Expert reveals how often you should be changing your bedsheets in flu season
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With the chillier weather unfortunately comes a host of germs, colds and flu that can put a damper on our daily activities. It's crucial during these colder months to take extra care of our health, which includes maintaining the cleanliness of our bed sheets, as bugs are rampant and germs spread easily.
While we're asleep, we unknowingly disperse germs through our saliva and skin bacteria, which can be swiftly transferred to anyone else sharing our bed. James Higgins, CEO of Ethical Bedding, has offered valuable advice on how frequently to change bedding when unwell, the most sanitary bedding materials, and insights into the longevity of germs on our bedding.
He advises: "When you are suffering from a cold or flu you should try to change your bedding every 72 hours. You don't have to wash the bedding, but you should swap it out for fresh sheets to get rid of the bacteria that could be lingering within your bedding.".
He also warns: "Viruses can sit within your sheets and pillows for quite some time, and you could in fact pass the flu onto your partner through your bedsheets, and make it harder for you to recover too. To give yourself the best chance of improving immunity in your sleep, be sure to change your sheets and pillowcases every three days.".
"Finally, keep windows and curtains open when possible to air out stale air while benefiting from the disinfecting properties of sunlight.". It seems that our cosy beds could be harbouring cold germs for much longer than we might think, although the survival duration is influenced by various elements such as the nature of the surface, the type of germ and additional environmental conditions like humidity and level of heat.
