When was the last time you washed your curtains? You’ll be surprised to know how frequently home linens need to be cleaned. They come in contact with food, dead skin cells, dirt, grime and pollution, and they need to be changed regularly. Follow this guide on when to wash bed sheets and other linen to keep your home dust and germ-free.

1. Bath towels

Wash them after 3 or 4 uses

Bath towels are not as clean and fresh as you think. After every use, the damp towels become a breeding ground for microbes. Wash them after every 3-4 uses to prevent odour and infections. You will need to wash them even more frequently if you work out regularly or sweat a lot.

Do: Air them out after every use.

Don’t: Share your towels with family members.

2. Hand towels

Wash them every second day

Hand towels see high traffic of germs as they come in contact with multiple people in the house. That’s why they need to be washed frequently. If you have kids at home, you should change these towels every day or at least every second day.

Do: Always buy hand towels in bulk so you can put out fresh ones every other day.

Don’t: Use them if they feel rough or have a musky odour even after a wash.

3. Kitchen towels

Wash them every week

If you cook every day at home, your kitchen towels have to bear the brunt of heavy-duty cleaning. By the end of the day, they have food stains, odour, and a host of bacteria. Wash them every week and dry them out in the sun to give them a long life.

Do: Use paper towels instead to keep your kitchen slab germ-free.

Don’t: Leave a kitchen towel dripping wet after you finish cleaning. Wring it thoroughly and air-dry it.

4. Bed sheets

Wash them every 7-10 days

Bed sheets come in direct contact with your face and body so it’s important to keep them clean and fresh. If you live in an area that has dust and pollution, you should change your sheets every week. This should be done even more frequently if you have little children, pets or go to sleep after a workout without taking a shower.

Do: Use a fabric conditioner especially for your bedsheets. The fresh smell of linen will give you a good night’s sleep.

Don’t: Eat in bed.

5. Pillows

Clean them twice a year

Covers are not enough to protect your pillows from exposure to dirt, grime and germs. After prolonged use, pillows can become rough and smelly. Dry clean them twice a year to keep them fluffy and fresh.

Do: Use pillowcases along with covers to protect your pillows.

Don’t: Sleep on a pillow without a cover.

6. Comforters

Wash them once a year

Comforters come in use only in the cold weather so they don’t need to be cleaned as often.

Do: Put them out in the sun every week when you use them.

Don’t: Put them in the machine. Always get them dry cleaned.

7. Curtains

Wash them 3-4 times a year

Curtains are most prone to household dust and outside pollution. If you live in the city, you will notice how your curtains start looking dull after a few months. That’s grime settling over them. Wash them at least 3 times a year to keep them looking new.

Do: Vacuum them once a month.

Don’t: Use light coloured curtains that need more frequent cleaning.