How often nightwear should be washed and why not every day
Short answer: Once or twice a week covers normal use. If you sweat at night, it needs to be more often. Washing every day wears out your nightwear without making it cleaner, and the elastic and fibres give way sooner.
What decides the interval
Sweat and skin cells make nightwear dirty, not time. If you sleep cool and use breathable bedding, nightwear lasts longer between washes. If you sleep warm, or it is summer, you need to wash more often. So look at how you sleep rather than following one fixed rule for everyone.
Why every day is too much
Every wash wears the fibres and the waistband elastic a little. If you wash nightwear every day, it turns thin and slack sooner without getting any cleaner than if you washed it every third or fourth day. It is also more work and more water and power than normal use calls for.
Air rather than wash
Hang your nightwear up instead of stuffing it under the pillow in the morning. An hour in fresh air removes most of the smell without wear. A hanger by an open window or in the bathroom after a shower works well. Bamboo viscose dries quickly and freshens up easily. See bamboo nightwear for men.
When you sweat at night
If you sweat a lot, nightwear should be washed after two to three nights, or the smell settles in the fibres. The same applies in warm summer weeks. Two sets help here, so one can dry while you sleep in the other. That way you never have to put on a damp set.
Temperature and programme
40 degrees is enough for nightwear with normal use. Higher temperatures wear the fabric more without making it noticeably cleaner. Turn it inside out, use a gentle programme and skip fabric softener, which makes the fabric less absorbent. Hang it up or dry on low heat. See the full method in washing and care.
Bedding on the same rhythm
Nightwear and bedding affect each other. If the sheet is washed every other week, nightwear can last the week, because it does not lie on a dirty surface. A sheet that releases moisture also keeps nightwear drier. Wash covers together with the sheet. See bamboo bedding.
The pillowcase more often
The pillowcase picks up skin, hair and face cream every night. Many change it more often than the rest of the bedding, for example once a week. It is an easy way to keep the bed fresh without washing everything each time, and it spares the rest of the bedding from extra washes.
Signs it is time
If your nightwear smells when you put it on, or feels heavy and sticky, it is time to wash it, however many days have passed. On the other hand, a set that smells fresh after a night in a cool room does not need washing straight away. Trust your nose rather than the calendar.
Frequently asked questions
How often should nightwear be washed?
Once or twice a week with normal use, more often if you sweat at night. Air it between washes and it stays fresh for longer.
Does frequent washing wear out nightwear?
Yes. Every wash wears fibres and elastic a little. Airing between washes extends its life, and two sets in rotation share the wear between them.
What temperature is right?
40 degrees covers normal use. Higher temperatures cause more wear without making nightwear noticeably cleaner, and they can make the elastic give way.
See our range of bamboo sleepwear.
