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Laundry expert reveals how often you should actually be washing your pajamas
How often do you wash your pajamas? Once a week? Once a fortnight? Some people may even go longer than that.
However, a laundry expert has revealed that you need to be washing your nightwear far more regularly, because your bed is a breeding ground for bacteria.
How often you should wash your pajamas
Ocean Van, who owns the washing company Coco Laundry based in Long Beach, California, told The Focus you should be washing your PJs after two or three wears.
You do need to take the season into consideration though, and you could go a little longer in between washes in the winter.
“During the summer months, increased sweating and high temperatures or humidity can accelerate the buildup of bacteria and odors in pajamas,” he said.
“Conversely, even in winter, when people sweat less, it’s still best to wash often, like after three to four wears.”
A recent poll revealed that most people wash their pajamas once a week, every seven days, so they aren’t doing it often enough.
Why you need to wash pajamas regularly
The American Cleaning Institute is a little more lenient, pushing this to every three or four wears no matter the season – or even longer if you shower before bed.
However, Van said the more often the better because all kinds of nasty things build up on your nightwear while you’re sleeping.
“When we wash customers’ clothes at our business, we notice that the buildup of dead skin cells, sweat, and bodily fluids on pajamas can lead to bad odors, permanent stains, and bacterial growth,” he added.
“Yes, strong detergents, scent beads, and stain removers can do some magic, but they will damage the clothes and not guarantee to remove stains.”
You need to be washing your bed sheets regularly too, because this sweat, dead skin cells, and other bodily fluids can build up there too in the same way.
Pajama material is very absorbent
He further explained that pajamas are typically made from highly absorbent materials such as cotton or flannel. This means they easily soak up sweat, oils, and bacteria, which can also lead to skin irritation, particularly in individuals with sensitive skin, such as babies.
“This is the risk of wearing pajamas for more than three wears or not washing them frequently enough,” he continued.
As well as skin irritation, this bacteria could have the potential to make you unwell, so regular washing is extremely important. Every morning, you should also hang up and air out your pajamas in-between washes.
