It is important that your bedsheets are washed often, and quite frankly, there is nothing better than the feeling of fresh, clean sheets on the bed when you climb in after a hard day at work.
Did you know that when you are sleeping the dry skin sheds and tiny insects the eye cannot see get lodged in the sheets and what’s worse is the fact those insects leave behind their fecal matter, in the bed, you are sleeping in?
This is why it is important to clean the sheets often.
Sometimes we don’t have time to completely wash the sheets, or some people are on water limits, so they cant wash as often as they would like.
Here are some excellent solutions to how I clean my sheets and freshen them up without actually washing them.
Table of Contents
How To Clean Bed Sheets Without Washing Them?
To clean sheets without actually using water can be done by dusting over the sheets with fresh baking soda and letting them sit for an hour, then take them outside and give a good shake. The baking soda will deodorize the sheets, and shaking will help to remove particles like dead skin cells. You can also spray a fabric deodorizer on the sheets, which smells more appealing, air dry then put them back on the bed. Half vinegar and half water can also be used in a spray bottle, spraying over the sheets evenly and let dry.
Why Is It Important To Keep Clean Sheets?
Your bedroom needs to be clean and fresh to help you relax and sleep better.
This starts from the bed, and we’re talking about your sheets. It is a good idea to wash the sheets often, but if you cannot, then freshen up and air dry for a while can help.
Cleaning your sheets comes under the part of basic hygiene. If you do not wash your sheets for a while, did you know you are actually inviting diseases into your bedroom?
Sometimes washing sheets in water and washing powder in your machine is not enough, and you might need stain soakers and even antibacterial added to the wash cycle.
It can be hard for some to wash often as they might not have a free supply of water; if this is you, then you might need to take a different approach to freshen them up!
Some people might think washing every few days is excessive, but did you know what exactly your sheets accumulate?
From dirt, skin cells, sweat, and body oils, these might not seem that bad to deal with, but it is the dust mites, their fecal matter, and their dead carcasses that might be stomach-turning to know.
Here are a few tips to help clean sheets to a degree without completely washing them.
Baking Soda Is great!
Baking soda is great for freshening up things, and one of those is bedsheets.
If you have sweaty smells or even alcohol smells in the sheets, you can sprinkle them with baking soda to deodorize and help to prevent the smells from becoming embedded in the sheets.
Baking soda is natural and is readily available in grocery stores. You need to lay the sheets down somewhere flat; a trampoline works well for this, and sprinkle the baking soda over the sheets.
It is preferably better to do this on a sunny day as the sun works with baking soda as a disinfectant to get rid of stubborn odors.
Once you have left them like this for a few hours, give the sheets a good shake to remove the baking soda and any microscopic beings, then hang on the line or over the fence to air out.
Allowing a few hours is best, so the baking soda can work through the fiber layers for the best effect.
This method doesn’t work for stains; this is only to freshen up the sheets and will not remove stains. For stain removal, you need to try another approach like the one below.
Blotting Out The Stains On Bed Sheets
A great method for getting rid of stains on bed sheets that you cannot wash at the time is to grab yourself some dryer sheets.
Try and get to the stains early before they have time to settle in. There are plenty of stain removals out on the market, but these also require treatment using water and detergents.
For getting rid of stains on the sheet, you aren’t washing, you are best to get the stained areas wet first with a soft cloth.
This helps to remove the stains on the area, then you can go ahead and add some white vinegar to the stain or a liquid detergent. You want to let this sit for about 15 minutes.
Now you can blot out the stain with a soft cloth and some fresh water. Hang up to dry or use a hairdryer if you need to.
This method works well to get rid of stains and helps to stop the stain from setting in until you can properly wash the sheets.
Depending on what the stain is, some will not come out completely, such as sweat stains. The above instructions will help you to reduce the color and prevent it from getting any worse.
Using Linen Sprays
There are several linen sprays that you can buy to help freshen the sheets in between washes.
Linen sprays are only a temporary solution and are only used to freshen up your bedding; they are not a stain remover.
All you need to do is pull back the covers and spray your sheets; then when dry make your bed.
For an extra clean feeling, you can hang them on the line and spray them. The sun and the wind help to freshen sheets and remove anything lingering on the sheets.
The linen sprays contain chemicals that are safe for the body but designed to get rid of bad smells from your bedding.
This type of clean is only to be done in between washes. This should not replace a normal water and detergent wash.
Dryer Sheets
Using dryer sheets is a great way to freshen up your bed they are chemical-free and eco-friendly.
We are not talking about brought dryer sheets, but we are talking about DIY dryer sheets.
All you need to make them is some clean cotton cloth, some water, and a few drops of essential oil.
To make the sheets, all you need to do is to wet your cloth with clean water and then wring out all the excess water then add a few drops of essential oil to the cloth.
Throw the cloth in your dryer and add your sheets. Let them tumble dry for a few minutes, then take them out. Only use this method on sheets that are safe for the clothes dryer.
Freshening Sheets With Vinegar
If you have bedsheets that you want to freshen up before you carry out a complete wash, consider using vinegar.
Vinegar can break down different residues that sit on your sheets, like body oils and sweat.
Vinegar can also be used in your washing machine when you wash your sheets to freshen and remove dullness and stiffness.
It has a low acidic level which means that you can use vinegar safely on linen to get rid of odors.
All you need to do here is use 1:1 of vinegar and water, but you want to ensure that you are using white distilled vinegar.
Brown vinegar does not work as well, and it can stain the fabric.
You want to turn your sheets inside out and mix up the solution and be sure to test it on the side of the sheet first to ensure it doesn’t fade the fabric.
If there is no color change, then you are good to go and spray the vinegar and water mixture over the sheets evenly.
You don’t need to worry that you will be drowning in the vinegar smell when you go to bed, as the vinegar smell will disappear slowly as the sheets dry.
There won’t be any trace of the vinegar smell when the sheets have completely air dried out.
Using Hot Heat
If you have sheets that need to be freshened up, but you cannot wash them, you can give them a good steam which will kill bacteria and germs that tend to grow rapidly.
The flu bug can even be killed at 167 degrees Fahrenheit, which is why a clothing steamer works well for this job as it can reach temperatures of over 200 degrees.
A hot iron works just as well and can be easier to obtain, although you are at more risk with burning injuries when using an iron, and if not concentrating, you can burn the sheets.
Clothing steamers can be used on cashmere, synthetics, silk, cotton, and even wool.
Time to sanitize those germs and freshen up the sheets while ensuring there are no allergens or odors when you settle down to sleep.
You need to give your sheets a good wash in the machine often, but if something permits you from doing so, this works well as an in-between clean.
Did You Know…
Every night 15 million skin cells are shed onto your bed sheets? And this attracts bed mites who actually live off your dead skin cells.
This can be bad for those people who are allergic to the proteins that are found in dust mite fecal matter.
You are going to get a huge build-up of bacteria and fungi if you don’t wash your sheets and pillowcases.
Your pillowcases actually have more bacteria than your toilet does! Now we think toilets are gross; what about your sheets?
Yes, it is true that no one actually enjoys pulling up the sheets to make their bed let alone going to all the work to strip the bed and wash the sheets.
Did you know that statistics show over 50% of single men only changed their bed a couple of times a year?
Sounds horrible, doesn’t it.? Imagine all the bugs and skin cells building up in those sheets.
If you wake up constantly with a runny nose and itchy eyes or another cold-like symptom and can admit to being one of those people who don’t wash their sheets as often as they should, then you could just very well have an allergy to the dust mites.
This is actually more common than we know. One study proves that there can be up to 16 different types of fungus living in there along with their spores.
Aspergillus fumigatus is extremely dangerous. It can affect the lungs and then go and destroy all your other organs.
Bacteria loves unwashed pillows and bedsheets, and you add more each time you get into bed.
Staphylococcus aureus can also be found on bedsheets, and this is another bacterium that is deadly and can cause so many different complications.
Did you know the bacteria and oils on your pillowcase can actually cause and contribute to acne?
If you don’t wash your face often or your pillowcase, it just becomes a dirty make-up wipe that is just crawling with bacteria that you lay your face on.
Hopefully, these facts will encourage you to wash your sheets often and carry out a fresh clean in between the washing machine washes.
If you shower and clean your clothes, then you need to be doing the same for your bedding.
Deodorizing Your Mattress
You might be doing all the right things with your sheets, like cleaning them often and doing small freshening-ups in between washes, but there is really no point if you are not doing the same with your bed mattress.
Sometimes you might think the stale smell is coming from your sheets when in fact, it is coming from the mattress.
If your mattress is stale, then it might be giving off an odor that needs to be seen to.
A good tip is to vacuum your mattress when you wash your sheets to suck up all the skin cells and the dust mites before you deodorize it.
Did you know your dead skin cells can make their way onto your mattress? If you are cleaning your sheets and popping them back onto your bed, you are just putting clean sheets back on top of dust mites, their fecal matter, and plenty of dead cells.
Once you have vacuumed over your mattress, you can then go ahead and sprinkle baking soda all over the mattress.
This can help to eliminate odors and freshen up the mattress. Let it sit for a few hours if you can, then vacuum it all up again.
This can really benefit your health and your mattress and only takes a few mins to sprinkle then vacuum.
Cleaning your mattress helps to expand the lifespan while offering a better quality sleep for you.
You want to make sure you are replacing your mattress every 6-8 years so you get the best sleep that you can.
Do I Need To Replace My Sheets?
You should wash sheets regularly for sure, but you also want to replace your sheets with new ones every two years, less if the sheets are thinning or wearing out.
Wear patches and thinning can be a wonderful place for bacteria dry skin cells and dust mites to set up shop.
Once the skin cells bury into the worn spots, it can be hard to get them out as they become stuck.
Conclusion
When we think about dirty sheets, it makes our skin crawl. They can be uncomfortable, and you might find it hard to relax into.
Luckily you have the chance to with the tips above to clean and freshen the sheets in between washes with methods that are easy and with ingredients that are easily obtained.
These methods work well but go through each one and find the one that suits you best and which one you feel does the best job at freshening up.
Never replace any of these methods with washing your sheets properly in the washing machine with disinfectant and a good dose of good quality detergent.
Now that we have shared the best way to clean your bed sheets in between washes, there is no reason why you need to deal with dull and stinky sheets any longer. Enjoy the freshness as you climb into bed.
Frequently Asked Questions About How To Clean Bed Sheets Without Washing Them
How Often Do Bed Sheets Need To Be Washed?
You want to aim to wash your sheets properly once a week. If you are prone to sweating or don’t shower before bed, you should wash your sheets twice a week.
Do I Need To Wash New Bed Sheets?
It is a good idea to give them a proper wash in the machine as they have been handled by several people at the factory. You don’t know how often people washed their hands etc. Give them a good wash in water before putting them on your bed. Then you are only dealing with your germs.