JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Your bed is likely dirtier than you’d like to admit -- so dirty that you might want to run and strip your sheets right now.
According to lab-tested samples from the National Science Foundation, your sheets have 5 million bacteria or “colony-forming units” within just one week without a wash.
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That’s all of the dead skin, dandruff, and sweat you leave behind.
In just four weeks, that number jumps to more than 11.3 million.
When it comes to your pillowcase, bacteria multiply even faster.
Tests found 3 million “colony-forming units” in just one week. That’s 17,000 times more than a toilet seat.
By four weeks, that jumped to nearly 12 million. That’s 39 times more bacteria than a pet bowl.
Finally, your mattress accumulates roughly 3 million bacteria within the first year. By year seven, that number is 16 million.
Scientists say those numbers prove you should wash your sheets once a week.
Housekeepers recommend you do it over the weekend or pick a day that works with your schedule, so you can establish a consistent routine.
You should clean your mattress every time you deep clean your house. Just use your vacuum’s upholstery attachment.
Baking soda can help deodorize your mattress, too. Sprinkle it on, let it absorb for an hour, then vacuum.
Don’t try this on your memory foam mattress, though. It can damage it.
And here’s something you likely didn’t think about -- and might go against what your parents might have taught you – wait to make your bed in the morning. Don’t do it as soon as you get up.
Scientists say you should give your bed time to air out. Dust mites prefer and thrive in dark, damp spaces, so experts recommend flipping your covers back when you get out of bed and waiting about an hour before remaking it.