October 10, 2024, 10:52 am | Read time: 4 minutes
There’s always something to do around the house. When vacuuming, mopping floors, and tidying up, a few places are sometimes forgotten. Home textiles are at the top of the list of forgotten areas when cleaning the house.
When doing laundry, you should occasionally consider not only dirty clothes but also the fabrics you use to furnish your home. Over time, dirt, dust, hair, and dandruff also accumulate here. Find out which textiles are washed far too rarely.
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7 textiles that are washed too infrequently
1. Bed linen
Hygiene in your bed is essential for a restful sleep. To sleep in a clean bed, you should wash your bed linen regularly. Sweat, shed hair, and skin flakes accumulate in the bed linen. Germs and mites feel particularly at home here due to the cozy warmth.
Most people know that bed linen needs to be changed regularly. But how often should they ideally be washed? If you change and wash your bed linen at least every two weeks, you’re on the right track. In summer or for people who perspire heavily, a shorter period makes sense.
2. Mattress protector
One floor down, the next all-inclusive hotel for mites is already waiting: the mattress protector. As the name suggests, this textile protects the mattress from sweat, dandruff, and bugs. In other words, they are trapped in the protector. Therefore, it is recommended that the mattress protector be washed once a month.
3. Shower curtain
Germs thrive in damp, warm, and dirty environments. The shower curtain meets these criteria perfectly due to the water and soap residue. You should, therefore, not wash this textile too rarely. Otherwise, mold will form on the hem of the curtain.
To prevent mildew, you should wash the shower curtain about once a month at 30 degrees Celsius. It is important not to use the spin cycle. After washing, leave the shower curtain to dry thoroughly and then iron it on a low setting. In this case, ironing does not remove wrinkles but maintains the water-repellent treatment. Without this water-repellent treatment, the shower curtain loses its waterproof quality, potentially leading to a flooded bathroom after use.
4. Bath Mat
There are other textiles in the bathroom that are washed far too infrequently. These include the bath mat. Not only does the water drip off when you get out of the shower, but there may also be a splash or two from the toilet flush. The daily exposure to moisture, along with accumulated dander and hair, creates an ideal environment for germs and bacteria on this household textile.
For a hygienic bathroom, the bath mat should be washed every two weeks at a minimum of 60 degrees Celsius. If it is a mat with a rubber coating, 40 degrees is also sufficient. This is because the rubber layer could peel off at higher temperatures.
5. Towels
Both hand and bath towels should be replaced regularly. When washing your hands, for example, it can happen that you have not washed off all the bacteria and then spread them in the towel when drying off. On the other hand, skin flakes and hair can be found in the bath towel – an ideal food source for bacteria.
Therefore, washing hand towels and bath towels once a week is advisable. To effectively kill germs, it’s essential to wash the textiles frequently and at a sufficiently high temperature. 30 or 40 degrees Celsius is not enough. Microorganisms are effectively eliminated at temperatures of 60 degrees Celsius (140 degrees Fahrenheit) and above.
6. Tea towels
Like towels, all kinds of microorganisms can also be found in tea towels. If you don’t want to spread germs over the clean dishes when drying them, you should replace the cloths once a week and wash them at 60 degrees Celsius.
7. Dishwashing sponge
Dishwashing sponges are a real paradise for bacteria and germs. They regularly come into contact with food residues, which are an ideal food source for bacteria. The warm water then makes it really cozy for the microorganisms.
To prevent compromising your health, it is advisable to replace the sponge every week. Tip: You don’t have to throw the sponge away immediately; you can simply wash it in the dishwasher or washing machine. The high temperature of the water effectively kills the bacteria.