How to Wash Cotton Sheets: A Complete Guide

So, you’ve bought yourself some high-quality cotton sheets and you want to keep them clean, fresh and smelling nice. What do you do? We suggest an eco-friendly approach for your home linens. Between using a mild liquid detergent, not overfilling the washer or dryer and drying on the lowest setting you will be able to maintain the cleanliness you are looking for. Here is a complete guide on how to wash your 100% cotton bed sheets to get a crisp wrinkle free result and a calm good night’s sleep.

How to Wash Cotton Sheets: A Complete Guide

So, you’ve bought yourself some high-quality cotton sheets and you want to keep them clean, fresh and smelling nice. What do you do? We suggest an eco-friendly approach for your home linens. Between using a mild liquid detergent, not overfilling the washer or dryer and drying on the lowest setting you will be able to maintain the cleanliness you are looking for. Here is a complete guide on how to wash your 100% cotton bed sheets to get a crisp wrinkle free result and a calm good night’s sleep.

Tips for Preparing Your Sheets and Bedding to Wash

Tips for Preparing Your Sheets and Bedding to Wash

Tips for Preparing Your Sheets and Bedding to Wash

Should you wash your new sheets?

Yes, you should wash your new sheets before using them. People should pre-wash their bedsheets before using. Use one cup of baking soda in the wash cycle and one cup of vinegar in the rinse cycle. Try to use a gentler cycle in cool water, not hot temperatures or hot washes. This step will remove any impurities in your sheets and help make them softer.

Wash your sheets weekly

You should wash your sheets regularly, about once a week, so your sheets stay fresh and to take care of dust mites, dead skin cells and mold which can cause allergies. You should wash your sheets more frequently if you have sensitive skin, allergies, you are sick, spending a long time in bed, or if you sweat a lot during sleep. Some consumers choose to purchase two sets of sheets so they can rotate between the two making it easier on laundry day. We offer 20% off your second set of sheets when you buy two sets. If you would like to reduce how often you do regular washes, you can bathe before bed, keep pets from sleeping in the bed with you and not eat or drink in your bed.

Should you wash your new sheets?

Yes, you should wash your new sheets before using them. People should pre-wash their bedsheets before using. Use one cup of baking soda in the wash cycle and one cup of vinegar in the rinse cycle. Try to use a gentler cycle in cool water, not hot temperatures or hot washes. This step will remove any impurities in your sheets and help make them softer.

Wash your sheets weekly

You should wash your sheets regularly, about once a week, so your sheets stay fresh and to take care of dust mites, dead skin cells and mold which can cause allergies. You should wash your sheets more frequently if you have sensitive skin, allergies, you are sick, spending a long time in bed, or if you sweat a lot during sleep. Some consumers choose to purchase two sets of sheets so they can rotate between the two making it easier on laundry day. We offer 20% off your second set of sheets when you buy two sets. If you would like to reduce how often you do regular washes, you can bathe before bed, keep pets from sleeping in the bed with you and not eat or drink in your bed.

Spot clean your bedding when you strip your bed

If you see small stains on your bed sheets right away you should spot treat by applying some mild enzyme-based detergent and gently rubbing the spot with a cloth.

How to minimize wrinkles

Removing the sheets as soon as the regular washing machine completes its wash cycle and then shaking out the bed sheets before placing them in the dryer can reduce wrinkles. If possible, fill your dryer only halfway to prevent twisted bedding and to allow the fabric to fluff. You can try taking the bedding out of the dryer a few minutes before the cycle ends when they are still a bit damp and make your bed immediately and smooth away the wrinkles. You can also try to spritz a small amount of water using a spray bottle, while the sheets are on the bed, and smooth out the wrinkles; as the fabric dries the wrinkles will naturally ease.

Always wash and dry separately

You should always wash your bed linens separate from clothes and towels. Clothes and towels have different properties which could damage your sheets while in the washer. Towels and clothing also have different drying instructions and do not dry as quickly as bed sheets

Smaller loads are best

It’s better to wash smaller loads when washing your sheets, this ensures that they are washed properly and allows the detergent to do its work in a normal cycle.

Wash whites separately

If your cotton sheets are white, you will want to take proper care to wash those separately from colored sheets, this will keep the colors from bleeding onto the white sheets which will make the white sheets become dingy and grey (or blue or red).

Spot clean your bedding when you strip your bed

If you see small stains on your bed sheets right away you should spot treat by applying some mild enzyme-based detergent and gently rubbing the spot with a cloth.

How to minimize wrinkles

Removing the sheets as soon as the regular washing machine completes its wash cycle and then shaking out the bed sheets before placing them in the dryer can reduce wrinkles. If possible, fill your dryer only halfway to prevent twisted bedding and to allow the fabric to fluff. You can try taking the bedding out of the dryer a few minutes before the cycle ends when they are still a bit damp and make your bed immediately and smooth away the wrinkles. You can also try to spritz a small amount of water using a spray bottle, while the sheets are on the bed, and smooth out the wrinkles; as the fabric dries the wrinkles will naturally ease.

Always wash and dry separately

You should always wash your bed linens separate from clothes and towels. Clothes and towels have different properties which could damage your sheets while in the washer. Towels and clothing also have different drying instructions and do not dry as quickly as bed sheets

Smaller loads are best

It’s better to wash smaller loads when washing your sheets, this ensures that they are washed properly and allows the detergent to do its work in a normal cycle.

Wash whites separately

If your cotton sheets are white, you will want to take proper care to wash those separately from colored sheets, this will keep the colors from bleeding onto the white sheets which will make the white sheets become dingy and grey (or blue or red).

Read All Of The Care Labels First

Read All Of The Care Labels First

Read All Of The Care Labels First

You should be sure to read all of the washing instructions before washing your bed sheets, the washing instructions are found on the care label. Cotton sheets have special washing temperatures and instructions, so do other fabric types like polyester, polyester blends, flannel, bamboo and linen sheets.

You should be sure to read all of the washing instructions before washing your bed sheets, the washing instructions are found on the care label. Cotton sheets have special washing temperatures and instructions, so do other fabric types like polyester, polyester blends, flannel, bamboo and linen sheets.

Putting Your Sheets In The Washing Machine And Which Wash Cycles Settings To Use:

Putting Your Sheets In The Washing Machine And Which Wash Cycles Settings To Use:

Pre-treat stains before washing

You will want to pre-treat stubborn stains before washing. The best way to remove general stains is to soak the stain in an enzyme-based mild and gentle detergent for 10-15 minutes. You can also mix some baking soda with water to create a thick paste; wet the stain with some water then apply the paste directly to the stain. A pre-wash stain remover will work as well.

Load the washing machine

When you load your washing machine, you should be sure to wash the sheets separately from other items. Washing your sheets with towels and other items can cause pilling and excess lint on your sheets. If you have an agitator in your washing machine, you will want to evenly distribute the sheets around the agitator by loosely crumpling up each sheet into a ball and placing them around the agitator. If you do not have an agitator, just place them around the outside of the tub as if there were an agitator. There should be a hole in the middle of the bedding where the agitator would be. You should only wash one set of sheets at a time. Overfilling your washer could result in sheets not getting washed thoroughly or the sheets getting bunched up and tangled which could damage your sheets and/or washer.

Which cycle should you choose?

You should use special care when selecting the correct cycle when washing sheets. Some new machines have a setting for sheets. If yours does then you should use that setting. If your washing machine does not have this special setting, choosing a normal cycle or gentle cycle will be appropriate.

Should You Use Hot Water Or Cold Water?

You should always wash your bed sheets in cold water, not warm water, lukewarm water or hot water. Consumer Reports past tests found detergents have gotten much better at putting enzymes to work in removing dirt, stains and body oils at lower water temperatures, and are less effective at higher temperatures. Click here to read more about it. If you choose to wash your sheets in the hottest water temperature setting, it could harm the fibers as well as increase shrinkage and if you have colored sheets it will escalate fading.

Pre-treat stains before washing

You will want to pre-treat stubborn stains before washing. The best way to remove general stains is to soak the stain in an enzyme-based mild and gentle detergent for 10-15 minutes. You can also mix some baking soda with water to create a thick paste; wet the stain with some water then apply the paste directly to the stain. A pre-wash stain remover will work as well.

Load the washing machine

When you load your washing machine, you should be sure to wash the sheets separately from other items. Washing your sheets with towels and other items can cause pilling and excess lint on your sheets. If you have an agitator in your washing machine, you will want to evenly distribute the sheets around the agitator by loosely crumpling up each sheet into a ball and placing them around the agitator. If you do not have an agitator, just place them around the outside of the tub as if there were an agitator. There should be a hole in the middle of the bedding where the agitator would be. You should only wash one set of sheets at a time. Overfilling your washer could result in sheets not getting washed thoroughly or the sheets getting bunched up and tangled which could damage your sheets and/or washer.

Which cycle should you choose?

You should use special care when selecting the correct cycle when washing sheets. Some new machines have a setting for sheets. If yours does then you should use that setting. If your washing machine does not have this special setting, choosing a normal cycle or gentle cycle will be appropriate.

Should You Use Hot Water Or Cold Water?

You should always wash your bed sheets in cold water, not warm water, lukewarm water or hot water. Consumer Reports past tests found detergents have gotten much better at putting enzymes to work in removing dirt, stains and body oils at lower water temperatures, and are less effective at higher temperatures. Click here to read more about it. If you choose to wash your sheets in the hottest water temperature setting, it could harm the fibers as well as increase shrinkage and if you have colored sheets it will escalate fading.