Monsters under the bed aren’t the only bedtime horrors to worry about.
Sheets and pillowcases may actually be embedded with bacteria, according to a new study by Amerisleep, a mattress company in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Unwashed bedding could even contain more bacteria than toilet seats after just one week, according to the study findings.
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After four weeks, the number of CFUs jumped to 11.96 million, which is 39 times more bacteria than a pet food bowl contains (306,000 CFUs).
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Sheets, on the other hand, collected about five million CFUs in one week, which is 24,631 times more bacteria than bathroom doorknobs (203 CFUs).
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The other two common bacteria found were gram-positive rods (24.94%) and bacilli (23.38%), which are usually the culprits behind food poisoning and similar infections, Amerisleep noted in its findings.
A mattress that’s less than a year old contains three million CFUs per square inch, the study found.
The most common bacteria found on 7-year-old mattresses were gram-negative rods (37.36%). Mattresses of that age were the only ones to show all four types of bacteria.
In light of these findings, bedding should be washed once every seven days, said Amerisleep.
The maximum number of days sheets can go without being changed before being considered “gross” is 35 days, according to the company.
“Washing sheets regularly is not only good hygiene, but it may also improve your sleep quality,” Amerisleep states on its website.
“More people feel excited about going to bed on fresh sheets,” the company added.
“Clean bedsheets invite sleep, which serves to boost your sleep quality.”
In addition to pathogens, Saphier explained that dirt, oil and other substances can “really build up and affect the immune system.”
“Washing sheets regularly is not only good hygiene, but it may also improve your sleep quality.”
Washing your sheets weekly is recommended in most cases, per the guidance of WebMD.
Certain bedtime arrangements such as sleeping with pets can become a free-for-all for dust mites, which love to feed on dead skin cells, the site reported.
A woman sleeps with her dog. (iStock)
The average human sheds 500 million skin cells per day, according to WebMD, welcoming dust mites and their droppings into bed which can trigger allergies, asthma and other skin reactions.
For bad breakouts, the health site suggested changing pillowcases every two to three days.
If you’re sick, bedding should be thrown into the wash immediately to kill lingering germs, WebMD said, since some bacteria and viruses can survive longer than others.
An illustration of dust mites on a pillow. (iStock)
Other factors that can add to gross stuff between the sheets include sleeping in the nude, snacking in bed, sleeping with kids or excessive sweating at night.
Color-safe bleach can also be used as an extra germ-killer on bedding, especially when cleaning up after an illness.
