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Washing sheets is considered one of the easiest clothes to do. That is, until you mix them with towels and have to deal with little terry balls clinging to your sheets. That's why you should know how to properly clean your bed sheets to get a fresh and comfortable feeling when you use them.
Can bed linen and towels be washed together?The short answer is no, as mixing sheets and towels when washing can result in lint sticking to the sheets. This can be especially serious if the sheets are white and filled with lint that is a different color from the towels.
To avoid all of this, you should separate your clothes into clothes, sheets and towels before throwing them in the washing machine. There are also a number of other reasons why you shouldn't use towels to clean your linens.
This article explains why you shouldn't wash sheets and towels together, some other common mistakes made when washing sheets, tips for washing sheets, and other related topics. Read on to find out more.
Index
Why you shouldn't wash sheets and towels together
While laundry may seem like a thorough cleaning, there's more to it than meets the eye. Therefore, it is not a good idea to wash sheets and towels together. Besides fluff on your sheets, there are other reasons why you shouldn't wash sheets and towels together.
- Bed linen and towels are made of different fabrics.
Most towels are made from terry cotton, while sheets are usually made from a lighter fabric, usually percale cotton. But what does the fabric have to do with washing? Is about.
The problem is that different fabrics have different weights. Because of this difference, textiles require different washing and drying times. In this case, the sheets dry in about 30 minutes, while the towels can take up to an hour. So washing them together will not give you the best results for both.
- Towels can get caught in bed linen.
Sheets are larger than towels, so towels can easily get tangled in a sheet when washed. In this case, the towel may not be washed properly or dried completely. That is why it is necessary to separate clothes and wash the sheet separately from the towels.
Even if you're cleaning sheets along with other bedding items like pillowcases, make an effort to stop the dryer halfway and turn the garment inside out. This will ensure that even the linens wrapped around the sheets are clean.
- friction effect
The towels are made of a stronger fabric, while the sheets are soft and gentle on the skin. Washing the two together can cause the towel to create a lot of friction, which will reduce the lifespan of the sheets over time.
Other mistakes to avoid when washing sheets
Aside from washing the sheets along with the towels, there are some other common mistakes people make while cleaning the sheets.
- Operating the machine in a cycle that is too hot
An extremely hot cycle means washing the sheets in hot water and drying them on high heat. This is not recommended as cotton will shrink when exposed to extremely high temperatures. Therefore, to prevent leaf shrinkage, be sure to maintain reasonable temperatures.
- Use of harsh cleaning agents
Strong detergents can damage or degrade bed sheets. Because ideally, your linens shouldn't get as dirty as your regular clothes. If you use detergent on your sheets, you risk damaging them and shortening their lifespan. This is especially true for sheets made of softer fabric.
To avoid this, its use is recommendedmild detergentslike baby detergent when cleaning the sheets. Keep in mind that using too much detergent can also damage your linens.
- Leave the sheets in the washing machine
What's wrong with leaving the sheets in the washing machine? Well, sheets that are left in the washing machine after they're done will end up wrinkling.
Nobody wants to use crumpled sheets, so how do you avoid these situations? As simple as that; When you're done washing the sheets, take them out of the washing machine, shake them out, and put them in the dryer.
- Loading the washing machine
The sheets are of course larger than most other clothing items. Therefore, loading your washing machine with sheets is not the same as loading it with clothes. That means you have to be careful not to put too many sheets in the washer. Overloading your washing machine can cause sheets to rip when they get caught in the agitators.
Washing tipsleaves
Now that you know the most common mistakes to avoid when washing your linens, use the tips below to ensure you're cleaning your linens efficiently and getting the best results.
- check the labels
If you are often confused by the terms associated with clothing, then it is recommended to use the labels that are attached to the sheets. Labels can help you identify the temperatures to use, how to dry your sheets, and even if you should use bleach on your sheets. So avoid the confusion and check the labels.
- Read the machine manual
Once you determine what the blades require as indicated on the label, familiarize yourself with the machine. You can do this by reading the manual. This will help you identify which wash cycles fall under label guidelines.
If the sheets do not have a label, always remember that heavy soiling will require the heavy duty cycle, while light stains will be removed by the normal cycle.
- Treat your sheets before putting them in the washing machine
If your bedding has stains, you should treat them first before washing. The best time to treat sheets is right after they are soiled. You can treat them by soaking them in a mixture of water and detergent.
To remove blood stains, soak sheets in cold water mixed with detergent. If the stain is stubborn, use a scrub to wash it off before throwing the sheet in the washing machine.
If you want to get rid of body oil stains, you can soak your sheets in a mixture of borax, vinegar, water, and dish soap. Let the sheet sit in the mixture for about 30 minutes, then place in the washing machine and run the machine on a hot cycle.
- Use different water temperatures for different foil colors
It is recommended to wash white, ivory and natural colors in lukewarm water. If your leaves are darker in color, consider using cold water to avoid discoloration. With this in mind, it is generally recommended to use lukewarm water during cold or flu season. Warm water helps kill bacteria, leaving sheets fresh and ready to use.
- smoothie leaves
To avoid wrinkling your sheets, shake them out between washing and drying.
You can also prevent wrinkles by removing the sheets from the dryer while they are still warm and laying them on the bed. This works like overtaking.
Set the sheets on medium heat when drying for the best results.
- Handling different fabrics
Different types of bedding, i.e. silk, cotton, satin, etc. require different treatment when washing.
For example, silk and satin bed linens require detergents for soft or delicate fabrics. For silk scarves, you should avoid using bleach to remove stains. Soaking silk towels in detergent and water serves the same purpose without damaging them. Linen bedding, on the other hand, should be washed on a cold cycle.
- iron clothes
If you are looking for a fresh look for your sheets, you can use a hot iron. Ironing is also good for removing dust mites and bacteria that may have remained after cleaning. Also, past sheets can be easily saved for future use.
Related article:4 best dryers to avoid ironing
- Save on computer
All clothing (including sheets) should be stored in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight to prevent fading.
related questions
How often should I wash and change my linens?
The recommended frequency for cleaning your linens is once a week. This is especially true for people who have pets, share a bed with someone, or had a guest recently.
However, if you live alone, you can wash your bed linen after a maximum of two weeks. Once a week might seem like a lot, but it's nothing compared to the number of hours we spend in bed each week. Regular cleaning of our sheets helps remove dead skin, absorbed oils and liquids, and other substances that, when they build up, can pose a health and hygiene problem.
Can polyester bedding be washed with towels?
Just as it is not recommended to wash regular linens with a towel, it is not a good idea to wash polyester linens with towels either. Because towels are heavy, they can pull on polyester sheets, causing them to tear or leave holes. To be on the safe side, wash each one individually.
Can the sheets be washed with the clothes?
While it's not the end of the world, it's not recommended to mix the sheets with the clothes when washing. First, because the sheets are big, clothes tend to get tangled in them and end up not being washed well.
Likewise, this caking prevents the clothes from drying completely. As a result, you end up with wet clothes that would have been avoided by washing them separately.
Second, as mentioned above, clothes and bedding often accumulate at different rates, which means they require different wash cycles. If you change and wash bedding frequently, washing requires regular donning. On the other hand, if your clothes are very dirty, you will needa high-performance cyclefor her. Therefore there is no intermediate cycle and using a wash cycle results in wasted clothing or linens.
Related article:Can you wash clothes with liquid soap?