshly laundered sheets is a luxurious feeling.

Well, don't you just send the linens to the Chinese people? I thought everyone did that. The Chinese people do the laundry. The Mexicans do the lawn. The Coloreds clean the house...

History of Chinese laundries;

The Chinese immigrants that came to North America in search of Gold Mountain from about 1850-1950 originated from impoverished villages of Guangdong province in southeastern China. However, racial prejudices toward the Chinese prevented them from working in most lucrative occupations. Laundry work, which was not something that Chinese men did back in China, was one of the few lines of work left open to them. Laundry became the meal ticket for Chinese and their descendants to overcome the obstacles placed before them in western society. Today, even though the Chinese laundry has virtually vanished into history, we must recognize that it was one of the most important economic engines for the early Chinese as it allowed them and their children to succeed in America despite the racist animosity and hostility they faced throughout North America.

“even though the Chinese laundry has virtually vanished into history”

Huh?

R216 is why we can't have nice things.

Calgon, take me away!

How do hotels get their sheets so crisp?

A good hotel sheet feels beautifully crisp, primarily because of the percale weave used to make them. ... The percale weave is also an open weave that releases heat and circulates air. By contrast, the sateen weave used to make higher thread count sheets is a closed weave that traps heat.

How do hotels keep sheets wrinkle free?

How Do Hotels Keep Their Sheets Wrinkle Free? Many hotels will use sheets that are less prone to wrinkling. These sheets are often made from 100% microfiber or cotton-polyester blends because synthetic materials tend to repel wrinkles more when compared to 100% cotton sheets.

What type of sheets do 5 star hotels use?

Speaking of heavenly cocoons, those silky yet crisp sheets you slide into at luxury hotels tend to clock in at around the 300-thread-count mark. They are always cotton (specifically Egyptian cotton), because they're the most breathable and help you stay cool, so make sure to steer clear of cheaper microfiber varieties.

1x/week with Tide and Downy

R220 Hotel sheets are also washed at 85c (185f) minimum. It's the main reason they have to be high quality.

Hotel laundries - at least at the better hotels - use mangles to flat press all sheets. This is why they use a flat sheet for the bottom, rather than a fitted sheet. Pressing gives the sheet a smooth finish.

Makes sense, as all ironing or pressing makes even the cheapest cotton fabric smoother and softer as time goes by; almost like a patina.

Fitted sheets are an American invention, and not everyone is thrilled.

Don't know about now, but years ago high end European linen makers like Porthault or Frette didn't have fitted sheets. If you wanted them from their American stores a flat sheet was sent to various local sewing shops where a seamstress would do the work.

Hospitals and hotels only recently began using fitted bottom sheets. For ages it was same as in private households, bottom sheet was flat and bed made with mitered (aka hospital, military or camp) corners.

As stated above laundries send flatwork (which once was just that) through huge mangles. For obvious reasons fitted sheets with elastic fitted about cause problems.

Also thing about using only flat sheets is that each one receives uniform wear. Well that is if they all have plain hems. Top sheet one week could be on bottom next time after coming back from wash. Once a fitted sheet starts to go, that's it, you cannot do anything else with the thing.

[quote] Also thing about using only flat sheets is that each one receives uniform wear. Well that is if they all have plain hems. Top sheet one week could be on bottom next time after coming back from wash.

True versatility in bed is rare to find and a treasure to behold.

R104 you do know the softening agents is nothing but beef tallow don't you, just fat like on your steak, so many people are surprised.

No static cling when your laundry is air dried, outside or inside. Most people don't know this as well.

When they get stiff, or I wear a hole in them.

When they cackle.

But who makes "affordable" crisp white percale sheets? I don't like scratchy unpleasant sheets (that's just cheap cotton)...but I really do want them smooth, crisp, and crackly (which doesn't mean scratchy and itchy).

I can't afford to spend $700 or more on a set of sheets, but am able to spend up to $200 on the type of sheets I'm describing.

So, why not look at the offerings from the Frette discount outlet, R231? Frette is what most of the 5 star hotels use. I believe that you can find sheets under $200, (not much less) there.

Amway detergent every 5-7 days? JeeZUS what an extra bitch. She had all kinds of her answer ready R2

Thank you, R232! I will do that.

Omg SO many extra replies to this fucking question. My turn… I use tide, Persil or Gain, then probably sum downy fabric softener but I don’t always need that- I have the fuckin beads too right now but I was just being extra when I got them. I do need tide or persil tho and then a generic dryer sheet. I wash my shit probably every 2 months- and actually I probably won’t wash it right away but I change it and pillowcases. I have 2 fuckin body pillows and they have cotton rayon covers and then there’s 2 white ikea down pillows in here and 2 couch like pillows from Target and a ‘cool to the touch’ blanket because I live in fucking Phoenix, and then all cotton sheet and pillowcases from TARGET

Frette? You old fraus should donate that money

[quote] Omg SO many extra replies to this fucking question. My turn… I use tide, Persil or Gain, then probably sum downy fabric softener but I don’t always need that- I have the fuckin beads too right now but I was just being extra when I got them. I do need tide or persil tho and then a generic dryer sheet. I wash my shit probably every 2 months- and actually I probably won’t wash it right away but I change it and pillowcases. I have 2 fuckin body pillows and they have cotton rayon covers and then there’s 2 white ikea down pillows in here and 2 couch like pillows from Target and a ‘cool to the touch’ blanket because I live in fucking Phoenix, and then all cotton sheet and pillowcases from TARGET

And you—you sound like a real piece of shit. Or should I say, a real fuckin piece of shit?

Don't we hate people who use the word "extra" like this? Sounds very much like something a junior high girl would say.

[quote]Frette? You old fraus should donate that money

Don't hate me because I have some money, honey.

Where can I buy just pillowcases? I want to start changing them daily so want to purchase a few dozen. I want them to be white and crisp.

Target

Try here, R239

Or, here...

We got Fieldcrest Supima cotton sheets from Target on markdown somehow, this was after the supima kerfuffle Fieldcrest went through, so they should be authentic. They are very heavy and very crisp but not scratchy, they feel cool which is good since I sweat a lot. Read up on sheets, thread count means nothing since there is no standard way to count the threads, they didn't tell you that. And Egyptian cotton is any cotton grown in Egypt, it used to mean only the longest fiber cotton was used, but they use whatever and call it Egyptian cotton, and sometimes it is not even grown in Egypt. There's a sucker born everyday.

I've unexpectedly learned a lot about laundry and sheets from this thread.

I like ECOS laundry detergent--eco-friendly, stain enzymes, great for delicate skin. I also pour in some Oxyclean occasionally.

For the ladies, I HIGHLY recommend pre-treating any strains with Tide Cold Water detergent, which has even better stain removing enzymes. (And also use hydrogen peroxide.)

I wash sheets once per week. But when I was in college and didn't have a washer/dryer in my apartment, I had 5 or 6 sets of super cheap sheets (bought at Ross or Marshall's on clearance for less than $20, I didn't care about the color), and then I would take them all to be washed together once per month.

R241, R242 - Do they sell used hospital sheets? I'm okay with a little organic staining. I'm on a budget...

R204, your sheets will be whiter in a regular fast top-loader wash if you use bleach. But bleach causes premature wear in fabric. Oxygen bleach is a better choice to preserve your sheets, but it needs time to do its whitening job. If you have a modern HE washer like a front loader, that will have a long enough wash cycle to whiten your sheets. Ammonia (another recent thread) is another good addition to oxygen bleach to remove soil and oil, but never ammonia and bleach.

The purity of white sheets is a must! Never mix them in the wash with coloreds.

Whites need to soak in the oxygen bleach. Do a long wash cycle gives the time required but its agitating the fabric much more than necessary. I do the fast cycle and turn it off 2 minutes into it. Also you need a lot of water in this method. Soak. if you pass the washer, turn it on and let it agitate a bit. Then turn off the cycle again. We have German industrial front loaders. They don't have a soak function so this is the method. Also its important to dry whites under the sun as often as it is practicable. This also cuts down on the wear on the fabric. I have sun dried linens on my bed, tonight.

[quote]I've unexpectedly learned a lot about laundry and sheets from this thread.

Me too!

I never would have thought a discussion about bed linens and the washing of them would spark such an interest!

R101

[quote] I've always been fussy about my sheets but now that I have a kitten he lays on my pillow.

Is this the kitten that lays the golden eggs?

While we're on Americans and linens, placemats are another invention from USA.

Some person likely got fed up with laundering and ironing all those tablecloths and came up with a better option. Small cloths for each place setting which are far easier to launder and iron.

Muslin (thread count of about 140) once was dominate type of sheets for hospitals, budget choice for housewives and anyone else that needed long wearing linens. Problem is cotton muslin being made from thicker threads is a heavy fabric. Thus when sent out to launder (where places normally charge by the pound), it cost more.

Percale (thread counts of 180 per square inch and up), began coming down in prices after WWII. Despite thinner threads high quality percale last longer than muslin bed linens (because threads are more tightly woven), weigh less (which makes laundering easier, and cuts down cost if sent out), and feel light and airy compared to muslin.

Most hospitals now like everyone else long have gone over to percale. Many places also use a cotton/poly blend (as do good number of hotels and motels) as well. Small addition of polyester adds "easy care" properties to bed linens so ironing is easier, and or things are just tumble dried and then folded.

As for thread counts anything advertised above 320 threads per square inch is BS. Naturally you cannot get cotton thread finer than that number, higher thread counts are gained by using thinner threads but in multiples. Hence you see thread counts of 600, 700 or other odd high numbers. Because thinner threads are used such bed linens aren't durable as normal percale range of 180 threads per square inch. Even muslin would be a better choice in terms of durability.

But, that's not what Martha, ("I believe the less fortunate deserve beautiful things") Stewart says, R251. She says that the higher the thread count the higher the durability and quality.

R251 Interesting, I'm not au fait with the history of the placemat, however I would have initially given credit to Indian people, as they generally have a mat or cloth down for each person whilst eating on the floor. Sometimes they're more rigid, other times more tea towel like.

R262

Martha Stewart and others are in the business of flogging high thread count linens, what else would you have them them to say?

As any student of fashion, textiles or related areas can (or should) be able to tell you there is a natural limit to threads per square inch. Just as there is a maximum capacity for a given space to fit say humans. You can fit more threads into said square inch only by using thinner threads. Just as more thinner persons will fit into a given space versus heavier or obese.

In any event thread count isn't the final word on bed linens. Type of cotton thread used and other quality points matter as well.

For about two or three decades now there has been a huge interest in vintage American bed linens. Brands like Wamsutta Supercale, Pequot Muslin and Percale, Dan River Percale or Muslin... You literally cannot kill those sheets and pillow cases. This despite their percale was standard offering for back in the day < 300 threads per square inch.

Sadly for many king sized mattresses weren't invented back the, so largest most vintage bed sheets come in is "Matrimonial" or perhaps "Queen".

R253

There are all sorts of placemats, and yes as you say versions of such things have been around for ages. But those made from linen, cotton or whatever that served to replace use of table cloth is rather modern invention.

Table runners have been around since Middle Ages; some one (likely charged with laundering or otherwise caring for linens), got the idea of a narrower and smaller cloth placed over main table cloth that took brunt of abuse (food and beverage spills, candle wax drips, etc..) These smaller cloths could be laundered and ironed far easier than large table cloths.

Remember when Oprah did a show with an expert scientist who answered all these types of questions. How often to change your tooth brush etc.

When it came to sheets Oprah said I think every three days. The man in all seriousness said that just isn't realistic for most people.

Poor rich, Oprah looked so out of touch and embarrassed.

In theory thanks to automatic washing machines and tumble dryers frequent changing of bed linen isn't such a huge deal. Unmaking and making up of one or more beds each day is another matter.

Vera Donovan and other well off women had the help who did such things, but it would have been a stretch for average middle class or certainly below housewife. Often just getting the beds made each morning and tidying up bedrooms occupies good part of daily housekeeping routine.

In theory all that bed linen could sit until later until time was found to wash, dry and fold, but piled onto other weekly household laundry you're likely looking at an entire day of dealing with family wash.

Place that does our linens says they have a few customers (all from rich heartland of UES Manhattan) who change bed linens every day. Each week 12-14 sheets, and 24-28 pillow slips are sent out, which means these homes have vast stores of linens because they need same amount at least (if not more) in linen closet to get through until things come back from laundry.

Does anyone know where I can get adult size muslin sheets? It seems they only make crib sheets from muslin now.

There's tons of vintage muslin sheets and pillow cases on eBay and other places. Much of it still new in package or box.

You're going to find mostly twin, full, and double sheets though, By time king sized mattresses became a thing muslin sheets largely fell out of use. Matrimonial or double flat sheets should work on a queen sized bed.

Just did a quick Google search and plenty of places have muslin sheets for "adult sizes".

R254 - What did Martha do to her face?! Way too much surgery, and that hair is atrocious!

I saw that Phoenix site. They are an institutional supplier. No queen/king/deep pocket sheets. The only size currently made seems to be crib.

I just changed my sheets and was thinking of all you pigs out there who don't change your sheets at least weekly. Pigs.

Spending Habits of the Gilded Age That Makes Today’s Wealthy Look Frugal

The excessive extravagance of the Gilded Age’s wealthy elite wasn’t so much about having anything you wanted. That was pretty much a given, as long as you weren’t a woman wanting equal rights as men or any other nonsense like that. It was about showing off. The name of the game was proving to everyone else that what you had was more prominent, shinier, and more luxurious than what your neighbors had, especially if you were of the “crass” new rich, like the Vanderbilts, trying to prove yourself to the old rich.

The large homes that were owned by these wealthy people were run by a large staff of servants who, for the most part, carried out their duties in such a way that they were invisible to the owners and any guests. In fact, many chambermaids had “hidden entrances” into rooms via “secret passageways” so that they could go in and out without being seen. They would inconspicuously go into the bedrooms to change the sheets twice a day, whether they had been slept in or not. Towels were changed after every use. Carrying out these menial tasks took up most of their days while their masters lived in unbridled, unprecedented luxury.

^^Yeah, but we have washers and dryers. Washing clothing and linens used to be a full-time, hard, HOT job.

Pre-1950s people would skin someone alive for a washing machine.

Lucy nearly killed Ethel for one.

[quote] Pre-1950s people would skin someone alive for a washing machine.

Nothing but the best for this little lady....

People in the UK were using early forms of washing machines from the mid 19th Century at 'Wash-houses', which were a Community Launderette for the general public.

There were definitely still some operating in the 1980's (with more modern machinery). I doubt any are now as even launderettes (laundromats) are increasingly rare.

R268 - By the look of it, I'd imagine your clothes were dirtier after a visit.

The GOOD ole days!

R270 - I have two questions. First, is that a sex toy? And second, do they still sell them?

R269 Probably slightly cleaner even with the steam powered washing machines and drying racks.

The lucky ones were living in slums, the less lucky a single room per family the very unlucky were in The Workhouse.

[quote][R270] - I have two questions. First, is that a sex toy? And second, do they still sell them?

It could be, R271. Just the thought and image of a washer woman bending over, wriggling and writhing her body as she does the scrubbing. the seductive movement of her ass moving side to side enclosed within the confines of her skirts that undulate in a movement akin to a welcoming dance inviting one to come and lift the curtain to reach her treasure and take it from behind... Oh! Oh! OHHHH!!!!

Yes, they still sell scrubbing boards.

This is for you, Greg!

I never have to bother with changing sheets. Each morning I just go home.

Thank you, R274. Love that!

At least weekly...on rocks at the river, dear.

Every 5 days. I sleep with my Boston and Dachshund

[quote]Every 5 days. I sleep with my Boston and Dachshund

Are your babies aware or act differently when there are fresh clean sheets on the bed?

Educate yourselves!

I just wait until they walk themselves out to the machine ("in search of an ovum" - Saffy).

Just kidding, ew. No, I wash mine at least weekly, but often sooner than that, just because there's nothing more comforting than getting into a freshly made bed, I find.

Why Frette

The company provides linens to the following hotels worldwide, including:

Regent hotels in Phu Quoc and Chongqing

The Hotel Café Royal in London

The Ritz in London

The St. Regis Hotel in Atlanta, Toronto, Istanbul, and a few other St. Regis location

Hotel George V in Paris

The Mandarin Oriental in Boston

Raffles Hotel in Singapore

Savoy Hotel in London

Plaza Hotel in New York City

Ritz-Carlton in Los Angeles

The Peninsula in Hong Kong

The InterContinental in al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia

Select Four Seasons

All Ritz-Carlton U.S. properties

All CitizenM properties

The Langham Huntington, Pasadena, Los Angeles

The Inn at Montchanin Village in Montchanin, Delaware

Words "hotel bed linens" get tossed around quite a lot, and can mean various things.

Could mean nothing more than said bed linens are able to withstand the frequent (and often) harsh industrial laundering such things undergo . That and of course heavy wear and abuse by not just hotel guests but staff.

Hotels of all sorts must constantly remind staff not to use pillow slips as "rags" to wipe up spills or other messes. Guests of course do what they like, which is part of hard abuse hotel bed linens take.

OTOH hotel bed linens can mean the more luxurious higher thread count things often found at high end hotels. However make no mistake, all hotel linens regardless must be able to withstand frequent industrial/commercial laundering.

No matter how high end no hotel is going to send their laundry for "French hand laundry" service. Things must go into commercial washers, dryers and ironers...

R282, Frette has cross marketing / endorsement agreements with a handful of top hotel chains. They offer their linens at a steep discount to top tier hotels in exchange for being featured in the hotel's marketing. Same type of arrangement exists with hotels and soap / lotion producers.

R284 - And top tier escorts too.

What is interesting is that no one has yet to mention using white vinegar as a fabric softener. It's natural and it works.

Vinegar mentioned at least twice previously in this thread, R286.

What astounds me is how a few of you snooty-about -my-bed-linen DLers don't line dry your sheets.

You have to have an outdoor clothesline to do that.

I wash them every 3-4 days but I’d like to change them every day if I could. People who don’t change their sheets are so nasty. I have this married frau friend who lets her two big dogs sleep in bed with her and her husband. They literally get butt leakage all over the sheets and then they sleep in them! Disgusting! Anyway, I am SO grateful to live in a house with its own laundry units. Hauling laundry around the street to a laundromat or even just around an apartment complex is just depressing.

I change them every other week. I shower before bed and while my dog does sleep with me I put a throw down on his side of the bed over the sheet. I don't know what the lady who does my laundry uses but she definitely uses drier sheets regardless of my having asked her not to.

I don't understand why people are washing their sheets every week. Are you sleeping naked and getting pee pee, poo poo, or cum stains on them?

There is no reason to wash your sheets so frequently if you wear socks and clothes to bed that are clean and take a shower every day.

Dead skin cells, Pet hairs, bodily fluid leakage including sweat= minimum once a week. I still haven't seen the Lysol disinfectant in store.

[quote]I don't understand why people are washing their sheets every week.

Good hygiene? Good habits?

"I don't understand why people are washing their sheets every week"

For same reasons you're supposed to change undergarments daily.

Bed linen comes into contact with skin thus becomes contaminated all sorts; skin cells, hair, sweat, saliva, skin and hair oils, semen, urine... This on top of various fungi, dust mites and other creatures that feast upon all those bits off humans that now are on bed linen. Oh then there are bacteria and other "germs" of all sorts. Every time one breaks wind in or on bed linen vast amounts of fecal and gut bacteria are expelled. They will alight and remain on bed linen, just as they do on shower curtains and other areas in bathrooms.

As noted previously in this thread if bed linen aren't laundered often they will start to take on a yellow tinge. This is most noticible on pillow slips, top hems and center of sheets, all areas that are in frequent contact with body.

Various oils and secretions simply go rancid from being in long contact with bed linen and turn yellow. Same as "ring around the collar". Once this happens removing that yellow fully becomes difficult to impossible.

There are reasons why nurses and anyone else charged with making healthcare beds treat soiled linen as if it were contaminated. That's because it is, even if person who used bed didn't or doesn't have a serious infectious disease.

Other thing is like all other textiles that come into contact with body. If not properly laundered frequently they take on a whiff that can be difficult to impossible to shift.

All of above goes just from sleeping in bed. For those that eat, drink and do God only knows what else in bed, up the "ick" factor from not changing bed linen.

The horror! How ever does Miss R295 sleep at night?

[quote]What do you wash them with?

Urine.

If it was good enough for a Roman toga, it's good enough for me.

[quote]The horror! How ever does Miss [R295] sleep at night?

Comfortably. She launders her linens appropriately and effectively.

[quote] The horror! How ever does Miss [R295] sleep at night?

You, my dear, sound like a PIG.

[quote]Every time one breaks wind in or on bed linen vast amounts of fecal and gut bacteria are expelled. They will alight and remain on bed linen

You might not want to ride in the elevator in my condo r295.

[quote] Every time one breaks wind vast amounts of fecal and gut bacteria are expelled.

Oh dear. Thank goodness the glass coffee table top provides inviolate protection.

OK laundry mavens - I bought a kingsize, light weight hand-stitched quilt from Coyuchi. Their website says to wash linens before use. How would you do it? I live in a co-op and our laundry room has both top load and front load washers. I assume the front loader would be best since it uses less water with less agitation, and spins more water out which means less time in the dryer. Then use a low heat setting on the dryer and plan for it to take hours. (I live in the heart of the city so line drying is not an option.) Or should I send this to a professional laundry?

If will fit comfortably in front load washer, and machine has a delicate cycle that's how I would go about things.

Cold water, just small amount of detergent, short cycle, and *NO* fabric softener. Dry on low until mostly dry, then maybe take out smooth and hang someplace in your home (if you have room) to finish drying. You want to avoid drying the thing to a crisp....

You *can* send it out to the laundry, but many of them nowadays aren't much better than doing things at home if you have proper equipment and time.

[quote] You *can* send it out to the laundry, but many of them nowadays aren't much better than doing things at home if you have proper equipment and time.

Took the words right out of my mouth. And, sometimes worse.

Thanks R303!

Once a week with Tide unless I get lucky.

I change mine every week. I wash them with my washing machine.

R288, many of us live in subdivisions where sadly, outdoor line clothes drying is forbidden. Weird to think about but it's true. Then there's the issue of dust and polluted air. You don't want to dry your clothes in that if you can avoid it.

When I lived in France where most people air-dry their clothes, my in-laws, who were building contractors and had an unusual but excellent home, had the most brilliant clothes drying contraption in their laundry room. They had a large frame that was nearly the dimensions of the room (about 4m X 4m). The frame was strung with clothesline. This was on a pulley that could be lowered from the ceiling, stopped at hanging height, then raised back up so the clothes were above your head. And there was an exhaust fan in the room they'd switch on to speed up the drying.

For those once or twice a year sheet washers, if you get a post-balls shaving nick, you are begging for sepsis.

Wiki it…not fun.

You ladies are going to love this....I was the one who said I wash them twice a year (if that, due to lack of sex because of COVID). Well, a couple weeks ago, it seemed like my allergies were acting up with congestion and itchy/watery eyes. My eyes kept getting worse and went to urgent care and found out I had conjunctivitis/pink eye. I'm thinking the only way I got it was that I sleep naked (showering twice a week - working from home) and maybe some fecal matter made it to my pillow cases.

I know everyone is going to go wild over this and typically would never share something so disgusting....but it is anonymous bitches!!!

Also wanted to share as a PSA because I am that type of person and I love you all!

R308

Some variation of that system has been around all over Europe at least since Victorian era if not prior.

PulleyMaid is one you can buy off the shelf so to speak

idea is simple; take advantage of fact air is warmer higher up in a room. Also in days when solid fuel fires (ranges, stoves or fireplaces) there would be a heat source anyway.

When washing couldn't be dried out of doors, you hung things up on one of these contraptions, then raised it up so things would be out of the way. Only issue is since wringers or mangles didn't remove as much water as a washing machine with spin cycle, there was water dripping down from suspended laundry until it dried.

[quote] For those once or twice a year sheet washers, if you get a post-balls shaving nick, you are begging for sepsis.

I can't imagine that a 2X / year sheet washer would bother to shave his balls.

R308 - wouldn't that drip water all over the floor?

(R308 here) No, R313, the clothes don't drip water, because French washing machines spin the fuck out of the clothes. They're all front-loader design. Except, many of these washers don't have a front door, they have a smaller door on top, and then you have to spin the drum until you get to the inner drum door, which is smaller. Then you have to cram your clothes in the small hole typically about 30cm x 30cm. And when the clothes are done, you have to pull them out the same way, and the drum is dark and you can't see anything inside, so you have to grope. And all your laundry is wadded together. You shake it out and line-dry it. Ironing is essential because everything's so wrinkled.

French washing machine cycles are very slow, so as to reduce electricity consumption, allowing detergent to work longer and repeated but gentle thrashings of the clothes getting everything clean, eventually, in a typical 2 to 2.5 hour cycle. One that I used even had a starch dispenser! Frogs were still starching their laundry when I lived there. In sum, French washing machines of the time - I hope they've gotten better since - made laundry far more tedious than I could have imagined. Oh, and the machines were much smaller than American ones, meaning if you had a family, you were doing laundry pretty much constantly.

When my MIL came to the States, she was shocked at top-loading washing machines. She'd never seen anything like it. All the water, and the agitator. She thought it looked dangerous. And I told her nobody uses starch in their laundry here, which is mostly true. She loved the electric dryer.

OK R308/R314 - thanks for explaining that. I had no idea the washing machines were so different overseas.

R314

Technically both machines with door on front or top are "H-Axis" washing machines. Both use same technology, principles, etc....

Top loading h-axis washing machines are very popular in France due to their compact nature. While taller than a front loader, these washers are narrower thus take up less room. Since many French homes (especially apartments) have washing machines in kitchen, a compact washer is a boon.

R314

N'importe quoi!

Personne n'amidonne ses draps.

Sauf éventuellement pour des cartes de France à la puberté.

While that dipenser maybe labled "starch" and last rinse often referred to as such (in French, German, and other European languages), virtually no one uses starch any longer. That dispenser is used for fabric conditioner/softener, and has been since those products came on market.

Yes, some French still do starch bed and table linens along with shirts and other apparel, but no where near say back in 1950's.

Starch for laundry in France and many other areas of Europe is either rice or wheat based though you an find corn as well.

Rice or wheat starches beat corn by a mile....

This is truly one of the more fascinating threads that I have ever read on DL. Who would think that the washing of bed linen would be so complex and interesting?

[quote] This is truly one of the more fascinating threads that I have ever read on DL. Who would think that the washing of bed linen would be so complex and interesting?

Thank you! I'm glad you think so. I am the OP and have taken some criticism for posting something so prosaic, but there are 319 replies, so that is proof that it's a topic of interest for DL-ers.

Chere maligne con-trollR317 : You have no posting history for your sockpuppet account. Your francais is Google translate quality.

The things I described are exactly as they were when I lived in France several years ago. As I said, I hope that French washing machines have improved in usability. And yes, I knew several families who used starch in their laundry. Mostly old ladies doing the laundry, but it was far more common than in the US, where starch is exclusively used by Okies to press leg creases into their blue jeans.

Considering Amazon.fr still has a several options for amidon a linge, I'd say that you're the lying troll cunt, not I.

R321

Non ce n'est pas une traduction Google et je suis vraiment français.

Né, élevé, habitant en France et j'y serai même enterré.

Quel serai mon intérêt de mentir?

En revanche, votre capacité en français est tout à fait limitée.

Même pas médiocre...

Inexistante.

"Bouge le long" n'est pas du tout français, mon pauvre ami.

Nous dirions plutôt...

Bouge de là, dégage, fous le camp, casse-toi...

Ooh-la-la, Mlle. R322!!

R 323

N'ayant pas changé de sexe, c'est toujours Monsieur.

Merci.

I just changed my sheets, exactly one week from when they were placed on my bed.

A new set of bright white, crispy percale sheets now dress my bed. It will be so nice to climb into that bed tonight!

Once a week with whatever fragrance free detergent is on sale, usually All or Arm & Hammer.

Fragrance free fabric softener also.

R325, you better be showering everyday or you are going to have some skid marks. There are a couple on here who definitely are shower challenged and probably have quite a specimen on them

[quote] [R325], you better be showering everyday or you are going to have some skid marks. There are a couple on here who definitely are shower challenged and probably have quite a specimen on them

Thank you for your concern. But you needn't worry. I shower at least once a day, often twice a day. And even if I didn't, I can assure you there wouldn't be "skid marks" on my sheets. Some of us know how to properly clean ourselves. You sound like an asshole. Don't you think changing one's sheets weekly is sufficient? Or is the fact that I have white sheets that causes your dumb comment? Lots of pigs out here I guess.

^ hun, it was just a comment but you have definitely embarrassed your bitchy side in your response....which is what DL is all about.

[quote] but you have definitely embarrassed your bitchy side in your response.

I can assure you, my bitchy side is in no way embarrassed.

^ HAHAHAHA - I meant embraced.

Twice a week. Monday mornings and Friday mornings. It's just become a habit now. Anyway, right now I've got these Ralph Lauren Egyptian cotton sheets on. Beautiful dark maroon paisley pattern. Super soft, incredibly soft to sleep on - almost silky yet warmth from the fine cotton - but not like that icky slimey sliding effect you get from pure silk sheets.

Last call for my summer sheets. Next wash day I will switch to flannels.

Questions regarding flannel sheets since I've never tried them. Are they physically heavier than all-cotton sheets? Do they trap / hod, body heat more than cotton? Do they take longer to dry? Are they relatively wrinkle-free when you take them out of the dryer?

I've used all-white (un-dyed) 600TC Hudson Park (Bloomingdales' brand) for years and I love them. They get better with age.

Ask this company, R334

r181 is correct. There's also a theory that men over 40 secrete an unpleasant odor/oil in their sweat. This oil ends up all over couches, throw pillows, beds, etc and over time just reeks.

My bf and I once housesit for an older male couple...They were in their 60's. As far as i could tell the sheets were clean but there was this musty old man odor in the bed that was so offensive, I couldn't sleep in it. Crashed on the couch in the living room.

R336 ahhhh, the scent of old man... (said no one ever) The Japanese have marketed specialised products to tackle the annoying stench of decrepitness you describe so well.

Universities have spent good money on research into the problem. They claim Persimmon is the most effective antidote or ingredient to remedy the lingering problem.

The Japanese do not claim it to be an oil secreted by old men, but do describe the scent as "grassy, and oily". Similiar acknowledgment of this problem is made in other Asian cultures, but none more forthcoming or quite as matter of fact than tbe Japanese. Young girls and teens are quick to make "Old Man Smell Jokes" at mens' expense, in any/every occasion that involves a man at least their father's age. Not unlike toilet culture, they are ahead of the rest of the world on this one.

For r334:

Cotton percale or linen, baby. No linen or microfiber or sateen weave for me.