You should usually wash bed sheets about once a week , and more often if you sweat a lot, sleep with pets, or have allergies or have been sick.

Quick Scoop

  • Standard rule:
    • Wash sheets and pillowcases every 7 days.
  • Wash more often (every 3–4 days) if:
    • You’ve been ill.
    • You sweat heavily or have night sweats.
    • You share your bed with pets.
    • You have allergies, asthma, or acne-prone skin.
  • Occasionally okay to stretch to 10–14 days if:
    • You shower before bed , sleep alone, and don’t sweat much, and don’t have pets or allergies.
  • Wash temperature basics:
    • Use the hottest water that the care label allows to better remove sweat, oils, and dust mites (often 40–60°C for many cotton sheets).

Other bedding (for context)

  • Duvets/comforters: every 3–4 months , or more often if pets or kids are in the bed.
  • Pillows: roughly every 3–6 months.

Simple rule to remember

If you’re sleeping in it most nights, weekly wash is the safe default; if life gets messier (sweat, pets, sickness), switch to twice a week.

Meta description (SEO):
Wondering how often you should wash sheets? Learn the current expert advice on weekly washing, when to clean them more often, and what factors (pets, sweat, allergies) change the schedule.