How to Keep Your Sheets Fresh Without Putting Them in the Wash

Time poor? Want your sheets to feel fresher for longer? We've got the answers.

Is there any better feeling than going to bed and tucking yourself into fresh sheets? You're clean, cosy, and ready for a great night's sleep.

And while we highly recommend you wash your linen once a week to avoid the build-up of nasty bacteria, skin cells, and bodily secretions, sometimes life gets the better of us.

Whether you're time-poor, an unexpected guest will be arriving, your sheets won't dry in time, or you simply want to keep your bedding as fresh as possible between washes, here's how you can do it without even having to put them in the wash.

1. Pull your duvet and top sheet back

Making your bed is an important first step of the day, but if you want to keep your sheets fresh, it might be worth "un-making" it. Instead of pulling your duvet and top sheet up to your pillows, neatly fold them back to expose the underneath of the duvet cover and the sheet to allow air to circulate. This can help reduce any odours that have been trapped overnight.

2. Hang them out

If you want to go one step further than just pulling your sheets back, remove your sheets and pillowcases and air them out either outside or in a well-ventilated area. By letting your sheet breathe, you can help fight moisture, bacteria, dust mites, and odours.

3. Tumble dry + dryer sheet

If you're time-poor, you can take your sheets off and pop them in the dryer with a dryer sheet for 20-30 minutes. This will give them that delightful "just washed" feeling.

4. Spray with linen spray

The quickest trick of them all, a nice spritz of linen spray is a surefire way to bring a lovely scent to your bedding. You don't have to buy an expensive spray! You can make Chantel Mila's DIY version.

In a spray bottle mix:

1 cup water
1 tbsp witch hazel (or rubbing alcohol or vodka)
20 drops of essential oils of your choice. Chantel loves using lavender, sweet orange or ylang-ylang for a calming, peaceful smell.

5. Sprinkle with baking soda

Baking soda really is one of those magical ingredients. From neutralising odours to giving cookies a light and fluffy texture, it's an affordable, must-have item. The good news is you can also use it to freshen up your sheets because it naturally absorbs moisture and odour-causing particles. Simply sprinkle some onto your linen, let it sit for an hour, and then give your bedding a vacuum. Voilà!

6. Shower at night

If you don't shower before bed, you're hopping into your sheets with the day's worth of dirt on you. This will result in your bedding getting dirtier quicker. If possible, switch up your routine to include a nighttime shower.