How often do you change your bed?

Some people change their beds more frequently than others. Some seem to never change theirs at all - if you've ever watched Kim and Aggy's program called How clean is your house, you'll know that some grubby people skip changing the bed.

For most people changing the sheets weekly is the done thing. In summer people may change the bed more freuqently than they do in summer. Some people change the bottom sheet and swap the top sheet down to the bottom.

Before quilts everyone would have had blankets and sheets - these days most people only have a bottom sheet and a duvet cover. Treat the duvet cover as you would do a sheet and change it the same frequency. If you miss the feeling of a top sheet then put a sheet under the duvet - this is a good tip if you find changing the duvet as you'll be able to change it less frequently as you're not right up against it.

Changing the bed is easy - stripping off sheets is a basic chore you can have the children helping with. Pillow cases should be changed at least as often as you change the sheet. If you do not remove makeup you might find your pillow case needs cleaning more often.

Using mattress protectors and pillow protectors can prolong the life of your bedding and protect the bed from sweat and dust.
Follow the washing instructions on your sheets and duvet covers. They may need a hot wash to ensure they're thoroughly clean. Drying them outside in the sunshine can give them a good fresh smell too. Ironing sheets might seem like a lot of effort but you get a wonderful feel when you slide into a freshly made bed on ironed sheets. It'll give your bed that luxury hotel feel.
Ironing your duvet cover is a great idea too - it'll give your bed a very smart look.

Some people change their bed before a date! Some people change their bed after a date!

Obviously the things you do in your bed may dictate you having to change it more often. If you eat breakfast in bed you might find the sheets need changing much more frequently. If you've got pets on the bed then you might need to brush off pet hair.

Some people strip down the bed and leave it to air for a couple of hours - some also vacuum the mattress to remove dust and crumbs from it.

How often you change the bed is really personal preference. Many people like to have a routine and change it on a weekly basis! If you have only one set of bedding you'll need to make sure it's all washed and dried in time to go back on the bed. Never sleep with a duvet or mattress without a cover or sheet as you'll dirty the actual item and then it'll need cleaning - if you never use a quilt cover your quilt will quickly get grubby and smell.

If you are looking after someone who is sick you may have to wash the bedding more frequently. You may be able to apply for special payments to help with laundry costs.

When you change the bed why not dust the bed frame too? You might find clearing out under the bed useful too. Open slat beds should allow for free air movement underneath.

Questions you might ask:

How often should I change the sheets?

It's up to you. Weekly is good.