How To Keep Your White Bedding White

Bright, white bedding is the most popular bedding out there (we even wrote an article on why that’s the case). It’s versatile and will never go out of fashion. But with great white bedding comes great responsibility, as that whiteness we all love can easily stain or look a bit dull if it’s not looked after properly.

So, if you’ve just bought some hotel quality white bedding from us, here’s our tips on how you can keep your bedding white.

Don’t eat or drink in bed, and remove any makeup too

The above image may look fun, but I don't think you'll appreciate splling red wine on your white sheets! In the past I loved nothing better than climbing into bed at the end of a long day, switching on the TV and cracking open a bar of chocolate to wolf down. It sounds relaxing, but it’s definitely not good for either you or your white bedding. These days, I and my wife are a lot more conscious about taking it easy with the junk food, but we’ve also completely stopped eating in bed too (we’ve ditched the TV as well, as watching TV in bed is a terrible way to prepare yourself for sleep. Read a book instead!).

So, I’m here to tell you to avoid drinking and eating in bed too, as it’s a quick way to stain those beautiful white sheets you just spent your hard-earned cash on. All it takes is a single drop from that glass of red wine you took to bed with you, as getting it out can often be a nightmare.

Another thing that can cause staining on your white bedding is makeup. Remove any makeup or skincare products from your face and neck before you get into bed. If you don’t, you’ll just end up with unsightly brown marks all over your bedding, particularly as we tend to sweat during the night. Removing makeup before sleep is also much better for your skin, as detailed here.

If a stain does happen, deal with it straight away

If you decided to ignore the above advice about not eating in bed (who I am to say you can’t have the occasional breakfast in bed?) or wearing makeup when you go to sleep, you’ve more than likely got a stain on your hands. Don’t panic, just make sure you deal with it straight away as the longer you wait, the more time the stain has to set in and then it becomes really difficult to get rid of.

A good tip to get rid of stains on white bedding is one that doesn’t require any specialist product or equipment. Simply wet a sponge with warm water and add a little washing up liquid, before gently dabbing away at the stain. You should then stick your bedding in the washing machine for good measure, and always follow the washing instructions on the label.

Don’t use bleach, try these methods instead

While you’d think that bleach would make your bedding whiter, you’d be wrong. Bleach can actually cause more yellowing over time, while using a chlorine bleach such as sodium hypochlorite will chemically damage your bedding, particularly weakening fibres on natural materials such as 100% cotton.

Instead, there are a few home remedies that work particularly well without you having to splash out on expensive cleaning products. One method is add around 60ml (¼ cup in US measurements) of lemon juice into your washing machine along with your regular detergent.

Another simple method includes baking soda and vinegar. If you’ve ever looked up home cleaning tips on the Internet or follow any of the cleaning influencers that you’ll find all over Instagram, then you’ll see baking soda mentioned everywhere. But the reason for that is because it really does work and does wonders in all sorts of situations.

When it comes to washing bedding, all you need to do is add about 64g (½ cup in US measurements) of baking soda into the wash with your regular detergent. Just before the rinse cycle starts, add about 120ml (½ cup in US measurements) of vinegar into the machine to keep your sheets looking white and bright. Plus, the vinegar smell will wash away, so your bedding won’t end up smelling like a fish & chip shop!

Got a problem with your pillows turning yellow? Read our explanation about why pillows turn yellow and how you can prevent it.

Wash your white bedding regularly

Washing your bedding on a regular basis should really go without saying, but you’ll be surprised how long bedding can stay on a bed when we’re so wrapped up in our busy lives. During sleep, we shed dead skin, sweat and natural oils end up on the bedding, as well as other dirt and things that we’re not going to mention here! Basically, if you don’t wash your bedding then all you’re doing is sleeping in your own dirt.

We recommend washing your home bedding at least once every two weeks. If you have the time, then once a week is even better. Just be sure you have spare bedding to use while your dirty bedding is being washed and dried. Luckily, we’ve got plenty available in our bedroom section.

While this article is largely talking about white bed sheets, pillowcases and duvet covers, we also have some advice on how often you should wash duvets and pillows that you can read by clicking here.

When you do wash your white bedding, it’s crucial that you separate your whites from other colours. Always be diligent in checking your white bedding is on its own, as all it takes is one errant piece of pink underwear for the dye to transfer and ruin your whites.

Finally, when it comes to drying your white bedding then line drying is always best. Unfortunately, if you live in the UK, then you’ll be well aware that our fine countries weather doesn’t always make line drying possible. Again, always check the washing instructions on your bedding, but you’ll find it best to run a drying cycle on low for a short time. This is especially the case when it comes to bed sheets, as leaving them in the dryer for too long will lead to shrinkage.

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