Home » Misc » What setting should you wash sheets on

What setting should you wash sheets on


How to Wash Sheets & How Often to Wash Them

We all know that it’s important to get a good night’s rest, and fresh, clean bed sheets can help make your sleep more enjoyable. This step-by-step guide will show you how to wash bed sheets with the right settings for different fabrics.

How often should you wash your sheets?

Since germs, sweat, oils and more can build up fast, bed sheets should be washed at least once a week to keep them crisp and clean. If you or a family member tends to sweat while sleeping, you may want to wash sheets more often.

How to wash bed sheets: a step-by-step guide

Using the proper laundry cycle can help keep your bed sheets in the best condition. In general, the bulky/sheets washer cycle uses warm water, a low spin speed, more water and is designed to help keep sheets from tangling up. The ideal dryer setting is low to medium heat due to the fabric weight.

These washer and dryer settings may vary depending on the fabric. Some bed sheet fibers are more delicate than others and require gentle laundry care. Always check the care label for your sheets before washing and drying them.

Supplies

Step 1: Consult the care label

As with any fabric, check the care label before washing bed sheets. Depending on the fabric type, you may need to use a specific wash or dry cycle.

Step 2: Treat any stains before washing

If there are any visible or stubborn stains, use a pre-wash stain remover that’s safe for the fabric to treat the stains prior to washing. Select Whirlpool® top load washers include a Pretreat Station, which features a built-in faucet and pretreat brush so you can soak, scrub and wash all in one spot.

Step 3: Load sheets and add detergent

Sheets should be washed in a separate load from other items. Washing sheets with towels can cause pilling and excess lint to form on the sheets. Be sure to evenly distribute the sheets in the washer to avoid bunching and tangling. In top load models, place sheets loosely around the impeller or agitator to balance the load. To ensure optimal cleaning, don’t try to wash too many sheets at once.

If your washer has a detergent dispenser—whether it's a bulk dispenser like the Load & Go™ Dispenser or a single dose dispenser—follow the manufacturer’s instructions and add detergent as you would for a normal load. For washers without a dispenser, add detergent according to the detergent manufacturer’s recommendation. You can also use Swash™ Laundry Detergent, which is designed with a pre-measured pour dosage cap.

Cleaning tip: Skip the fabric softener

Fabric softener, including dryer sheets, can affect the absorbency of natural fabrics, so it’s not recommended for bed sheets.

Step 4: Choose the right wash cycle and settings

Bed sheets should be washed in the warmest water appropriate for the fabric, using a sheets cycle or the cycle recommended in your washer’s use and care guide. If there isn’t a cycle specified, a normal or regular cycle will usually suffice for cotton, polyester or linen sheets. Certain fabrics like silk, satin or bamboo may require a more gentle or delicate cycle. Some washers, like Whirlpool® top load models with Intuitive Controls, help you choose a cycle based on what you’re washing and how you’re washing it.

How to wash cotton sheets

Water temperature: Warm or hot

Cycle: Sheets, Normal, Regular, Casual or Sanitize

 

Cotton bed sheets are sturdy enough to be washed in hot water using a cycle specifically for sheets or a normal or regular cycle. If someone in your household has been sick, you may want to opt for a sanitizing cycle. On Whirlpool® washers, this cycle eliminates 99.9% of the most common bacteria found in clothes, sheets and towels.

How to wash polyester blend sheets

Water temperature: Warm

Cycle: Sheets, Normal, Regular or Casual

 

Bed sheets that are made of a polyester blend should be washed in warm water using a sheets cycle or regular cycle.

How to wash silk and satin sheets

Water temperature: Cold

Cycle: Gentle or Delicate

 

Silk or satin bed sheets require special care, including using a mild detergent specially formulated for delicate fabrics. Use only cold water and a gentle or delicate cycle to avoid damage. Lower spin speeds also help keep delicate fabrics in good shape.

How to wash flannel sheets

Water temperature: Cold or warm

Cycle: Gentle or Delicate

 

The first time you wash flannel bed sheets, use a half a cup of distilled white vinegar instead of detergent to help prevent pilling and color bleeding. After that, it’s fine to use a gentle detergent. Always wash in cold or warm water using a gentle or delicate cycle to prevent wear and tear. 

How to wash linen sheets

Water temperature: Cold or warm

Cycle: Sheets, Normal, Regular or Casual

 

For linen bed sheets, avoid hot water that could damage the fibers and consider using a natural detergent. Wash in cold or warm water using a cycle specifically for sheets or a normal cycle.

How to wash bamboo sheets

Water temperature: Cold

Cycle: Gentle or Delicate

 

Bamboo bed sheets should be washed much like silk or satin sheets to preserve the natural fibers. Use cold water and a gentle or delicate cycle to keep them in good shape.

Step 5: Dry sheets in the dryer or line dry

Most sheets can be tumbled dry on low heat. Avoid drying them for too long or at too high of a temperature, as this can cause fabric damage. You can add rubber or wool dryer balls to the load to help with even drying.

For more delicate fabrics, like silk or satin, or to add some freshness to sturdier fabrics, line dry the sheets on a clothesline. If line drying isn’t an option, you can use the dryer on a no-heat or air dry setting.

Step 6: Fold and store sheets properly

Fold and stack sheet sets neatly and store them in a cool, dry spot to keep them fresh and clean.

Cleaning tip: How to keep white sheets bright

White sheets can often appear dingy or yellowed over time due to body oils, sweat and other causes. You can brighten up white cotton sheets while doing a regular wash with detergent by adding about half a cup of bleach. Add the bleach either to the automatic bleach dispenser or to the load during the final rinse cycle (approximately the last 5 minutes of the wash cycle).

Shop Whirlpool

® washers and dryers

Keeping your bed sheets in good condition is easy when you choose the right laundry cycle for your fabric. Whirlpool® washers and dryers with Intuitive Touch Controls offer a range of settings to fit your laundry load. Simply select “what” and “how” you want to wash or dry your laundry. Washers and dryers from Whirlpool brand can help provide optimal fabric care by letting you create custom cycles based on what you’re washing.

WFW6620HC

WED9620HW

WET4124HW

Explore more laundry cleaning how-tos

home heartbeat

Ready for more tips, home hacks and appliance guides?

Browse All Articles

Was this article helpful? Pass it on

How to Wash Bed Sheets - Laundry Tips

TIP 1

Check the label

Read all labels to be sure you don't have any specific cleaning requirements to follow. Most sheets can be washed at home in your washing machine, but specialty fabrics may require careful consideration.

TIP 1

Check the label

Read all labels to be sure you don't have any specific cleaning requirements to follow. Most sheets can be washed at home in your washing machine, but specialty fabrics may require careful consideration.

TIP 2

Wash

Wash with the hottest water temperature setting listed on the care label. Polyester blends are best washed using warm water, while cotton can toleratehot water. Hotter water kills most germs and also takes care of dust mites that thrive in bedding.

TIP 2

Wash

Wash with the hottest water temperature setting listed on the care label. Polyester blends are best washed using warm water, while cotton can toleratehot water. Hotter water kills most germs and also takes care of dust mites that thrive in bedding.

TIP 3

Wash regularly

Wash at least once every other week. Although, it is sometimes easy to forget to wash your sheets, think of it this way: Some people spend more time in bed than they do in their clothing. We wash clothes regularly, so bed sheets shouldn't be any different.

TIP 3

Wash regularly

Wash at least once every other week. Although, it is sometimes easy to forget to wash your sheets, think of it this way: Some people spend more time in bed than they do in their clothing. We wash clothes regularly, so bed sheets shouldn't be any different.

TIP 4

Sort

Separate by color. Just like clothing, dark colors or reds can dull or bleed onto lighter colors.

TIP 4

Sort

Separate by color. Just like clothing, dark colors or reds can dull or bleed onto lighter colors.

TIP 5

Dry

Hang sheets to dry on a clothesline outside, if possible. Sunshine is a natural disinfectant and helps brighten whites. If you can, do this every couple months. If weather or time doesn't permit, tumble dry your sheets with a dryer sheet.

TIP 5

Dry

Hang sheets to dry on a clothesline outside, if possible. Sunshine is a natural disinfectant and helps brighten whites. If you can, do this every couple months. If weather or time doesn't permit, tumble dry your sheets with a dryer sheet.

TIP 6

Iron

Always iron bed linen, because ironing helps kill the last of the germs and dust mites thatmight remain after the wash. Ironing also helps you to easily store bed linen.

TIP 6

Iron

Always iron bed linen, because ironing helps kill the last of the germs and dust mites thatmight remain after the wash. Ironing also helps you to easily store bed linen.

TIP 7

Store

Keep freshly laundered sheets and bedding in a dry, cool place. Sunlight has its benefits when it comes to drying bedsheets outside once every couple of months. However, if you want to keep your bedsheets looking as good as new, especially if colors are involved, then store away from direct sunlight to avoid fading.

TIP 7

Store

Keep freshly laundered sheets and bedding in a dry, cool place. Sunlight has its benefits when it comes to drying bedsheets outside once every couple of months. However, if you want to keep your bedsheets looking as good as new, especially if colors are involved, then store away from direct sunlight to avoid fading.

TIP 8

Match

To help keep matching sets together, store each set inside one of the pillowcases.

TIP 8

Match

To help keep matching sets together, store each set inside one of the pillowcases.

How to wash bed linen in a washing machine? In what mode, at what temperature

A high-quality and beautiful bed set is a guarantee of comfort and a stylish element of bedroom decor. For the set to last a long time, you need to properly wash bedding in a washing machine. A clean bed is also a concern for one's own health: dust, sweat and skin secretion pollute the linen, create a favorable environment for the growth of bacteria, which causes unpleasant odors.

Washing should be done regularly. When it comes to taking care of the accessories for the whole family, a household washing machine can't cope. The question of where to dry the products also remains open. A rational solution would be dry cleaning: the company has special equipment for high-quality washing and drying of bed linen.

How clothes are washed in dry cleaning

Washing clothes in the laundry will save both time and money. The service is quite affordable, especially when it comes to bed care for all family members. For this purpose, the company has washing machines with a large selection of modes for all types of materials. In addition, after washing, the products are well dried and ironed.

The biggest problem with sheets, pillowcases and duvet covers is stains. Sweat, hair dye, cosmetics, saliva leave persistent stains on the fabric, and it is not so easy to eliminate them and achieve perfect cleanliness.

You can get rid of such defects at home with the help of soda, ammonia, bleach, vinegar, citric acid and other improvised means or stain removers from the store. However, in this case there is no guarantee of results.

The dry cleaners have professional formulas for removing stains, including those for delicate fabrics. Maintenance repairs will also be carried out on accessories as needed.


ATTENTION! Dry cleaning DIANA does not recommend the use of folk methods, for washing and dyeing things you need to contact only a professional dry cleaner!

Service intervals

Since the material is constantly in contact with skin and hair, pillowcases, duvet covers and sheets get dirty very quickly. According to the rules of hygiene, the kit should be changed once a week, and not wait until the fabric shows obvious signs of contamination. It is advisable to change the pillowcase every two days or at least twice a week.

Wash preparation

In order for the result of home care for bed linen to please, and the set to be like new after washing, you need to follow simple washing rules.

Sort laundry by color and type of fabric

Do not put colored and white laundry in the machine at the same time. Bed linen and other items are soaked and washed separately. Snow-white sheets and products made of light fabrics will lose their attractiveness, become covered with spots, spools or turn gray. Do not put sets of different materials in the drum: they are washed separately. Synthetics with synthetics, cotton with cotton, etc.

Sorting by material is done for a reason. Each type of fabric is designed for a specific temperature and duration of washing. Materials of different structure and composition of threads are squeezed out at one or another speed of rotation of the drum, which is why modern technology provides dozens of modes.

Delicate fabrics are processed at minimum temperatures. It is advisable to do this manually. If the question is, in which mode to wash bed linen in the machine, the choice is obvious, and this is delicate care. Linen and cotton are more durable in this regard: in some cases, mode 9 is recommended.0 degrees. It is worth remembering that this applies only to white linen. The color pattern fades quickly.

We study the recommendations of the manufacturer

Immediately after the purchase, you should pay attention to the label. Sometimes the manufacturer places information on the temperature at which to wash bedding in a machine or by hand on the packaging. There are fabrics that are very sensitive to machine wash and demanding on the regime, so it is advisable to keep the labels.

Children's and adult underwear

You can not put bedding for all family members in the machine. So, baby accessories and diapers for newborns are washed with special products that do not cause allergies. The same applies to the air conditioner: too fragrant compositions will do their job - they will facilitate ironing and make the fabric softer, but at the same time they can cause restless sleep of the child and skin irritation.


Machine loading

There is a great temptation to immediately put in order a large number of things, when, according to the recommendations, you only need to load the drum halfway. Otherwise, it will not only not be washed and rinsed as it should, but there is also a high risk of deforming the material due to twisting. Together with the bed, clothes, towels and other things are not sent to the wash. Linen is turned inside out for washing.

It is necessary to proceed from the optimal weight of the product. A cotton duvet cover weighs 500-700 grams. Sheet - 300-500 grams. The lightest accessory is a pillowcase: its weight is only 100-200 grams. The whole cotton set is 2 kg.

Pre-washing is mandatory (2 baths - two washings) in order to remove easily soluble dirt in the first bath, and in the second bath with clean water and a new portion of detergent, remove all remaining dirt. At what temperature should bed sheets be washed? The primary wash should be done in water not higher than 30 °C. Increasing the prewash temperature may cause protein stains to “brew”.

Care of mixed bed linen

Cotton

The most common and affordable natural material for sewing pillowcases, sheets and duvet covers is cotton. Cotton fabric can be placed in water heated to 60 degrees, but if heavily soiled, it can be increased up to 90.

You can do this with white kits, but with colored ones, in order for the material to retain its attractiveness and not shed, you should act differently and set the temperature from 40 to 50 ° C

by adding liquid formulations to the detergent compartment. Give preference to powder or gels for colored products.

The online store of the Diana dry cleaning network offers high-quality professional products for washing bed linen for children and adults, made of cotton and other types of fabric, stain removers and rinse conditioners from well-known manufacturers. Detergent compositions will wash off the most difficult dirt and preserve the structure of fabrics - cotton, satin, bamboo, velvet and other types of textiles.

To care for children's products, the temperature should be at least 60℃, even if it is a color set, but such actions should not be resorted to frequently, otherwise the fabric will wear out and lose its properties. For light soiling, 40°C is sufficient

Dry cotton bedding in a well-ventilated area or outdoors, but out of direct sunlight. This is also fraught with color fading. Iron the fabric from the front side, after wetting the surface.

Silk

Bed linen made of natural silk is a luxurious accessory. Silk has a vulnerable structure, so hand or delicate wash modes are suitable for it. Temperature - no higher than 30 ℃. They are also very careful with spinning: too much scrolling will lead to damage and deformation. It is advisable to disable this feature altogether.

The choice of detergent composition is approached responsibly. The assortment of the online store of the Diana dry-cleaning network includes special formulas designed to care for silk. Drying - only in the shade and in no case near heating appliances. Ironing is done from the inside, while the iron is not heated and the steam option is not activated.

Linen

This natural material is very practical and durable. You can safely turn on the +90 ℃ mode. With intense pollution, linen fabric is subject to boiling, and this will not harm it. When it comes to frequent washing, it is desirable to process (as in the case of cotton) at a temperature of 60. If the fabric has a color print, then the recommended temperature is 40 ℃.

Before washing, it will not be superfluous to soak the bed: soaking is done in warm water with laundry soap dissolved in it. Drying is done away from heaters and radiators to avoid shrinkage of the fabric. Ironed at maximum mode and slightly damp.

Synthetic

Synthetic underwear is on sale. It attracts with its affordable cost, appearance and bright colors, when, as for a crib, it is better not to buy such things, but to give preference to coarse calico, linen, cotton.

Synthetic fabrics do not tolerate washing in hot water. 40℃ is the limit for them. The program "Synthetics" is in each typewriter, and for the care of the kit we turn on only it. Usually synthetic sheets are not ironed. They contain fibers that prevent the formation of folds and creases.

Do I need to wash new bedding?

The newly purchased set looks perfectly clean, and some housewives are in no hurry to wash it, but in vain. The laundry was in the hands of the packers at the factory, inevitably getting dust and other particles. Washing new clothes is not a whim, but a necessity.

We select the maximum allowed mode for the type of fabric from which the underwear is made. So it will be possible to disinfect and get rid of extraneous odors. If there is a print, the remnants of paint will wash out. After drying and ironing, the new set can be laid on the bed and enjoy a comfortable rest.

ATTENTION! Dry cleaning DIANA does not recommend the use of folk methods, for washing and dyeing things you need to contact only a professional dry cleaner!

Featured articles


What mode to wash bed linen on

Any home textile requires regular cleaning, but sheets, pillowcases, duvet covers require special attention, because a fresh bed is a prerequisite for a healthy sound sleep. In order for things to last a long time and not lose their visual appeal, it is important to know how to wash bed linen - which mode to set on the machine, which temperature to choose, what products can be used, especially when it comes to expensive elite bed linen. Modern household appliances provide for the possibility of choosing different programs depending on the composition of the fabric, its colors, and the degree of contamination.

General rules for washing bed linen

Before washing a freshly purchased set for the first time, be sure to read the information provided by the manufacturer. Usually it is placed on a special label, from which you can find out if machine washing is allowed, if spinning is allowed, what are the temperature restrictions. It is also necessary to adhere to several rules common for any bed linen:

For the first time, it is better to wash bed linen at a low temperature - in order to comply with the rules of hygiene and eliminate odors that appear during storage, this is quite enough. The gentle setting will help prevent shrinkage and soften the fabric a little before first use. And for children's textiles, the choice of powder and rinse is very important - it is better to buy special products.

Bed linen washing modes in the machine for different fabrics

Automatic programs in modern washing machines set not only the washing temperature, but also its duration, water volume, number of rinses, spin power. It is necessary to choose on which mode it is better to wash bed linen, depending on the intensity of contamination, the fastness of the color and the material from which the set is made:

  • for synthetics choose delicate programs and a temperature of 40 ° C;
  • linen bedroom textile can be washed at 60°C, choosing long programs and a powerful spin cycle.

    Learn more