How Often Should You Change Your Sheets?

Our 2026 UK Sleep Survey suggests most of us are doing a decent job. Roughly a third (33%) change their sheets once a week, and another third (33%) do so every two weeks. That’s two in three of us hitting the fortnightly mark. About 9% swap them out several times a week. At the other end, around 18% only wash them once a month or less often.

So, how often should you actually be washing your bedding? As a rule of thumb, at least once a week, or every two weeks at the latest. Regular washing keeps your bed fresh, cuts down on sweat, skin cells, dust mites and allergens, and supports better sleep hygiene if you share your bed with pets or run warm at night.

If pets sleep under the covers with you, or you find yourself overheating most nights, bump the frequency up. Here’s why it matters, and what to do about the rest of the bed, too.

Putting off sheet-wash day can lead to a build-up of dirt, sweat, body oils, skin cells, and even dust mites. Here are a few reasons it’s important to keep your sheets fresh and clean:

If you deal with night sweats or warmer weather, your sheets can end up holding onto extra moisture and salts. That dampness creates the perfect conditions for dust mites, bacteria, and even mould to grow. In fact, studies have found that dust mites multiply fastest in warm, humid bedding, and fungi can skyrocket in moist household dust.

It’s a particular issue if you’re among the 24% of Brits whose sleep is disturbed by being too hot, according to our 2026 Sleep Survey. Regular washing makes a real difference. A cooling bedding setup or breathable natural bedding can help the underlying issue too.

Dust mites thrive on the dead skin cells we naturally shed, and for people with allergies or asthma, they can trigger sneezing, wheezing, or itchy eyes. The good news is that washing your bedding in hot water, around 60 °C, has been shown to kill dust mites and reduce the allergens they leave behind. A good hypoallergenic bedding range is worth looking at if reactions are a regular problem.

When your sheets aren’t fresh, they can irritate your skin – sometimes leading to itchiness, breakouts, or even eczema flare-ups. Keeping your sheets and pillowcases clean is a simple way to help your skin stay comfortable and happy.

Our 2026 Sleep Survey found almost one in three Brits (31%) allow pets in bed, with 18 to 34-year-olds the most likely to do so. Lovely as a warm dog on your feet can be, pets bring in dander, hair and whatever they last rolled in outdoors. If you share your bed with a dog or cat, add an extra sheet wash to your week.

Studies have found that bed sheets can sometimes collect bacteria such as Staphylococcus and E. coli, which aren’t ideal for your skin or overall health. Regular sheet washing, especially at warmer temperatures, helps keep your bedding clean, fresh, and free from unwanted substances.

We as humans create a lot of humidity through sweat and breathing, so bedding is often at risk of mould and fungal growth if left for a long time. Fungi can linger on fabrics such as cotton, polyester, and wool for nearly a month, making regular sheet washing important to keep bedding fresh and hygienic and combat anything that can be carried in on your shoes, clothes, or pets.

Changing your sheets after being poorly is always a good idea, as the germs can linger in your bedding. Washing at high temperatures can kill viruses, helping to prevent reinfection or passing it on to someone else in your home.

If you sleep without pyjamas, or haven’t showered that evening, more of your body oils and dead skin cells end up straight on the sheets. A light pair of pyjamas acts as a barrier, catching most of it before it reaches the fabric underneath. For nude sleepers, a shower before bed and a weekly bedding wash instead of fortnightly will keep things fresh.

If you can’t find the time to change and wash your bedding as often as you’d like, there are ways to help keep your sheets clean between washings, such as:

• Keep pets off the bed where you can, or add a wash day if they’re regular visitors
• Shower before going to bed
• Let any lotions or serums soak in fully before you get into bed
• Remove makeup and wash your face before bed
• Don’t eat or drink in bed
• Wear pyjamas to create a barrier between the sheets and your body

Although this will not kill any germs or dust mites, it will help to keep your bedding feeling clean in between washes.

Your mattress takes the brunt of everything that gets past your sheets, and it all adds up. The average British mattress is 6.4 years old, which is a lot of nights of build-up. Surprisingly, one in four Brits (25%) admits they have never cleaned their mattress. Women (29%) are slightly more likely than men (21%) to say so.

As a rough guide, give your mattress a proper clean every few months:

• Vacuum the top and sides with the upholstery attachment (the wide, soft-bristled one)
• Spot-clean stains straight away with cold water and a mild detergent
• Rotate the mattress every three to six months to even out wear, and flip it too if yours is double-sided
• Air it out by pulling back the covers for at least an hour in the morning

Our full mattress care guide will answer any more questions you may have and walk you through when to replace your mattress. Even with the best care, mattresses have a lifespan. We recommend replacing yours every eight years.

A good mattress protector is one of the most cost-effective ways to stretch your mattress out to that eight-year mark. It catches spills, sweat and skin cells before they reach the mattress itself.

To summarise, you should wash:

• Sheets once a week
• Duvets twice a year
• Pillows every three months
• Mattress protector every two months
• Mattress every couple of months

Changing and cleaning your bedding doesn’t just feel good; it also improves sleep quality, prevents allergies, and helps your bedding last longer.