How to wash bedding in a washing machine. What is the best mode to wash bed linen in a washing machine?

Thanks to our washing machines for taking care of our things being clean. But, despite the fact that we transferred washing to our household appliances, questions about how to properly wash bedding remained. Therefore, in this article we will answer the most popular questions regarding this process.

Laundry preparation

Even before the laundry begins, we need to sort out the bed linen. That which is made of white cloth, we must separate from the colored one. And the one that consists of satin, from the one that is made of silk. Different types and colors of fabrics require their own washing regimen.

Then we need to estimate how much our linen weighs. After all, all machines are designed for a certain weight of things to be washed. Let's calculate the approximate weight:

  • Sheets weigh approximately 400 to 500 grams.
  • Bedspread 600-800 grams.
  • Duvet cover from half a kilogram to 700 grams.
  • Pillowcase 150-250 grams.

Do not forget about the volume of things. It is necessary to calculate the amount of laundry placed in the drum of the washing machine so that they can rotate quite freely inside the machine. If the rotation of things is difficult, then the quality of washing will be so-so. You should also pay attention to the recommendations for proper washing from the laundry manufacturer, which are indicated on the labels. You can see more about washing symbols in the table below or read in the article: "". Next, we turn the laundry inside out and place it evenly in the drum.

Wash

Previously, it was believed that linen should only be washed at a temperature close to 90 degrees. This method of washing helped to disinfect things and kill microorganisms. But in our time, various washing powders do an excellent job at lower temperatures. We recommend washing colored linen at low temperatures (about 40 degrees). This wash will help keep the color vibrant. But white linen can be washed at a higher temperature.

Do you iron bed linen?

How important is it to iron bed sheets? There are people who think that ironing will make the fabric softer and make things look better. In addition, the temperature of the iron kills germs. There is another way to look at this issue. Someone thinks that ironing the bed is just a waste of time. The site site does not claim that our advice is the ultimate truth. And, nevertheless, we recommend ironing linen in the following cases:

  • When a person living in your home gets sick. And the disease can be transmitted through linen. In this case, ironing is a must. And besides, it is necessary to provide the patient with separate bedding, so as not to accidentally use things from which you can get infected.
  • When the underwear will be used by a child under one year old.
  • When humidity is high. And the thing can't dry out.

The white thing turned into a different color, what should I do?

This happens when you wash white or light-colored items. Of course, we warned you not to do this. But if you have already done this and received stained linen, then it must be immediately sent for re-washing. Set to intensive mode with thorough washing and rinsing. Also, this linen can be placed in bleach containing oxygen for an hour. Digestion of laundry using hydrogen peroxide and ammonia can also help. For 5 liters of water, a hundred milliliters of peroxide and ten milliliters of ammonia.

You can also use the following method: add ammonia to a container of water. At the rate of 10 milliliters per five liters of water. And we throw our linen there for 30 minutes. After that, washing and intensive rinsing is necessary.

You can learn additional rules for washing and handling bedding and other linen from the following video:

Definitely in every home there are at least a few sets of bed linen. And after all, every housewife wants it to always remain soft, attractive, fresh and elastic. But does everyone succeed? The answer, unfortunately, is no. Therefore, in this article, we want to teach you how to wash bedding in a washing machine, as well as how to care for it. Thanks to our advice and recommendations, you will certainly be able to achieve the expected result, which is good news.

Temperature regime

When buying bed linen, you need to pay attention not only to the color and size, but also be sure to find out what type of material the bedding is based on. What is it for, you ask? Everything is very simple.

The temperature regime depends on the material of the product. So, now we will provide you with the basic information and tell you on what mode to wash bedding in a washing machine.

Cotton and linen

These are fabrics that it is desirable to wash at a temperature of 60 degrees. But if you, for example, need to disinfect linen, such fabrics can withstand even temperatures of 95 degrees.

Spin during washing - maximum. It is better not to use a dryer, but to dry it in a well-ventilated place in a straightened form, avoiding sunlight, as light adversely affects cotton.

Synthetics

Synthetics is a material, the care of which depends on the fibers introduced into the composition of the fabric. It is best to wash regularly at a temperature of no more than 35-40 degrees, as frequent washing in hot water can lead to pilling.

Do not dry on heating agents, as well as at a temperature of more than 50 degrees.

Silk

Since this is a rather expensive material, maintenance is more laborious. How to wash bed linen if it is made from this delicate fabric:

  1. It is impossible to wash this type of fabric either by hand or with a washing machine at a temperature higher than 30 degrees.
  2. The use of liquid powder and emollients is also recommended, and spinning, on the contrary, is prohibited.
  3. Never tumble dry in the sun.
  4. It is desirable to iron without steam from the wrong side, without first spraying with water.

satin

If you wash with the addition of washing powder, set the maximum temperature to 60 degrees. When washing with liquid detergents - the maximum allowable temperature is 40 degrees.

Spin - maximum.

Batiste and bamboo

It is easy to wash such bed linen.

  • permissible washing temperature - no more than 40 degrees;
  • spin - medium.

In what mode should bed linen be washed in a washing machine if it is made of bamboo or cambric? It is better to install immediately so as not to waste time on manual settings.

chintz

To wash bed linen from this material, it is also desirable to wash at a temperature of 30-40 degrees, without the use of bleach, and the spin is minimal or medium.

Important! If you like to buy new kits quite often, and it is not always possible to recognize really high-quality ones, read our special reviews:

Rules for washing bed linen

So that you can get a fresh, soft and pleasant to the touch canvas as a result, you need to follow a few important rules that will tell you how to wash bedding and not harm it.

Check them out:

  • Wash colored items separately from whites so that none of them fade or spoil the appearance of each other.
  • Wash clothes of different types of fabric separately, as each material requires its own washing regime, as well as temperature.
  • When using strongly caustic, smelling powders and rinses, run your wash on a double rinse so that all chemicals are rinsed thoroughly and do not harm your skin. And it is better to refuse such in favor.
  • If there are strong stains on the material, pre-soak them with a special stain remover.
  • Do not use bleach as it will adversely affect the color of the fabric.
  • Do not overload the washing machine drum or make it too clogged. If you can’t figure out how much laundry to load, use ours.

How often should you wash?

The development of technology does not stand still and with the advent of the washing machine, life has become much easier. How often do you need to wash bedding?

Well, firstly, it’s worth washing as it gets dirty. And if you are guided by hygiene standards, then:

  • pillowcase should be changed 1-2 times a week;
  • sheet and duvet cover 1-2 times in 2 weeks.

Thus, your bed will always remain fresh and pleasant for the body.

Is ironing required?

An incredibly common question on the topic of how to wash bedding is the question, is it necessary to iron and starch it at all? There is no single answer to this question, since there are both positive and negative arguments in defense of both sides. But most still tend to believe that this is not necessary. So let's look at both options.

The positive facts are:

  • ironing, due to the properties of hot temperature, kills germs;
  • it is more pleasant to sleep on ironed linen (many say).

But there are also negative sides:

  • at night, a person releases liquid, and ironed linen reduces its absorbent properties, thereby preventing the skin from breathing;
  • it takes quite a long time.

However, there are cases when ironing is definitely needed:

  1. When the person who lives with you is sick. Ironing will kill all germs and thus will not transmit the disease to another family member.
  2. When the underwear will be used by a child under one and a half years old.
  3. When there is high humidity, and therefore the laundry cannot dry.

To make the already tedious process of ironing less tedious, here are some tips that can simplify and reduce the amount of time spent on ironing. So, let's get down to them:

  1. If there is some embroidery on the set, you can iron it only from the wrong side.
  2. Ironing will be more convenient if you pre-moisten things slightly.
  3. Some doctors categorically dissuade consumers from the ironing process, as the fabric's ability to be hygroscopic is lost.
  4. Before washing your laundry, do not leave them crumpled in the laundry basket for a long time, as the ironing process may take a very long time in the future.

Bed linen is sewn from different fabrics, the temperature at which it can be washed differs from this. If you select the wrong mode, you can ruin the material, prints and shades. In order for the kits to retain their original appearance, set the temperature correctly based on the type of fabric.

Cotton bed linen

The first washing of natural cotton sets can only be done in cool thirty-degree water. From 3-4 washes, higher temperatures can be used:
  • Fabrics with beautiful bright patterns perfectly withstand 40 degrees.
  • Light plain fabrics can be washed at the highest temperature of 95 degrees.

Linen bedding

This natural material can last a very long time with proper care. If the fabric of the product is not dyed, then you can safely wash it at high temperatures - up to 90 degrees. Dyed fabric requires less warm water - 60 degrees. will be enough not to spoil the shade.

If you have impregnated linen (finished), then you need to be careful with it. In order not to wash off the treatment, the temperature should not exceed 40 degrees.


This fabric is unusually thin, translucent and delicate. It is woven from cotton and linen, combining their best properties. Due to its softness and lightness, it requires careful care. The maximum temperature for washing cambric bed linen is 30 degrees.


Twill bedding

Durable and resistant to deformation, twill is distinguished by its unpretentiousness. It can be washed at any temperature, up to 95 degrees. if necessary. Nothing will happen to him. It dries quickly and is ready to use.

Wool linen

Wool linen requires delicate handling. It is famous for its healing and soothing properties and is quite expensive. Therefore, you need to take care of proper care for him so that you do not feel sorry for the money spent. Such fabrics can only be washed in cold water - the temperature should not exceed 30 degrees.

bamboo linen

Bamboo fabrics are distinguished by their tenderness and antibacterial properties. If the textile is made of 100% bamboo, then wash it at 30 degrees. There are sets woven from bamboo mixed with cotton. To preserve the original state of such linen, wash it at temperatures up to 40 degrees.

Satin bedding

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Satin is very pleasant to the body due to the silky outer side. It breathes well and combines the benefits of cotton and silk. The disadvantage of this fabric is that it does not hold paint well, and the outer layer requires careful handling. Therefore, before washing, it must be turned inside out. The best temperature for it will be 30-40 degrees. From time to time, you can wash in hotter water - up to 60 degrees.

This luxurious fabric belongs to the elite class. It is famous for its special texture and impeccable appearance. To preserve its royal beauty and coloring, you need to use a washing temperature not higher than 40 degrees.

Percale bed linen

This fabric is recognized as the best all over the world, therefore it is also called royal. Despite the fact that percale belongs to the luxury class of linens, linen made from it does not require special care. This underwear is durable and comfortable. It can withstand over 1000 wash cycles.

Temperature regimes are selected according to the following principle:

  • The first time this fabric needs to be washed in cold twenty-degree water.
  • Subsequent washings can be carried out at 60 degrees.

Sometimes on the label with care signs it is written that the laundry can be washed at 80 degrees. water, but not worth the risk. High temperatures will destroy the fibers of the product.

Silk bedding

Natural silk is no less capricious than wool. Before washing it, you need to make sure that the dyes do not fade. To avoid color fading, wash a set of clothes at 30 degrees, and then rinse in cold water. So it will not lose its properties and will retain its original appearance for a long time.

Silk underwear with satin

The canvases of these sets appeared quite recently and are considered modern. The front side of the fabric is woven from silk threads, and the wrong side is woven from satin. This makes such underwear more durable. Like other delicate natural fabrics, it requires gentle washing temperatures - up to 30 degrees.

Knitted bed linen

Knitted fabric is soft and stretchy. It is not as durable as others, but to maximize its life, wash it only at 30 degrees. It will retain quality and color.

Viscose underwear

Viscose is produced artificially from cellulose. Despite this, it is closer to natural fabrics than to artificial ones. Depending on the processing of the threads and the type of weaving, it can look like satin, silk or cotton. Regardless of this, it can only be washed at a temperature not exceeding 50 degrees. Better in colder water. So it will last longer and will not lose its attractiveness and excellent properties.

Poplin bedding

This synthetic material is considered the best among analogues. Dirt is easily washed off from it, and it does not require special care. Regardless of the number of washes, the fabric remains unchanged and does not lose color saturation. Poplin bedding is washed only at 30 degrees. water.

Polyester bed linen

This synthetic fabric does not make the best linen in terms of benefits for the body, but it is practical and easy to wash. Nothing will happen to such fabrics when washing at temperatures up to 40 degrees. They perfectly retain colors and patterns, do not wear out for a long time.


All fabrics are different, so keep an eye on the washing temperature and wash bed linen sets separately from other items. Try not to wash individual items of the set separately from others, so that the color and condition of the laundry are the same. So they will last longer, providing a sweet dream to you and your family.

Bed linen has to be changed and washed frequently. Constant contact with water leads to the fact that the material loses its attractiveness, softness and freshness. In order for things to last as long as possible, it is necessary to properly wash bedding in a washing machine.

Preparing things for washing

Before washing bed linen, you should follow a few recommendations. If there are several sets in line, then it is necessary:

  1. Wash colored items separately from whites. If you neglect this rule, then it is likely that the underwear will shed.
  2. Linen made of wool, silk or calico cannot be washed at the same time. Each material has its own washing mode.
  3. Pillowcases and duvet covers should be turned inside out before the procedure. This rule is especially true for colored linen.
  4. In order to freshen the baby's underwear, it is necessary to follow the hygiene requirements for washing. It is not recommended to place newborn clothes in the drum together with adult clothes. In addition, special powders and conditioners should be used.
  5. Each item has a label that indicates the appropriate washing mode. If the label had to be cut off, then it must be saved.

It is also necessary to take into account the weight of bed linen. Such things are quite voluminous and if you overload the machine, then it may not withstand such a load. If it’s impossible to determine a lot of things by eye, then the bed linen weight table comes to the rescue.

The table shows the approximate weight of dry laundry and for different types of material it will differ. How many sets of things fit in the drum depends on the model of the machine. If the load is from 5 kg or more, then it is quite possible to put two batches at once.

But in order for the soiled laundry to be washed as well as possible, you should not load the machine to the maximum. A large number of things will certainly affect the quality of the process.

Choosing the right temperature

To decide on which mode to wash a thing, information about what this material is made of will help. The temperature for the procedure can be selected by reading the information on the label.

Cotton and linen. Both materials are usually washed at 60°C. But, for example, children's bedding that requires disinfection can be washed at 90 °C. Spinning at maximum speed is allowed, but it is better to refuse automatic drying. It is advisable to air the linen on the street or on the balcony, avoiding direct sunlight. Ultraviolet has a negative effect on cotton materials.

Synthetic materials. This fabric is not very durable and it is better to use the delicate mode. The temperature of the water must not exceed 40°C, otherwise the duvet covers and sheets may be pilled. Tumble drying is not recommended.


Silk. Silk bedding is quite expensive and needs special care. The maximum washing temperature is 30 °C. The modes "Drying" and "Spin" are prohibited. For the best effect, you must use liquid powders, conditioners and water softeners.

Poplin. Poplin is washed in the same way as cotton. Withstands temperatures up to 60 °C, but washes well even at 40 °C.

If the pollution is not serious, then it is better to start with a minimum temperature.

Satin. The material is quite strong, so washing at a temperature of 60 ° C is quite acceptable. But, if the procedure is carried out using liquid detergents, then it is better to set 40 ° C. Spinning is carried out at maximum speed.

Batiste and bamboo. The procedure is carried out in the "Delicate" mode, with a spin at medium speed. The materials are easy to care for, they are easy to wash, and the recommended washing temperature is up to 40 ° C.

To determine how often you need to wash clothes, you need to turn to the physiology and lifestyle of the owner of the bedding. Ideally, sheets and pillowcases should be changed once a week, especially if the person sweats a lot. But most often people carry out this procedure once every 2 weeks.


After the material and the mode suitable for it have been determined, you can proceed to the procedure. A few more simple tips will help you wash clothes correctly and extend their service life:

  1. Ordinary laundry detergents get stuck in the fibers of the material and are difficult to wash out. Now they produce special liquid shampoos that are great for washing bed linen. It is especially good to use them for people who suffer from allergies and for things of small children.
  2. Bedding is recommended to be washed separately from other products. You should not even put handkerchiefs or socks that at first glance seem clean. Such things can give the fabric an unpleasant gray color.
  3. Washed colored linen can be brought back to life with laundry soap. The product should be soaked in soapy water for several hours, and then washed in the machine in the usual way.
  4. Before using only the purchased kit, it must be washed in the machine and using a small amount of powder. This will help get rid of not only excess dye, but also kill germs.
  5. If a guest slept on a sheet, it must be washed before further use. Even if a person is clean and spent only one night on linen, then one should not neglect the rules of hygiene and refuse the procedure.
  6. Special rinses are difficult to wash out of the fibers of the material, so you should not add a large amount of the product. They not only cause allergic reactions, but also attract dirt.
  7. The washing machine door and seals must be kept clean so that the resulting dirt does not fall on things. It is advisable to use the double rinse function with each wash.
  8. You can get rid of yellowness with bleach. It is enough to add it to a special compartment and start the washing program.
  9. Before starting the procedure, it is necessary to turn the pillowcases and duvet covers inside out and manually remove the stains, if they are present on the material. Buttons and zippers must be fastened.
  10. Any washed thing that has lost its beauty, but it is a pity to throw it away, can be brought into an acceptable form. The sheet or towel should be dyed any color you choose. Special paints are sold in the departments of household chemicals. The procedure can be carried out directly in the washing machine, having studied the instructions on the package.

There are no universal methods for washing, there are only approximate recommendations. In order to wash a thing with high quality and not spoil it, you should study the labels that are sewn into the seam of the product. The manufacturer always indicates the preferred washing mode, how many degrees the material can withstand, the spin power and acceptable detergents.

It would seem that washing bed linen is as easy as shelling pears: just load it into the tank of the washing machine, select the desired mode and get clean pillowcases and sheets at the exit. In fact, the bed quickly loses its presentation, the pattern becomes faded, the fabric rolls, and the seams on the pillowcases and duvet covers quickly diverge. In order for the bed set to retain its aesthetic appearance for a long time, a number of simple recommendations must be followed when washing linen.

General rules of care

The choice of temperature and spin for washing a bed set depends on a number of factors:

  • fabric type;
  • the presence of a color pattern or embroidery;
  • color of matter;
  • pollution intensity.

Automatic modes in the washing machine are set as standard. For example, the "cotton" program means washing at the highest temperature with the highest spin speed. Such settings are optimal only for durable plain or snow-white linen made of cotton. But bedding made of other fabrics or cotton with a color pattern with such parameters will shed heavily and lose their color. All settings are recommended to be set manually, adjusting the temperature and spin speed.

It is very important not to overload the washing machine. If the appliance does not have an auto-weighing function, you must calculate the weight of the loaded laundry yourself. On average, the mass of bedding corresponds to the following values:

  • pillowcases - 200 g;
  • sheet - 500 g;
  • duvet cover - 600 g.

For effective washing and thorough rinsing of laundry, fill the drum up to 70% by weight.

Selecting settings for the washing machine

Bedding sets are sewn from different types of woven fabric:

  1. Cotton: percale, calico, flannel, satin, poplin. Cotton products are the most unpretentious in use - they are allowed to be washed at the maximum temperature, they practically do not deform during the spin cycle.
  2. Linen. Linen fabric is unpretentious to the temperature regime, however, it is deformed during intensive wringing. In order for the product to be easily smoothed out, it is recommended to carefully straighten the seams after washing, matching the joints with each other.
  3. Bamboo. Bamboo products are soft and light, but require delicate care. At high temperatures, the sheets deform, roll and lose their original softness.
  4. Silk, velvet. Elite and expensive kits require the most careful care. Such products are incompatible with abrasive powders, bleaches and aggressive stain removers. Silk fabric is prone to deformation and is washed without wringing.
  5. . Lightweight, flowing fabric is resistant to pilling, however, needs delicate care. The canvas is prone to deformation, therefore it is erased in the mode without spinning.
  6. Batiste. Lightweight textiles should be washed on a hand wash program with minimal spin to avoid damaging the fabric.
  7. Synthetics: microfiber, polyester. Bed sets roll down at high temperatures, their seams diverge. However, it is easy to remove dirt from such laundry even at 40 °.

The packaging of each set must indicate the composition, and recommendations for washing: temperature, maximum spin speed, whether boiling or bleaching is possible. New bedding must be washed by hand before first use.

At what temperature you can wash bed linen from different materials in SMA, detailed in the table.

Fabric type Machine wash mode Degrees MAX Spin speed MAX
Coarse calico cotton 60° 800
Percale cotton 60° 800
Flannel cotton 95° 1000
satin delicate 40° 600
Linen cotton 60° 800
Bamboo delicate, manual 40° 400
Silk handmade, wool 30° without spin
Velvet handmade, wool 30° without spin
Synthetics delicate 40° 600
Viscose delicate 40° without spin
Batiste delicate, manual 40° 400

Important: sleeping sets with a color pattern are allowed to be washed at a temperature not exceeding 45 °, regardless of the type of fabric. It is allowed to set 60 ° for colored cotton items, but using liquid, non-aggressive detergents.

Washing by hand

Bedding will last longer and retain color vibrancy when hand washed. Advantages:

  1. The maximum water temperature is no more than 40°, which is suitable for almost all types of fabrics.
  2. Gentle washing prevents the formation of pellets and seams on bed linen.
  3. Mechanical manual extraction does not deform the fabric.
  4. Stubborn dirt is removed more efficiently.

Washing bedding sets in this way, especially double and euro sets, is quite problematic. To do this, use a large container, mainly a bath. However, the efforts spent will allow you to preserve the original appearance of the sleeping set for a long time.

Boiling and bleaching

Boiling is used to bleach, remove heavy soiling and disinfect (from helminths, bed bugs, bed mites) linen. In washing machines, this procedure is available when the cotton mode is selected with an automatically set temperature of 95 °.

Boiling is allowed only for plain and white cotton bedding. Linen with a pattern with such parameters sheds heavily and loses its original color. Synthetic microfiber and polyester fabrics roll and warp.

Important : cotton and linen types of matter shrink slightly when boiled, on average, up to 10%.

Delicate fabrics such as silk, velvet, viscose are incompatible with optical and chlorine bleaches. However, to get rid of unwanted yellowness or grayness of fabrics, to make sheets snow-white and to remove unpleasant odors, it is possible with the use of liquid oxygen-containing bleaches. They begin to work when soaked, at a water temperature of 40 °, do not harm the fabrics, rinse out completely.

At home, you can whiten bed linen using improvised means: citric acid, hydrogen peroxide, soda, ammonia, grated laundry soap.

Ironing

Ironing bedding is necessary to disinfect fabrics, in addition, ironed linen looks aesthetically pleasing and it is much more pleasant to sleep on it. On the original packaging of the sleeping set there are always recommendations on the ironing mode. The marking looks like an iron with a numerical designation of the temperature inside.

General ironing rules for different fabrics:

  1. Cottons and linens are easier to iron when slightly damp.
  2. Linen with embroidery, colored patterns and jacquard weave must be ironed from the wrong side.
  3. Sets of fabrics that require careful handling are ironed through cheesecloth at a minimum setting.
  4. Silk products should be ironed while damp at the lowest temperature.
  5. Cotton and linen types of fabrics can be ironed at maximum degrees using steam.

A steam generator will help simplify the ironing process. With it, you can straighten any type of fabric without deforming the fabric.