We all love to sleep in bed linen that feels and looks luxurious. The ones that we sleep in at fancy hotels are to die for. You also can enjoy using such linen at your home. All you need to do is maintain your bed linen in the condition that you buy it from the store. And for that it goes without saying that you do have to take a little effort.
Here are some tips to help you maintain and retain the long life of your bed linen:
1. Wash bed linen separately
Wash your bed linen separately from the rest of your clothing, including the towels. It might be a good idea to wash white linen separately from the rest of the colored ones.
2. Do not overload the machine
When you stuff the machine with too much load it does not help in the removal of dirt but instead pushes in back into the linen, due to lack of space for the linen to move around in the machine.
3. Use cold water to wash them
Unless your sheets are extremely soiled, there is no reason to wash them using hot water. Hot water may cause the fibers in the fabric to break down and reduce the life of your linen. You can also save on your energy bills by opting to wash them in cold water.
4. Use mild detergents
Try to use detergents that are manufactured specially for washing bed linen. If you can’t, then at least opt for detergents that do not contain harsh chemicals or excessive fragrances that do not ruin your fabrics over time.
5. Never use bleach
Even if you are stuck with stained sheets never choose to use bleach. They will eat the fabric and destroy it, making the weave weak. If you want to remove stains buy stain remover especially for delicate fabric. They work well.
6. Do not use fabric softeners
You might get swayed by the adverts on fabric softeners that are supposed to magically soften your sheets and make them smell like a garden full of orchids. Fabric softeners actually reduce the absorbency of your linen and even cause an artificial film or covering on your fabric.
7. Mild drying
Do not completely dry your sheets in the dryer. It is always best to leave it slightly damp and dry it on the lines in the garden. If you do have to tumble dry, choose to do so on a low setting. It’s best to shake and spread the slightly damp sheets out to prevent the wrinkles from setting in.
8. Ironing
Ironing your linen gives it a wonderful look. Most of us are too lazy while the rest have discovered the trick of ironing only the areas that are visible to the eye. When you iron don’t forget to iron the embroidered parts from below to make them stand out when they are spread.
Never neglect your sheets and cut short their life. Do try these tips to make your bed linen retain its quality and appearance.
