Don’t worry—the answer isn’t as gross as it seems!—but what I learned definitely opened my eyes to some very relevant truths. (Hint: I’m terribly allergic to dust mites.) Read on to learn what experts recommend about washing your comforter.
It’s normal for your bed linens to contain all sorts of microbes.
Sweat, dead skin cells, dust mites, and bodily fluids from, say, having sex or even just drooling while you sleep all end up on and in your bed sheets. On top of that, the bacteria that naturally live on your skin are also climbing into bed with you every night.
If you share your bed with a partner or a pet, their microbes will end up on and in the sheets, too. This isn’t really a big deal, considering you share a lot of the same bugs with people and animals you live with, Thomas A. Russo, MD, professor and chief of infectious disease at the University of Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, tells SELF.
In most cases, microorganisms in your comforter aren’t a huge risk to your health.
While it’s kind of gross to think about all those little bugs in your bed, these microorganisms “really aren’t going to be able to grow and propagate effectively,” Dr. Russo says. It’s possible, if your bed is moist and warm for a long enough time, for certain microorganisms like bacteria to grow. But it’s just not likely that any of the bugs from your body will replicate enough to overgrow and cause an issue for you.
The most realistic concern? Skin infections like staph and ringworm from the person you sleep with. If your bed partner has a staph skin infection and you have an open wound or cut, the harmful bacteria could theoretically get in and infect you, too. But whether or not that happens via your sheets and comforter or from direct skin-to-skin contact is difficult to suss out, Dr. Russo says.
The pathogens that cause ringworm and other superficial skin infections can also live on linens, but, again, it’s more likely they’re hopping from person to person, versus person to linens to person.
Your pets can introduce new microorganisms to your bed.
Yes, you and your dog or cat likely share a lot of the same skin bacteria from all the time you spend together cuddling. That’s not inherently concerning, Dr. Russo says. But what might be is if your pet brings any bacteria or fungus into the bed at night.
If your pets sleep in your bed with you, there’s a higher chance you’ll end up with outside invaders in your bed. “Dogs bringing in ticks [which then attach] to owners is a very real and not uncommon situation,” Dr. Russo says. “Likewise, cats go outside and may hunt and kill other animals with potentially dangerous infections, like tularemia, and can infect owners.”
Allergens—particularly dust mites—are the biggest cause for concern.
While bacteria and sweat aren’t likely to build up enough to make you sick, dust mites sure can. Obviously, not everyone is allergic to dust mites, but if you are, it’s more important to regularly clean your sheets and comforter.
While bacteria and sweat aren’t likely to build up enough to make you sick, dust mites sure can. Obviously, not everyone is allergic to dust mites, but if you are, it’s more important to regularly clean your sheets and comforter.
It’s sort of impossible to rid your bedroom of dust mites—everybody has them, no matter how clean you keep the house, says Dr. Ferastraoaru.
Other allergens can linger on your comforter too. If you sit on your bed in your outside clothes, you can transfer things like pollen, grass, and ragweed onto your comforter. And if your dog or cat is running around outside and then sleeping in your bed, they can drag in these seasonal allergens too. This may cause problems for you, depending on how sensitive you are, Dr. Steele says.
How often should you wash your comforter then?
You should generally aim to wash your comforter once a week. There are some logistical challenges that make it difficult to wash a large, bulky comforter this often, which is typically what experts recommend to keep linens fresh and minimize allergens.
Another option: Slip your comforter into an allergy-proof cover, and wash that once a week, Ryan Steele, DO, board-certified allergist-immunologist and assistant professor of clinical medicine at Yale School of Medicine, tells SELF. “Adding an allergy cover, which might also be called a dust mite cover, will add an extra layer of protection to lock in dust mites and reduce the number of allergens,” Dr. Steele says.
These covers work by basically locking dust mites inside the comforter so that they can’t get out and be inhaled, Dr. Ferastraoaru explains. “The fabric is very tight and will not let dust mites and dust mite allergens through.” Even better: If you’re in the market for a new comforter, put an allergy cover on it before you use it the first time to prevent dust mites from getting inside in the first place, she says.
Dr. Steele recommends washing your sheets and all covers, including pillow and comforter covers, once a week on the hottest setting possible to reduce the number of allergens.
If you have seasonal allergies, use the dryer. “A lot of people like to get that fresh scent on linens by drying them on the outside clothesline. That may be great for the smell, but that is a giant pollen trap,” Dr. Steele says. “Using the dryer is going to help reduce the load of the allergens.”
If your allergies are acting up despite regularly washing your sheets and comforter cover, you may need to kick your pet out of the bed, Dr. Steele says. It could be a difficult transition if you’re both used to cuddling all night, but you’ll ultimately sleep more soundly if you eliminate all potential sources of allergens. No matter who’s in bed with you, it’s worth it to keep things clean.
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