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Bedding and laundry planner

Change the sheets every week, every 3 days with pets on the bed; fresh towels at least weekly; the duvet and pillows every six months, or monthly at 60 °C with a dust-mite allergy.

Count the nights away, on trips or at a partner’s, as not in it.
Anything that calls for more washing?
Fresh towels
Cleveland Clinic suggests two or three times a week if the bathroom stays humid.
kg, as on the machine’s panel or door
Pillows
Duvet
Mattress

Your bedding and laundry

Sheets and duvet cover, at 40 °C Every week Sleep Foundation and Cleveland Clinic say weekly1,2; IKW says every 1 to 2 weeks for most people3. With nobody ill at home, 40 °C with a full detergent is enough, or up to 60 °C with a colour detergent3,6. In Switzerland and Germany the duvet cover is part of the bed set; Sleep Foundation’s every 2 weeks to a month for it assumes a top sheet1,3.
Pillowcases Every week With the sheets. Sleep Foundation says pillowcases weekly1.
Bath towels, at 60 °C Every week Cleveland Clinic says a fresh bath towel at least once a week, and two to three times a week if the bathroom is humid7; IKW says once if not twice a week3. Forum Waschen puts towels in the 60 °C wash with a bleach powder6.
Washing at 60 °C 0.2 loads a week About 1.5 kg of towels a week, plus 3 kg of bedding at 40 °C (0.4 loads). Samsung puts a bath towel at about 0.75 kg and a sheet at about 0.5 kg, and says a load must not weigh more than the machine’s rated capacity8; we count a bed set (sheet and duvet cover) as 1.5 kg and leave the pillowcases out. Forum Waschen: towels always at 60 °C, bedding only with a mite allergy, pets or illness; and if most of your washing is cooler, a 60 °C wash with a bleach powder once or twice a month keeps the machine fresh6.
Duvet and pillows: wash them Every 6 months The sources differ: BICO says once a year11, Cleveland Clinic every six months or as needed2, and Sleep Foundation a synthetic pillow every 3 to 6 months9. We take six months.
Mattress: turn it Every 3 months Riposa says rotating its one-sided mattress head to foot every month makes it last longer15; Swiss Sense says at least four times a year16. Sleep Foundation says about every 3 months unless the maker says otherwise14. The chore takes the four times a year all of them reach.
Pillows (synthetic, from 2024): replace 2026 to 2029 The sources disagree: Sleep Foundation 6 months to 2 years9, IKEA 1 to 2 years10, BICO 3 to 5 years11. Sooner if they’re lumpy or flat or you wake with a sore neck9.
Duvet (synthetic, from 2022): replace 2026 to 2032 The sources disagree, and BICO with itself: Dauny 6 to 8 years13, BICO’s care page 6 to 8 years11, BICO’s FAQ 3 to 5 years12, IKEA 10 years10.
Mattress (from 2021): replace 2027 to 2031 Sleep Foundation 6 to 8 years14, BICO 8 to 10 years12, Riposa 8 to 10 years15.

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How we worked this out

Sheets. Sleep Foundation and Cleveland Clinic say once a week1,2; IKW, the German detergent makers’ association, says every 1 to 2 weeks, and at least weekly if you sweat a lot at night3. With a dust-mite allergy, Forum Waschen and the Swiss allergy centre aha! say weekly at 60 °C4,5. With pets on the bed, Sleep Foundation says every 3 to 4 days; we take 31. If you spend fewer nights in the bed, we keep the nights between changes about the same, up to the two weeks Sleep Foundation gives for a bed you’re not in every night. The duvet cover goes with the sheet, as a bed set: Sleep Foundation’s every 2 weeks to a month for it assumes a top sheet under it.

Towels and temperatures. Cleveland Clinic says a fresh bath towel at least weekly, two to three times a week in a humid bathroom7. Forum Waschen washes towels, washcloths and kitchen textiles at 60 °C with a bleach powder, and bedding at 60 °C only with a mite allergy, pets, or someone ill at home6. For the loads we weigh a bath towel at 0.75 kg and a sheet at 0.5 kg, Samsung’s figures, and count a bed set as three sheets’ worth8. That is our estimate; your drum’s rated load is the limit.

Duvets and pillows. The sources differ on washing: BICO says once a year11, Cleveland Clinic every six months2, Sleep Foundation every 2 to 6 months by fill9. We take six months, and a month with a mite allergy (Forum Waschen 4 to 6 weeks, aha! at least monthly). Down is washed only if its label allows, at up to 60 °C, and cleaned professionally every 3 to 5 years at most13.

Replacing. Makers disagree, so the page shows each range. Pillows: IKEA 1 to 2 years10, BICO 3 to 511, Sleep Foundation by fill from 6 months to 4 years9. Duvets: Dauny 8 years for down and 6 to 8 for synthetic or wool13, BICO 6 to 8 on its care page but 3 to 5 in its FAQ12, IKEA 1010. Mattresses: Sleep Foundation 6 to 8 years14, BICO and Riposa 8 to 1015. A chore can repeat at most every two years, so these become one yearly check with the years in its note.

Turning the mattress. Swiss Sense says monthly and at least four times a year, but never flip a visco-foam mattress16; Riposa says monthly for its one-sided mattress, head to foot15; Tempur’s are no-turn17. The chore takes four times a year.

Sources

  1. 1
    How often should you wash your sheets? Sleep Foundation · Authority · checked Oct 18, 2026
  2. 2
    How often you should wash your sheets Cleveland Clinic · Authority · checked Oct 18, 2026
  3. 3
    Zeit für den Wäschewechsel IKW (Industrieverband Körperpflege- und Waschmittel) · Authority · checked Oct 18, 2026
  4. 4
    Wäschepflege im Allergikerhaushalt (2019) Forum Waschen / IKW · Authority · checked Oct 18, 2026
  5. 5
    10 Tipps gegen Hausstaubmilben aha! Allergiezentrum Schweiz · Authority · checked Oct 18, 2026
  6. 6
    Waschen bei 30 °C oder niedriger: Wann ist es sinnvoll, wann nicht? (2021) Forum Waschen · Authority · checked Oct 18, 2026
  7. 7
    How often should you wash your bath towels? Cleveland Clinic · Authority · checked Oct 18, 2026
  8. 8
    How much laundry can I put in my washing machine? Samsung UK · Maker · checked Oct 18, 2026
  9. 9
    How often should you replace your pillows? Sleep Foundation · Authority · checked Oct 18, 2026
  10. 10
    How to choose the right bedding IKEA Canada · Maker · checked Oct 18, 2026
  11. 11
    Garantie & Pflegehinweise BICO · Maker · checked Oct 18, 2026
  12. 12
    FAQ BICO · Maker · checked Oct 18, 2026
  13. 13
    So pflegen Sie Duvets und Kissen richtig Dauny · Maker · checked Oct 18, 2026
  14. 14
    When should you replace your mattress? Sleep Foundation · Authority · checked Oct 18, 2026
  15. 15
    Care instructions Riposa · Maker · checked Oct 18, 2026
  16. 16
    Matratze umdrehen und wenden Swiss Sense · Maker · checked Oct 18, 2026
  17. 17
    How to look after a mattress Tempur UK · Maker · checked Oct 18, 2026

These are the makers’ figures for typical use. If your appliance’s manual or its own indicator says otherwise, go with that.