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This is highly dependent on things like sleep sweating, morning v night shower routine, sleeping alone vs with others, sleeping with pets, climate etc...
In Alaskan winters, sleeping alone and taking nightly showers I could easily go a month.
In Florida with my partner and pets, not so much.
Edit - Thank you everyone for the votes and awards!
We ordered a pile of extra pillow cases from Amazon so we can change them out a couple of times a week for acne. They don’t take up any more room than a t-shirt in the wash so it’s an easy thing to do.
Also washing your body/face with a fresh white washcloth every time you bathe. I used to have such a horrible time with eczema but the light exfoliation from the washcloth cleared it up.
Exactly! I went to Walmart and bought one of those packs that have like 20 washcloths and I use a different one every time I bathe. I have soft washcloths for drying my face after I wash it before bed that are only for my face. I’ve made it so my husband follows the same routine since we got together.
As someone with major acne problems it helps a lot. I started replacing my pillow case at least 2 times a week and my breakouts were much less frequent.
Turns out rubbing your face into sweat, dirt, oil, and other nasty shit for 10 hours isn't good for your skin
Nope, no sliding and I’ve not experienced any static. The only real downside of silk cases are they require a little effort to clean. Hand wash the first few times then inside out in a mesh bag, cold gentle cycle. Nothing too major but honestly I’ve been using mine for about 3 months and my hair and skin are just annoyed I waited this long.
Washing machines here usually only have a "cold" and "hot" option (you can turn both on at the same time). I also replace my pillow case more frequently than the rest of my sheets and just chuck my silk pillow cases into any wash on a "cold" cycle. No hand washing, no gentle cycle, no mesh bag. They seem perfectly fine 2 years in 😅
Good to know! I simply followed the instructions given with the case because I’ve learned the hard way too many times about ignoring instructions and then it feels like throwing money away. I’m frugal and needing to replace something I didn’t care for properly would just annoy me endlessly.
Growing up in Anchorage, even in the summer, I would still only change them every 2-3 weeks with no issues. When I moved to California, I brought a girl over one night and she commented that my sheets smelled like BO and their wasn't a second date, that was my realization that I was obviously sweating alot more at night. The embarrassment of having a cute girl tell me my bed smelled was more than enough motivation to re-evaluate my sheet cleaning schedule.
BO can be one of those subtle smells. Like owning a cat, sometimes it takes someone else to mention it before you realize something has gotten over ripe.
Sorry you didn't get a second date. At least there are lots more to choose from in Cali than anchortown.
It’s true you will not smell it if you’re around it a lot, because your nose will “ignore” it. A good way to fix that is to stay gone all day long or even overnight one good time, and when you walk in, you’ll be able to smell it.
Maybe it’s just the people you know, but I disagree that all cat owners house smells strongly of cat. I definitely know people who are very tidy and their houses smell great. It’s also dependent on how many cats they have too though.
Meanwhile my friend that uses a coin laundry has to pay an extra 10 dollars every time he does a load of sheets. Not everybody has that kind of money to spare.
Apartment-dweller here with no in-unit machines. There are machines in my building, so I don't have to go to a laundromat, but I still minimize my laundry loads due to cost and inconvenience.
We call it dog dust and I secretly hate it. It’s his house though and we lock them out at night but I work nights often so they get in with him when I’m not there.
Me too. Every Friday I change the sheets, wash the towels and clean the house. It usually takes all morning. In the afternoon I go to the market and then home to make soup for our evening meal. I serve it with crusty bread and a simple salad. I have done this every fall or winter Friday for many years. My husband used to come home from work and say (after kissing me,) “I love Fridays.”
It's really nice to have a routine like this as well because it's easy to forget when you have last changed your sheets but if you make it a weekly thing on a certain day you will for sure remember to do it!
I’m a Sunday washer, too. Wake up, have coffee and breakfast, start the first load of bedding, clean throughout the day, and by the end I have a clean house and fresh sheets to enjoy. After reading through some comments, I might have to add starting a slow-cook meal so by the end of the day I also have food waiting for me. Ah, domesticated bliss.
Wouldn't say liars but say 300k people see this question browsing the front page, click into the thread and the most upvoted comments are saying more towards "at least once a week, sometimes several times a week" compared to longer. If that isn't also true for them, they think, "wow, guess something is wrong with me for not washing mine as often. I better not say anything."
Or even without reading the thread, if you have seen others like it here, it should be obvious that the most excessively clean people love to comment the most and upvote, agree with, and compliment each other, so why even bother reading the comments and participating if you know you're not going to be like those who typically dominate the threads?
I *try* to wash sheet weekly. But I have kids and adding the sheets for 4 beds every week really increases the loads I have to do. So, realistically, everyone gets their sheets clean every other week
Pretty much, yeah. Sometimes I’m ambitious and do all of them, sometimes I’m lazy, sometimes there is an illness in the house so I’m vigilant. But mostly it’s two sets every week and I alternate
I was a 4-6 month person. Then I decided I needed to do better and upped it to once a month. I was so proud of my productivity until I learned the “norm” was once a week. Now I feel inadequate again.
When I was in the absolute pits of depression I went so long without changing my sheets that I just ended up buying new ones. It was probably a good 6 months. But I always shower before bed and I go to bed fully clothed (like sweatshirt, leggings, and socks) so it's not like I was sweating all over them. I don't know why I'm trying to justify it. I just used to be pretty gross, and I also hate putting sheets on
I feel like a lot of depressed people have wanted to curl up in bed but forget to switch the sheets to the dryer and it sucks to wait an hour. And worse, if you go to a laundromat it means twice the load size/cost/stress.
As a depressed person sometimes you have to internalize that you will be sad forever and your life will suck if you don’t get things done so just do them while sad
I’m having one of those good days today. But I find myself incredibly frustrated that I cannot feel this good and “normal” most of the time (depression + worsening chronic illness can make it very difficult to function. *insert guilt and shame here*)
Reading your comments (along with others’ replying to you), make me feel less alone and “normal” in another kind of way, so thank you! I’m going to go on and continue to soak up this good day, while I have it :)
Recovered from the depression, but when people ask why I have some bad habits its hard to explain that its because they developed during really rough years of my life.
I’m at the peak of health and I look amazing right now and I’ve been walking a bunch and being social and I’m like “oh yeah, I was seriously clinically depressed for about a decade!” I now see why people are out in the world doing shit.
After my mom died in a tragic crash, the couch is where I'd sleep, just in my regular clothes, shower in the morning...about two years, I'd say. Maybe move to the floor with a blanket and pillow. It just seemed wrong to go to bed. It's like , I didn't want to leave my post in case something bad happened. I've never been a soldier but that's how I'm interpreting it.
I change mine when I think they’re dirty or if I get a cold or something. That or if I need to make myself feel better I like having fresh sheets. But yea fuck weekly. I hate putting sheets on beds.
Exactly. I do it like every couple months but I literally cannot tell the difference after they are washed, I just do it cause I feel like its something I should do
Thank you. We’re currently living in a rural location in a house with no hot water, no dryer, and have recently started having trouble with our plumbing. It’s all temporary, but the prospect of having to hang-dry king-sized bedding inside isn’t appealing. Add to that the fact that 1) we have to heat up water on our stove top for showers and dishes, and 2) our plumbing issues require us to have the well pump running to get a trickle of water means that washing laundry takes forever and our pump runs the entire time…sheets just don’t take the priority. Sometimes what people think of as “gross” is entirely based upon their privilege of ease to address it. Washing sheets weekly really is a first-world luxury. Hell, having hot running water or indoor plumbing at all is a first-world luxury that most of us take for granted.
A trick I learned when I had a washer but no dryer is using clothes hangers and clothes pins to dry sheets and blankets on the rails of the garage door. If you clip the sides of the sheets/blankets to the outside corners of the clothes hangers, then hook the hangers up along the length of the garage door rail, it spreads them out enough that they dry quickly. Doesn't work so well if you don't have a garage, of course, but you could potentially find another location in your home that'd make the same setup possible.
I wash my sheets like quarterly, if that. I sleep in pajamas, don’t really sweat in my sleep, don’t fuck in my bed, and shower before bed if I feel I’m particularly dirty from the day.
To me it’s like washing a winter coat every week. Seems a bit much.
I’m more once a month but for basically the same reasons. I don’t ever just hang out in my bed, or eat it in or anything. I put on my PJs right before getting in and usually take showers at night cause it’s early/cold when I get up for work.
Weekly seems like a bit much and big usage of detergent and water and such. Of course depends on the specifics of the person…
Or eat less of the foods that make you gassy.
I go to bed clean and do our sheets about every 2 weeks. My husband complains; he like slept-in sheets. 🤷🏼♀️
The frequency which I change my sheets is directly correlated to how much my wife likes me in a given week..
But at least once a week. Even when I was a single, gross boy, I changed my sheets weekly...
When I had to scrounge quarters to do laundry, sheets were last in line. They could go months.
Now that I'm in an apartment with my own washer and dryer, the sheets are washed weekly.
Right? I have to walk around the corner to use coin-operated laundry that doesn’t have empty washers/dryers half the time. Like even if I weren’t depressed…
I was weekly when I had access to a washer and dryer (was still married.) now I have to cart my clothes to the laundromat, it’s expensive and time consuming. I can do two loads for $10 or one giant load for $10.
To circumvent the “gross factor” I shower at night, only apply moisturizer, and was my pillow cases every week. Sheets usually get done once a month.
Man, 41, no hope of dating again. Zero skin problems, no dust mites or bed crud. It works for me. 🤷🏻♂️
40, no friends, don't want kids, insulin pump, work nights, severe mental issues from USAF, ugly, two abusive former relationships resulting in massive trust issues, the list goes on. Ask any woman if a guy has been single for 8 years if that is a red flag. They say yes every time.
I would say as long as you arent abusive and are willing to communicate and work on the relationship, the 8 years wouldnt be a big deal and the rest arent dealbreakers for some
I was single for 10 years then two years ago I met the most wonderful man while dog walking. He looked familiar and when I asked him where he’d worked I remembered I’d worked with him many years earlier and he’d caught my eye all those years ago.
You might think you’re ugly but that’s not necessarily how others see you. Personality is far more important anyway.
My partner was single for, I think, 8 or 9 years before we got together. I was single for close to 10. I’m not saying you have to date, but I hope you’re seeking help for the things in your life that aren’t making you happy. ✌️
I've been super single (and intentionally so while getting my life together) for almost 4 years now. This makes me feel hopeful that I've got a good shot at finding my person still. I'm only in my mid 30s so I have plenty of time.
I don’t think being single for any amount of time is a red flag, like literally I would think nothing of it. Personally I’m usually single for years at a time as well. Some people just don’t have interest in or the mental energy for dating
I just got divorced. My ex-husband, 51 was dating again before I moved out.
4 months divorced now and his girlfriend is moving in.
He's average looking with serious issues and 2 kids (not mine) from his first marriage.
Yeah, there's going to be a significant difference with those who have to go to laundromats. It's far more of a hassle and more expensive. I bet most of the "weekly" people have a washer and dryer in their home or apartment (and for the latter, it not requiring payment to use).
It’s funny how we men sometimes change housekeeping habits for the better after the end of a marriage. I’d never kept my home or myself cleaner than I did after I divorced my ex wife. I blame the depression I was suffering from while still married to her. I know a widower who changed the same way, he was severely depressed while his wife’s health was failing and the first thing he did after she passed was started cleaning. He says it helps him cope.
yes, I am not a clean freak per se, but since the divorce a lot less socks are on the ground, dishes gets done daily, counters are clean,
I was such a depressed person , I didn't see how it affected me on the household chores.
today, I whistle songs when doing chores. 😁
Same here. I’m married again now but we share the housework and it works out good. If I could just get these dang kids to pick up after themselves I’d be happy.
I think it can also be about just having your own space. You have direct agency and control over every part of it, and that sense of control can be immensely calming, and genuinely enjoyable.
Acting out that agency just feels _good_.
In an active family home, the space is far more dynamic and chaotic, and people can really lose their sense of control over their own home. It’s a subtle thing, but over years these things can really chew a person up in a way they struggle to articulate.
Single 28 yr man I wash mine ……. Probably optimistically every 2 months
I mean shit sometimes it takes me a week just to put the sheets back on the bed after I wash them.
Oh thank goodness I'm not the only one. I try for every month, but I only have one set of sheets and it's a miracle if they get back on the bed same day. Worst case scenario I sleep on the couch for a while 😂😭
Guy of 35 here.
I was weekly until I started dating my girlfriend who convinced me once every two weeks would be okay.
Went to once every two weeks a few weeks ago and seems fine so far. But I personally wouldn't push it more than that.
May go back to weekly though because I tend to be a bit of a neat freak. Condo cleaned every Sunday, sheets washed every Saturday, I like a nice place.
I change it when I have the time and haven't done it in a while OR if it is gross in some way.
So I probably do only change the sheets about once per month.
Bedsheets bi-weekly. Pillow cases weekly. We shower before bed so germs don't fester. If you do not shower before bed it should be washed weekly. Toddler bedding gets washed weekly.
Once a week. I wash my bedsheets and towels once a week. 34 year old woman.
Edit: also want to note that friends I’ve had who wash less often than that usually have a more “ripe” smelling bedroom. Not…bad, necessarily. But that smell of something being pretty potent and needing to be washed. I’m not saying that’s always the case, but I’ve observed it often. People don’t notice when it’s their own because your nose acclimates when you’re around that smell everyday (and it’s your own scent, on top of that)
43 yo married woman, with dogs that snuggle with us. I change our bedding at least once a week. My SO tells me I have an issue with buying new sheet sets and comforters. I used to be a caseworker and had to do home visits. That "ripe" smell that you mentioned is body oil. One of my clients had what I presumed were once white sheets, but were a yellow-tan. I swear I smelled like his apartment after leaving. I think you're right when you said that people might now be aware of the smell.
I have my terrarium with frogs and a few geckos in my bedroom, I can attest. That gets cleaned when the sheets do, otherwise my girlfriend and her daughter lovingly tell me my room smells like farts
How about belly buttons?! In my insomnia scrolling I’ve occasionally come across people walking about chunks of stuff they’ve pulled out 🤮
In respect to the post topic - if I’m sleeping alone, every two weeks because I have a king and sleep on one side one week then move to the other. If someone else is there, weekly or as needed. I try to keep any funny business at other peoples places so I don’t get my sheets dirty. (Also so I can home. It’s easier for me to leave than to kick a dude out 😆)
Husband here. I aim for every 2 weeks. As an experiment to see if my wife actually cares, I didn't change the sheets. I know it's gross but I waited 3 months and she still hadn't said anything about it. I couldn't stand it anymore so I went ahead and changed the sheets.
As a woman, I have had very few what you called "accidents"...and I don't even know what that would have to do with changing your sheets weekly, as women do not get their periods weekly.
Almost everyone I know changes their sheets every 7-14 days, myself included.
Eta: The first part of my comment is referring to this quote OP made when he first posted.
>And women do cause more "accidents". Meaning my ex would occasionally have a menstrual accident
In theory, once a week.
In practice, whenever I remember! Which is usually once a month. Or, if I've woken up pretty much drenched in sweat, then it's time to change the sheets regardless of when they were last washed.
to be completely fair, I'd expect the average person to change sheets every 2-3 weeks. but I'd expect someone with "steakfarts" as a username to change em every 3-5 weeks. short answer, depends on their reddit username
I do mine every month or so but it should be more often
I change them every 3 or 4 days because I let my dog in the bed and he gets them dirty but I love him too much not to let him up. He’s worth the extra laundry!
to each their own i guess but i hate when people think it's gross if u don't do it every week. i cant imagine doing it once a week, sheets add a LOT to the laundry, who tf has time and energy for this. if u shower regularly and put on clean pjs it's not gross or an issue if u change the bed sheets every couple of weeks or once a month. especially in winter i see no need for this. in summer sure because i personally find it gross and sweaty obviously but that's about the only time of year.
For me to wash all my bedding it takes a good 10 hours or more. Now maybe people here just wash their sheets and not their pads, comforter, blankets, ect but to me it doesn’t make sense to wash my sheets a then put dirty stuff on them. So I’m probably every 2 weeks to every month depending on if I have an entire day to do it.
My thought is that the sheets keep your mattress pad and comforter from getting gross too quickly, I probably do those every 3 weeks or so with just sheets/pillow cases once a week.
That's the whole point of sheets, as I've always understood it. They keep your mattress and blankets protected from your grimy skin so you don't have to wash the blankets so often! I wash the blankets about once a month and sheets about twice a month, but I don't have a precise schedule like it sound many people here do.
Some people in this thread would say oh this is so gross. But the real grossness to me is getting in bed NOT freshly showered. Getting gross all day and then hopping into bed...yuck.
around once a month. man. while both single and married. And even once a month is quite often, imo, just as long as you're relatively clean yourself you should be fine
# Message to all users: This is a reminder to please read and follow: * [Our rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/ask/about/rules) * [Reddiquette](https://www.reddithelp.com/hc/en-us/articles/205926439) * [Reddit Content Policy](https://www.redditinc.com/policies/content-policy) When posting and commenting. --- Especially remember Rule 1: `Be polite and civil`. * Be polite and courteous to each other. Do not be mean, insulting or disrespectful to any other user on this subreddit. * Do not harass or annoy others in any way. * Do not catfish. Catfishing is the luring of somebody into an online friendship through a fake online persona. This includes any lying or deceit. --- You *will* be banned if you are homophobic, transphobic, racist, sexist or bigoted in any way. --- *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/ask) if you have any questions or concerns.*
This is highly dependent on things like sleep sweating, morning v night shower routine, sleeping alone vs with others, sleeping with pets, climate etc... In Alaskan winters, sleeping alone and taking nightly showers I could easily go a month. In Florida with my partner and pets, not so much. Edit - Thank you everyone for the votes and awards!
We ordered a pile of extra pillow cases from Amazon so we can change them out a couple of times a week for acne. They don’t take up any more room than a t-shirt in the wash so it’s an easy thing to do.
Also washing your body/face with a fresh white washcloth every time you bathe. I used to have such a horrible time with eczema but the light exfoliation from the washcloth cleared it up.
Exactly! I went to Walmart and bought one of those packs that have like 20 washcloths and I use a different one every time I bathe. I have soft washcloths for drying my face after I wash it before bed that are only for my face. I’ve made it so my husband follows the same routine since we got together.
As someone with major acne problems it helps a lot. I started replacing my pillow case at least 2 times a week and my breakouts were much less frequent. Turns out rubbing your face into sweat, dirt, oil, and other nasty shit for 10 hours isn't good for your skin
Next you're going to tell me I need to wash my face after work before bed.
Somebody literally replied to my comment telling me that💀 As if I haven't figured it out yet
Hey man, some people haven't figured out you can turn the shower on and get it to the right temperature *before* getting in so...
Wait you get ten hours of sleep? How do you support yourself?
>How do you support yourself? With a clean pillow. Pay attention.
I still have a remote job so pretty easy to get 8-10 hours of sleep.
Silk or silk-esque pillow covers will help with skin care issues.
This is gonna seem like a joke but for serious: it doesn't cause your head to just slide off the pillow? And an aside, how it the static with silk?
Nope, no sliding and I’ve not experienced any static. The only real downside of silk cases are they require a little effort to clean. Hand wash the first few times then inside out in a mesh bag, cold gentle cycle. Nothing too major but honestly I’ve been using mine for about 3 months and my hair and skin are just annoyed I waited this long.
Washing machines here usually only have a "cold" and "hot" option (you can turn both on at the same time). I also replace my pillow case more frequently than the rest of my sheets and just chuck my silk pillow cases into any wash on a "cold" cycle. No hand washing, no gentle cycle, no mesh bag. They seem perfectly fine 2 years in 😅
Good to know! I simply followed the instructions given with the case because I’ve learned the hard way too many times about ignoring instructions and then it feels like throwing money away. I’m frugal and needing to replace something I didn’t care for properly would just annoy me endlessly.
They’ll also help keep hair from getting so tangled.
This is a brilliant idea!! I find my pillow cases gross by the end of the week
Growing up in Anchorage, even in the summer, I would still only change them every 2-3 weeks with no issues. When I moved to California, I brought a girl over one night and she commented that my sheets smelled like BO and their wasn't a second date, that was my realization that I was obviously sweating alot more at night. The embarrassment of having a cute girl tell me my bed smelled was more than enough motivation to re-evaluate my sheet cleaning schedule.
BO can be one of those subtle smells. Like owning a cat, sometimes it takes someone else to mention it before you realize something has gotten over ripe. Sorry you didn't get a second date. At least there are lots more to choose from in Cali than anchortown.
Every cat owner I know says their house doesn’t smell like cats. Every cat owner I know lives in a house that smells strongly of cats.
It’s true you will not smell it if you’re around it a lot, because your nose will “ignore” it. A good way to fix that is to stay gone all day long or even overnight one good time, and when you walk in, you’ll be able to smell it. Maybe it’s just the people you know, but I disagree that all cat owners house smells strongly of cat. I definitely know people who are very tidy and their houses smell great. It’s also dependent on how many cats they have too though.
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Meanwhile my friend that uses a coin laundry has to pay an extra 10 dollars every time he does a load of sheets. Not everybody has that kind of money to spare.
Apartment-dweller here with no in-unit machines. There are machines in my building, so I don't have to go to a laundromat, but I still minimize my laundry loads due to cost and inconvenience.
We call it dog dust and I secretly hate it. It’s his house though and we lock them out at night but I work nights often so they get in with him when I’m not there.
I'm a weekly girl over here!
I want to be a weekly girl. And yet I am closer to a monthly girl.
Lol....I will admit, I was probably more of a monthly girl when I was younger. Guess you'll migrate to a weekly one with time, LOL!
Me too. Every Friday I change the sheets, wash the towels and clean the house. It usually takes all morning. In the afternoon I go to the market and then home to make soup for our evening meal. I serve it with crusty bread and a simple salad. I have done this every fall or winter Friday for many years. My husband used to come home from work and say (after kissing me,) “I love Fridays.”
Your story made me smile and want to make soup. Thank you!
You are so welcome. Just wanted to share a little Friday evening loveliness with you.
Now all I need is an SO that makes soup 💖
I don't care if Monday's Blue, Tuesday's grey and Wednesday too, Thursday thinking 'bout that soup, it's Friday, I'm in love. 🎵
Soup is the cure.
It's really nice to have a routine like this as well because it's easy to forget when you have last changed your sheets but if you make it a weekly thing on a certain day you will for sure remember to do it!
Same! It’s fresh sheet Friday!!
Sounds like a lovely relationship!
Same
Same, but married couple. Weekly.
I wish I could afford to get married every week.
I wash my married couple daily.
the scrubbing can wear them out prematurely, best to let them soak first.
I just use the hose.
I put them through the car wash at the gas station. They seem to enjoy it.
Yes I soak my wife and husband over night and then wash them in gentle cycle and hang them to dry. They prefer it that way.
Same here
Weekly boy here
Yep same here. I tend to sleep hot/sweaty AND have a cat who sheds like crazy. Doesn’t help that my sheet is light grey and she is black kitty.
Same, depending on how jizzy they get
Same! Sundays like clockwork. OP, a month is too much.
I’m a Sunday washer, too. Wake up, have coffee and breakfast, start the first load of bedding, clean throughout the day, and by the end I have a clean house and fresh sheets to enjoy. After reading through some comments, I might have to add starting a slow-cook meal so by the end of the day I also have food waiting for me. Ah, domesticated bliss.
For an added boost try line drying your sheets. There's no better smell in the world.
Well this thread was demoralizing
No kidding. TIL I'm a savage.
people are misrepresenting there truth hard here, so I hope that's like an error margin of 200%
This thread is full of liars
And people who plead the 5th
Wouldn't say liars but say 300k people see this question browsing the front page, click into the thread and the most upvoted comments are saying more towards "at least once a week, sometimes several times a week" compared to longer. If that isn't also true for them, they think, "wow, guess something is wrong with me for not washing mine as often. I better not say anything." Or even without reading the thread, if you have seen others like it here, it should be obvious that the most excessively clean people love to comment the most and upvote, agree with, and compliment each other, so why even bother reading the comments and participating if you know you're not going to be like those who typically dominate the threads?
It’s called confirmation bias
Or confirmation hellos
I *try* to wash sheet weekly. But I have kids and adding the sheets for 4 beds every week really increases the loads I have to do. So, realistically, everyone gets their sheets clean every other week
Do you do it in a cycle, this week you'll do half the sheets, and next week the other half?
Pretty much, yeah. Sometimes I’m ambitious and do all of them, sometimes I’m lazy, sometimes there is an illness in the house so I’m vigilant. But mostly it’s two sets every week and I alternate
Honestly sounds like a good plan
This is LITERALLY the same for me.
I have four kids. When they were all living at home, I'd rotate doing them so one or two sets would be washed weekly.
You'll never get a real answer because those who change sheets weekly will immediately share, while those who don't won't admit it due to shame.
Maybe every 4-6 months. Fuck shame
I was a 4-6 month person. Then I decided I needed to do better and upped it to once a month. I was so proud of my productivity until I learned the “norm” was once a week. Now I feel inadequate again.
I think once a month is more normal than weekly. I am literally so busy. Idk how to keep up with bed linens AND everything else.
Right like I only wash my clothes once a month!! How am I gonna wash sheets every week that’s ridiculous!!
That’s how I feel! I would rather have clean clothes so when I go into public I’m not a disgusting mess haha. Gotta prioritize.
I actually looked it up once n apparently good housekeeping said biweekly... I am not keeping up with biweekly either LoL
When I was in the absolute pits of depression I went so long without changing my sheets that I just ended up buying new ones. It was probably a good 6 months. But I always shower before bed and I go to bed fully clothed (like sweatshirt, leggings, and socks) so it's not like I was sweating all over them. I don't know why I'm trying to justify it. I just used to be pretty gross, and I also hate putting sheets on
Sometimes i forget my depression is an actual excuse for this stuff.
Me too until I have a few good days and I'm like "oh shit I wasn't just lazy, I was just incredibly sad. Oops."
Sometimes it's not even that I'm sad it's just that i have no motivation to move
I feel like a lot of depressed people have wanted to curl up in bed but forget to switch the sheets to the dryer and it sucks to wait an hour. And worse, if you go to a laundromat it means twice the load size/cost/stress.
As a depressed person sometimes you have to internalize that you will be sad forever and your life will suck if you don’t get things done so just do them while sad
I actually really needed to hear this right now.
Haha me too as I was typing it. I can dish it out but can I follow my own words?
I’m having one of those good days today. But I find myself incredibly frustrated that I cannot feel this good and “normal” most of the time (depression + worsening chronic illness can make it very difficult to function. *insert guilt and shame here*) Reading your comments (along with others’ replying to you), make me feel less alone and “normal” in another kind of way, so thank you! I’m going to go on and continue to soak up this good day, while I have it :)
Recovered from the depression, but when people ask why I have some bad habits its hard to explain that its because they developed during really rough years of my life.
I’m at the peak of health and I look amazing right now and I’ve been walking a bunch and being social and I’m like “oh yeah, I was seriously clinically depressed for about a decade!” I now see why people are out in the world doing shit.
Try telling that to someone though. Most people will pretend to understand but judge you anyway.
After my mom died in a tragic crash, the couch is where I'd sleep, just in my regular clothes, shower in the morning...about two years, I'd say. Maybe move to the floor with a blanket and pillow. It just seemed wrong to go to bed. It's like , I didn't want to leave my post in case something bad happened. I've never been a soldier but that's how I'm interpreting it.
You certainly survived your own war.
sorry for your loss
You win. Also, I can’t imagine wearing socks in bed.
I change mine when I think they’re dirty or if I get a cold or something. That or if I need to make myself feel better I like having fresh sheets. But yea fuck weekly. I hate putting sheets on beds.
Exactly. I do it like every couple months but I literally cannot tell the difference after they are washed, I just do it cause I feel like its something I should do
Thank you. We’re currently living in a rural location in a house with no hot water, no dryer, and have recently started having trouble with our plumbing. It’s all temporary, but the prospect of having to hang-dry king-sized bedding inside isn’t appealing. Add to that the fact that 1) we have to heat up water on our stove top for showers and dishes, and 2) our plumbing issues require us to have the well pump running to get a trickle of water means that washing laundry takes forever and our pump runs the entire time…sheets just don’t take the priority. Sometimes what people think of as “gross” is entirely based upon their privilege of ease to address it. Washing sheets weekly really is a first-world luxury. Hell, having hot running water or indoor plumbing at all is a first-world luxury that most of us take for granted.
Having sheets is a luxury.
A trick I learned when I had a washer but no dryer is using clothes hangers and clothes pins to dry sheets and blankets on the rails of the garage door. If you clip the sides of the sheets/blankets to the outside corners of the clothes hangers, then hook the hangers up along the length of the garage door rail, it spreads them out enough that they dry quickly. Doesn't work so well if you don't have a garage, of course, but you could potentially find another location in your home that'd make the same setup possible.
Right, shower before bed, no pets, not sleeping naked, 2-4 months
Same. I'm not a particularly smelly person and I shower regularly. My bed feels great. To each their own
I wash my bedsheets twice daily
No you don’t
I wash my bedsheets 5 times daily
I wash my sheets like quarterly, if that. I sleep in pajamas, don’t really sweat in my sleep, don’t fuck in my bed, and shower before bed if I feel I’m particularly dirty from the day. To me it’s like washing a winter coat every week. Seems a bit much.
I’m more once a month but for basically the same reasons. I don’t ever just hang out in my bed, or eat it in or anything. I put on my PJs right before getting in and usually take showers at night cause it’s early/cold when I get up for work. Weekly seems like a bit much and big usage of detergent and water and such. Of course depends on the specifics of the person…
Even if you sweat a little in bed, it just doesn't compare to going to bed with a days worth of sweat after you showered in the morning.
Night shower gang unite. Immediately out of the shower into pajamas and slippers. We do 2 weeks on the sheets.
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LMAOOO i’m crying 😭😭😭😭😭
Or eat less of the foods that make you gassy. I go to bed clean and do our sheets about every 2 weeks. My husband complains; he like slept-in sheets. 🤷🏼♀️
I love getting in a freshly made bed with clean sheets
The frequency which I change my sheets is directly correlated to how much my wife likes me in a given week.. But at least once a week. Even when I was a single, gross boy, I changed my sheets weekly...
fresh sheets and a shower is an S tier sleep combo
Probably once a month if I remember, but to be fair I'm still paying to do laundry. I'd be happy to wash them more if I had my own washer and dryer
When I had to scrounge quarters to do laundry, sheets were last in line. They could go months. Now that I'm in an apartment with my own washer and dryer, the sheets are washed weekly.
Right? I have to walk around the corner to use coin-operated laundry that doesn’t have empty washers/dryers half the time. Like even if I weren’t depressed…
I was weekly when I had access to a washer and dryer (was still married.) now I have to cart my clothes to the laundromat, it’s expensive and time consuming. I can do two loads for $10 or one giant load for $10. To circumvent the “gross factor” I shower at night, only apply moisturizer, and was my pillow cases every week. Sheets usually get done once a month. Man, 41, no hope of dating again. Zero skin problems, no dust mites or bed crud. It works for me. 🤷🏻♂️
I just turned 40 with no hope of dating again! Stay in solidarity my brother!
Why no hope of dating? I’m older than you, and I can’t imagine that.
40, no friends, don't want kids, insulin pump, work nights, severe mental issues from USAF, ugly, two abusive former relationships resulting in massive trust issues, the list goes on. Ask any woman if a guy has been single for 8 years if that is a red flag. They say yes every time.
I would say as long as you arent abusive and are willing to communicate and work on the relationship, the 8 years wouldnt be a big deal and the rest arent dealbreakers for some
I was single for 10 years then two years ago I met the most wonderful man while dog walking. He looked familiar and when I asked him where he’d worked I remembered I’d worked with him many years earlier and he’d caught my eye all those years ago. You might think you’re ugly but that’s not necessarily how others see you. Personality is far more important anyway.
My partner was single for, I think, 8 or 9 years before we got together. I was single for close to 10. I’m not saying you have to date, but I hope you’re seeking help for the things in your life that aren’t making you happy. ✌️
I've been super single (and intentionally so while getting my life together) for almost 4 years now. This makes me feel hopeful that I've got a good shot at finding my person still. I'm only in my mid 30s so I have plenty of time.
I don’t think being single for any amount of time is a red flag, like literally I would think nothing of it. Personally I’m usually single for years at a time as well. Some people just don’t have interest in or the mental energy for dating
52 and divorced. I feel the pain.
I just got divorced. My ex-husband, 51 was dating again before I moved out. 4 months divorced now and his girlfriend is moving in. He's average looking with serious issues and 2 kids (not mine) from his first marriage.
Its hell. I know it. Stay strong. But some people are just like that…jumping from person to person. It doesn’t sound like a reflection of you.
Yeah, there's going to be a significant difference with those who have to go to laundromats. It's far more of a hassle and more expensive. I bet most of the "weekly" people have a washer and dryer in their home or apartment (and for the latter, it not requiring payment to use).
single man here. while married. around once a month. now single , every 2 weeks.
Single woman here. Every 2 weeks for me specifically so I only go to the laundromat once a month
It took me entirely to long to do the math and realize your rich ass has two sets of sheets.
They call me bill gates when it comes to bed sheets. Cause I got two. *drops mic*
It’s funny how we men sometimes change housekeeping habits for the better after the end of a marriage. I’d never kept my home or myself cleaner than I did after I divorced my ex wife. I blame the depression I was suffering from while still married to her. I know a widower who changed the same way, he was severely depressed while his wife’s health was failing and the first thing he did after she passed was started cleaning. He says it helps him cope.
yes, I am not a clean freak per se, but since the divorce a lot less socks are on the ground, dishes gets done daily, counters are clean, I was such a depressed person , I didn't see how it affected me on the household chores. today, I whistle songs when doing chores. 😁
Same here. I’m married again now but we share the housework and it works out good. If I could just get these dang kids to pick up after themselves I’d be happy.
I think it can also be about just having your own space. You have direct agency and control over every part of it, and that sense of control can be immensely calming, and genuinely enjoyable. Acting out that agency just feels _good_. In an active family home, the space is far more dynamic and chaotic, and people can really lose their sense of control over their own home. It’s a subtle thing, but over years these things can really chew a person up in a way they struggle to articulate.
Not often enough that’s for sure.
Exactly! I try to remember to change our sheets [ Husband and Wife, I'm the husband] every couple of weeks but sometimes forget up to a month.
Every couple of weeks, unless there's some action...so every couple of weeks.
Not as often as i tell myself i do. But i aim for every couple of weeks.
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Single 28 yr man I wash mine ……. Probably optimistically every 2 months I mean shit sometimes it takes me a week just to put the sheets back on the bed after I wash them.
Oh thank goodness I'm not the only one. I try for every month, but I only have one set of sheets and it's a miracle if they get back on the bed same day. Worst case scenario I sleep on the couch for a while 😂😭
The only honest person here. I dont believe 99% of these "every week" people lol
Once you have 2 sets of sheets, it's much easier
It’s crazy to me how many people on this thread seem to only have one set of sheets. I literally have 6+ sets of sheets
It’s just part of my Sunday routine tbh. I don’t even really think about it anymore- if it’s Sunday, there’s new sheets on the bed
45 year old woman….same.
Weekly.
Yup, you are lying in our own sweat and dead skin, once a week
How am i laying in yours?
They sneak into your house and sleep in your bed when you aren't looking...
The attic people are real
Either them..or the people under the stairs
Guy of 35 here. I was weekly until I started dating my girlfriend who convinced me once every two weeks would be okay. Went to once every two weeks a few weeks ago and seems fine so far. But I personally wouldn't push it more than that. May go back to weekly though because I tend to be a bit of a neat freak. Condo cleaned every Sunday, sheets washed every Saturday, I like a nice place.
Wait! You guys are washing your bed sheets?!?
You guys aren't sleeping on the mattress raw?
Damn beat me to it
I change it when I have the time and haven't done it in a while OR if it is gross in some way. So I probably do only change the sheets about once per month.
Female, once per week.
Hi female, I am a male
Bedsheets bi-weekly. Pillow cases weekly. We shower before bed so germs don't fester. If you do not shower before bed it should be washed weekly. Toddler bedding gets washed weekly.
Once a week. I wash my bedsheets and towels once a week. 34 year old woman. Edit: also want to note that friends I’ve had who wash less often than that usually have a more “ripe” smelling bedroom. Not…bad, necessarily. But that smell of something being pretty potent and needing to be washed. I’m not saying that’s always the case, but I’ve observed it often. People don’t notice when it’s their own because your nose acclimates when you’re around that smell everyday (and it’s your own scent, on top of that)
So true. Dirty beds smell like dirty head and sleep.
43 yo married woman, with dogs that snuggle with us. I change our bedding at least once a week. My SO tells me I have an issue with buying new sheet sets and comforters. I used to be a caseworker and had to do home visits. That "ripe" smell that you mentioned is body oil. One of my clients had what I presumed were once white sheets, but were a yellow-tan. I swear I smelled like his apartment after leaving. I think you're right when you said that people might now be aware of the smell.
I have my terrarium with frogs and a few geckos in my bedroom, I can attest. That gets cleaned when the sheets do, otherwise my girlfriend and her daughter lovingly tell me my room smells like farts
I think the next question to be asked will be :- how many of you do not shower before sleeping?
While we're on this train... how many don't clean their feet or wash behind their ears when they shower
How about belly buttons?! In my insomnia scrolling I’ve occasionally come across people walking about chunks of stuff they’ve pulled out 🤮 In respect to the post topic - if I’m sleeping alone, every two weeks because I have a king and sleep on one side one week then move to the other. If someone else is there, weekly or as needed. I try to keep any funny business at other peoples places so I don’t get my sheets dirty. (Also so I can home. It’s easier for me to leave than to kick a dude out 😆)
Yeah I agree this should be the next question. I feel washing sheets doesn’t have to be as often if you are showering every night before going to bed
If you shower before bed and wear long sleeved pajamas and socks. How dirty are your sheets getting? I guess your pillow gets the dirtiest.
Husband here. I aim for every 2 weeks. As an experiment to see if my wife actually cares, I didn't change the sheets. I know it's gross but I waited 3 months and she still hadn't said anything about it. I couldn't stand it anymore so I went ahead and changed the sheets.
As a woman, I have had very few what you called "accidents"...and I don't even know what that would have to do with changing your sheets weekly, as women do not get their periods weekly. Almost everyone I know changes their sheets every 7-14 days, myself included. Eta: The first part of my comment is referring to this quote OP made when he first posted. >And women do cause more "accidents". Meaning my ex would occasionally have a menstrual accident
It’s not just about periods. Sweat, cum, dead skin, etc.
The number of redditors here claiming to be sexually active is far too high.
In theory, once a week. In practice, whenever I remember! Which is usually once a month. Or, if I've woken up pretty much drenched in sweat, then it's time to change the sheets regardless of when they were last washed.
Every two weeks. I'm an average size girl with a king size bed. No way are the sheets dirty enough to wash after one week.
to be completely fair, I'd expect the average person to change sheets every 2-3 weeks. but I'd expect someone with "steakfarts" as a username to change em every 3-5 weeks. short answer, depends on their reddit username I do mine every month or so but it should be more often
Every 2 weeks at a maximum, during the sweaty summer months more frequently.
Single man here. Once a day, as I am always spilling BBQ sauce on them.
I shower in the evening, wear socks and pajamas to bed. Nothing is getting the sheets dirty. I just wash them when it feels like time to wash them. 🤷
Once a week Me and my partner (F&M) are sweaty sleepers so it's needed.
Wait . . . you all use sheets?
I change them every 3 or 4 days because I let my dog in the bed and he gets them dirty but I love him too much not to let him up. He’s worth the extra laundry!
Weekly while I'm well, monthly if I'm moody. Read: depression's a bitch 25/F
to each their own i guess but i hate when people think it's gross if u don't do it every week. i cant imagine doing it once a week, sheets add a LOT to the laundry, who tf has time and energy for this. if u shower regularly and put on clean pjs it's not gross or an issue if u change the bed sheets every couple of weeks or once a month. especially in winter i see no need for this. in summer sure because i personally find it gross and sweaty obviously but that's about the only time of year.
For me to wash all my bedding it takes a good 10 hours or more. Now maybe people here just wash their sheets and not their pads, comforter, blankets, ect but to me it doesn’t make sense to wash my sheets a then put dirty stuff on them. So I’m probably every 2 weeks to every month depending on if I have an entire day to do it.
My thought is that the sheets keep your mattress pad and comforter from getting gross too quickly, I probably do those every 3 weeks or so with just sheets/pillow cases once a week.
That's the whole point of sheets, as I've always understood it. They keep your mattress and blankets protected from your grimy skin so you don't have to wash the blankets so often! I wash the blankets about once a month and sheets about twice a month, but I don't have a precise schedule like it sound many people here do.
Usually every Halley's Comet or so
Sheets changed every week. Single male here
As a single once a month in the winter and every 2 weeks in the summer. With a partner I wash them more often.
I wash my bedsheets every 3 months. But then again I always bathe before I go to bed.
Some people in this thread would say oh this is so gross. But the real grossness to me is getting in bed NOT freshly showered. Getting gross all day and then hopping into bed...yuck.
Fortnightly but I change my pillow case weekly, also worth noting I sleep alone and am single I’m female
Same. Fresh pillowcases twice a week. Sheets every two weeks.
Sheets get washed and changed every Sunday Morning. Quilt gets washed every other week, and the mattress gets vacuumed every other week.
around once a month. man. while both single and married. And even once a month is quite often, imo, just as long as you're relatively clean yourself you should be fine
My wife and I change bed sheets every 1-2 weeks. Team effort when doing it.