How to Wash Nightwear – And How Often?

Short answer: Wash nightwear after two to three nights, at 30 degrees and ideally on a gentle programme. Nightwear in bamboo viscose should be washed with a mild detergent without fabric softener and preferably air dried, so it keeps its shape and softness for years rather than months.

How often should nightwear be washed?

Two to three nights is the rule for most people. If you perspire, or the bedroom is warm, wash after two. Nightwear lies against the skin for eight hours at a time, and skin oils and perspiration gather faster than in daywear, where there is often a layer in between.

The temperature should be 30 degrees

Thirty degrees is enough for skin oils and perspiration and is the temperature at which the elastane and the colour last longest. Higher temperatures make the elastane brittle, and then waistbands and necklines lose their stretch. See the whole range under nightwear.

Leave out the fabric softener

Softener lays a film on the outside of the fibres that slows moisture transport and locks in odour. On nightwear, whose whole job is to move moisture away from the skin, it works directly against the fabric. Use a liquid detergent without bleach instead, dosed sparingly.

Wash sets together

The top and bottom belong in the wash together, even when only one part has been worn. Washed separately they fade at different rates and end up looking like two colours after a season. That applies especially to dark and patterned sets.

Turn it inside out

The outer surface rubs against the drum and the rest of the wash. Turn the nightwear and it is the inside that takes the wear, while the surface stays smooth. It is the cheapest way to delay pilling, and it takes two seconds per piece when sorting.

Drying decides the shape

The tumble dryer is the single thing that costs the most service life on nightwear. Hang it up to dry instead, and use a broad shouldered hanger for tops. Lay nightdresses and long models flat until they are almost dry, so the shoulders are not pulled out.

Bedding in the same rhythm

Bedding should be washed every week or every second week, and that matters at least as much to a fresh bed as the nightwear does. Wash the two in step, and a clean set of nightwear never ends up in a bed that needs changing.

When nightwear smells after washing

If a set still smells after washing, there is usually residue of softener or too much detergent in the fibres. Run a cycle without detergent at 30 degrees, then wash normally with a smaller dose. See the sets under bamboo pyjamas for men and bamboo nightwear for women. See also complete washing guide for bamboo clothing.

Frequently asked questions

How often should nightwear be washed?

After two to three nights, and after two if you perspire. It lies against the skin for eight hours at a time, and skin oils gather quickly.

Which temperature?

Thirty degrees. It is enough for perspiration and skin oils, and it is the temperature at which the elastane and colour last longest without going brittle.