How Often Should You Change Silk Pillowcases

How often people should change their silk pillowcases sparks much consideration concerning health, beauty, and comfort.

While many people appreciate the fresh feel and smell of a clean pillowcase, some may miss the advantage of a proper and timely pillowcase change to overall skin appearance and general well-being.

A build-up of sweat and oils on silk pillowcases can cause bacteria to grow. Daily use causes possible allergic reactions. So you should change your pillowcase regularly and wash it separately from pillows.

General guidelines suggest:

• Every few days for normal use.

• Every day if you have skin, allergies, asthma, or other health issues.

• A maximum of seven days.

While sheets may be washed weekly, pillowcases should be changed and washed every few days to remove accumulated bacteria. If you have skin issues, allergies, asthma, or other health problems, you may want to change your pillowcase daily. The more frequent changes will facilitate healthier skin and help avoid oil and bacteria exposure. While you can flip a pillow over to extend the use a few more days, you should use a pillowcase no more than a week between laundering.

It's also important to have several sets of 100% mulberry silk pillowcases on hand. Failure to use fresh silk pillowcases may increase dust mites in your mattress and reduce its usable life. Buying two or three pillowcases is generally a good idea anyway since it takes a while for silk pillowcases to get washed and dried. It's a good idea to have three silk pillowcases so that you can have one available for immediate changing, one on the bed, and one in the wash. You may need more if you routinely get behind on the laundry.