How often nightwear should be changed
Short answer: Once a week for most people, more often if you sweat at night. Sleepwear touches the skin for eight hours, but you lie still and sweat less than during the day. If it is damp in the morning, wash it the same day.
Why not every day
You move less in your sleep and so sweat less than over the course of a day. At the same time no dirt comes in from outside, so sleepwear lasts longer between washes than daywear. That does not mean it never needs washing, but once a week is a fair rhythm for most people. See bamboo sleepwear for women.
When more often
On warm nights and in summer you sweat more in your sleep, and then the sleepwear should be washed more often. The same goes if you have been ill and sweated a lot at night. If it is damp in the morning, wash it the same day, and have a clean set ready for the next evening.
How to tell
Hold the sleepwear to your nose and notice whether it feels damp or clammy when you take it off. If it smells or feels damp, it is time to wash, however many nights have passed. Your own nose is a better guide than the calendar, because sweat varies from night to night. See bamboo sleepwear for men.
What it means for the bedding
Sleepwear keeps the bedding clean for longer, because it takes most of the sweat and skin residue. Without it, everything goes straight into the sheet and pillowcase, and the bedding needs changing more often. If you wear sleepwear, you can stretch the time between changes a little. See bamboo bedding.
How many sets of sleepwear
Two sets are enough for most people, so one is always clean while the other is being washed. With two sets in rotation each wears more slowly, and you do not have to wash in the evening just to have something to wear. If you have room and want one, a third set can be nice in warm spells.
After illness
If you have been ill, the sleepwear should be washed afterwards, preferably at a higher temperature if the care label allows it. Change the bedding while you are at it. If you are unsure what is right after an illness, talk to your doctor. The care label always has the last word on temperature.
What if you sleep without sleepwear
If you sleep without sleepwear, your skin lies directly against the bedding, and then the bedding needs changing more often. Every week is a good starting point, and more often in summer. Sleepwear acts like a protective layer between you and the sheet, and it is easier and cheaper to wash than a whole bed.
Washing and storing
Wash sleepwear according to the care label and hang it to dry until it is completely dry before it goes in the drawer. Damp clothes in a closed drawer soon start to smell. Air it in the morning if you have not sweated, but never air a damp set instead of washing it.
A simple rule of thumb
Wash sleepwear once a week, more often in summer and after warm nights, and always when it is damp or smells. With two sets it is easy to keep to the rhythm without planning. With one fixed day a week, you need not remember when you last washed, and both sleepwear and bedding last longer.
Frequently asked questions
How many sets of sleepwear should you have
Two, so one is always clean while the other is being washed. A third set can be nice in summer, when you sweat more at night.
Should sleepwear be washed after illness
Yes, preferably at a higher temperature if the care label allows it. If you are unsure about anything to do with illness, talk to your doctor.
What if you sleep without sleepwear
Then the bedding needs changing more often, because your skin lies directly against the sheet and pillowcase. Every week is a good start, more often in summer.
See our range of bamboo sleepwear.
