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Why can’t I sleep? It could be your sheets or doona

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/chin-moi-chow-169404">Chin Moi Chow</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/cynthia-xinzhu-li-1532937">Cynthia (Xinzhu) Li</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/mark-halaki-1532934">Mark Halaki</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a> It’s winter, so many of us will be bringing out, or buying, winter bedding. But how much of a difference does your bedding make to your thermal comfort? Can a particular textile help you sleep? Is it wool, or other natural fibres, such as cotton? How about polyester? With so much choice, it’s easy to be confused. Here’s what we <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jsr.14217">found</a> when we reviewed the evidence – not just for winter, but also for the summer ahead. <h2>The importance of bedding</h2> We <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2020.110097">rely on our bedding</a> to maintain a comfortable temperature to help us sleep. And the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0378778817317681">right textiles</a> can help regulate our body temperature and <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/9783527342587.ch31">wick away moisture</a> from sweat, promoting better sleep. In the cooler months, we’re mainly concerned about a textile’s insulation properties – keeping body heat in and the cold out. As the temperature climbs, we’re less concerned about insulation and more concerned about wicking away moisture from sweat. Another factor to consider is a textile’s breathability – how well it allows air to pass through it. A breathable textile helps keep you cool, by allowing warmth from your body to escape. It also helps keep you comfortable by preventing build-up of moisture. By releasing excess heat and moisture, a breathable textile makes it feel cooler and more comfortable against the skin. <h2>Different textiles have different properties</h2> Some textiles are better than others when it comes to insulation, wicking away moisture or breathability. For instance, cotton and wool have tiny air pockets that <a href="https://nopr.niscair.res.in/bitstream/123456789/24505/1/IJFTR%2031(1)%20177-186.pdf">act as insulation</a> to provide <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0379711281900072">warmth</a> in cold weather. Thicker fabrics with more air pockets tend to be warmer, softer and more breathable. But these factors are also affected by the type of fibre, the weave of the fabric and the manufacturing process. Cotton and wool are also breathable fabrics, meaning they help regulate temperature. <hr /> <iframe id="CqVe0" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" style="border: none;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/CqVe0/" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0"></iframe> <hr /> While cotton absorbs moisture (sweat) from your skin, it doesn’t wick it away efficiently. This retained moisture can make cotton feel clingy and uncomfortable, potentially leading to chills in warm weather. But wool is <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jsr.14217">highly absorbent</a> and wicks moisture effectively. In warmer weather, when we sweat, wool fibres allow for airflow and moisture transfer, promoting efficient sweat evaporation and cooling, and preventing overheating. So wool (in different thicknesses) can be a good option in both summer and winter. Linen, although breathable and having moisture-wicking properties, provides less insulation than wool and cotton due to its hollow fibres. This makes linen less effective for keeping warm in winter but is effective for keeping cool in summer. Polyester is a synthetic fibre that can be made to trap air for insulation, but it is not naturally breathable. Usually, it absorbs moisture poorly. So it can trap sweat next to the skin, causing discomfort. However, polyester can be specially treated to help control moisture from sweat. <h2>Which sheets help you sleep?</h2> As part of our review, we couldn’t find any studies that directly compared sheets made from different textiles (for instance, regular cotton and flannelette) and their impact on sleep when it’s cold. However, linen sheets are particularly effective in warmer conditions. In one study, conducted at 29°C and high humidity, linen sheets <a href="https://openurl.ebsco.com/EPDB%3Agcd%3A10%3A26460954/detailv2?sid=ebsco%3Aplink%3Ascholar&id=ebsco%3Agcd%3A87732897&crl=c">promoted</a> less wakefulness and fewer stages of light sleep than cotton sheets. <h2>How about doonas?</h2> If you don’t heat your bedroom at night in winter, a goose down doona (one made from fine, goose feathers) might be an option. These promoted the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0378778818321728">longest, deep-sleep</a>, followed by duck down, then cotton when sleeping at 11°C. This may be because down offers better insulation (by trapping more air) than cotton. Down also has lower thermal conductivity than cotton, meaning it’s better at keeping warmth in. Choosing between a wool or polyester doona? In a wool-industry funded <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.2147/NSS.S100271">study</a> two of us (Chow and Halaki) co-authored, there wasn’t much difference. The study in young adults found no significant difference on sleep at 17°C or 22°C. <h2>So how do I choose?</h2> The choice of bedding is highly individual. What feels comfortable to one person is not the same for the next. That’s because of variations in body size and metabolic rate, local climate, bedroom temperature and building insulation. These can also affect sleep. This variability, and a wide range of study designs, also makes it hard to compare different studies about the impact of different textiles on sleep. So you might need to experiment with different textiles to discover what works for you. <hr /> Many factors can affect your sleep, not just your bedding. So if you’re having trouble sleeping, you can find more information from the <a href="https://www.sleephealthfoundation.org.au/">Sleep Health Foundation</a>. If symptoms continue, see your GP.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/229604/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/chin-moi-chow-169404">Chin Moi Chow</a>, Associate Professor of Sleep and Wellbeing, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/cynthia-xinzhu-li-1532937">Cynthia (Xinzhu) Li</a>, PhD candidate studying menopause and sleep, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/mark-halaki-1532934">Mark Halaki</a>, Professor of Human Movement, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-cant-i-sleep-it-could-be-your-sheets-or-doona-229604">original article</a>. </div>

Body

How often should you wash your sheets and towels?

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rietie-venter-100529">Rietie Venter</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> Everyone seems to have a different opinion when it comes to how often towels and <a href="https://7news.com.au/video/lifestyle/cleaning/dr-karl-on-how-often-you-should-wash-our-sheets-bc-6320410318112">bed sheets should be washed</a>. While many people might wonder whether days or weeks is best, in one survey from the United Kingdom, <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-61259074">almost half of single men</a> reported not washing their sheets for up to four months at a time. It’s fairly clear that four months is too long to leave it, but what is the ideal frequency? Bed linen and towels are quite different and so should be washed at different intervals. While every week or two will generally suffice for sheets, towels are best washed every few days. Anyway, who doesn’t love the feeling of a fresh set of sheets or the smell of a newly laundered towel? <h2>Why you should wash towels more often</h2> When you dry yourself, you deposit thousands of <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2018.02362/full">skin cells</a> and millions of <a href="https://www.ajicjournal.org/article/S0196-6553(23)00402-9/fulltext">microbes</a> onto the towel. And because you use your towel to dry yourself after a shower or bath, your towel is regularly damp. You also deposit a hefty amount of dead skin, microbes, sweat and oils <a href="https://theconversation.com/your-bed-probably-isnt-as-clean-as-you-think-a-microbiologist-explains-163513">onto your sheets</a> every night. But unless you’re a prolific night sweater, your bedding doesn’t get wet after a night’s sleep. Towels are also made of a thicker material than sheets and therefore tend to stay damp for longer. So what is it about the dampness that causes a problem? Wet towels are a breeding ground for bacteria and moulds. <a href="https://www.qld.gov.au/housing/public-community-housing/public-housing-tenants/looking-after-your-home/safety/mould">Moulds</a> especially love <a href="https://www.asthmaandlung.org.uk/living-with/indoor-air-pollution/allergies">damp environments</a>. Although mould won’t necessarily be visible (you would need significant growth to be able to see it) this can lead to an unpleasant smell. As well as odours, <a href="https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/infections/can-clothes-and-towels-spread-germs/">exposure to these microbes</a> in your towels and sheets can cause <a href="https://aafa.org/allergies/types-of-allergies/insect-allergy/dust-mite-allergy/">asthma</a>, allergic skin irritations, or other <a href="https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/11/4/04-1094_article">skin infections</a>. <h2>So what’s the ideal frequency?</h2> For bedding, it really depends on factors such as whether you have a bath or shower just before going to bed, or if you fall into bed after a long, sweaty day and have your shower in the morning. You will need to wash your sheets more regularly in the latter case. As a rule of thumb, once a week or every two weeks should be fine. Towels should ideally be washed more regularly – perhaps every few days – while your facecloth should be cleaned after every use. Because it gets completely wet, it will be wet for a longer time, and retain more skin cells and microbes. Wash your towels at a high temperature (for example, 65°C) as that will <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34465009/">kill many microbes</a>. If you are conscious of saving energy, you can use a lower temperature and add a cup of vinegar to the wash. The vinegar will kill microbes and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8231443/">prevent bad smells</a> from developing. Clean your washing machine regularly and dry the fold in the rubber after every wash, as this is another place microbes like to grow. <h2>Smelly towels</h2> What if you regularly wash your towels, but they still smell bad? One of the reasons for this pong could be that you’ve left them in the washing machine too long after the wash. Especially if it was a warm wash cycle, the time they’re warm and damp will allow microbes to happily grow. Under <a href="https://textbookofbacteriology.net/growth_3.html">lab conditions</a> the number of these bacteria can double every 30 minutes. It’s important to hang your towel out to dry after use and not to leave towels in the washing machine after the cycle has finished. If possible, hang your towels and bedding out in the sun. That will dry them quickly and thoroughly and will foster that lovely fresh, clean cotton smell. Using a dryer is a good alternative if the weather is bad, but outdoors in the sun is always better if possible. Also, even if your towel is going to be washed, don’t throw a wet towel into the laundry basket, as the damp, dirty towel will be an ideal place for microbes to breed. By the time you get to doing your washing, the towel and the other laundry around it may have acquired a bad smell. And it can be difficult to get your towels smelling fresh again. <h2>What about ‘self-cleaning’ sheets and towels?</h2> Some companies sell “quick-dry” towels or “self-cleaning” towels and bedding. Quick-dry towels are made from synthetic materials that are weaved in a way to allow them to dry quickly. This would help prevent the growth of microbes and the bad smells that develop when towels are damp for long periods of time. But the notion of self-cleaning products is more complicated. Most of these products contain <a href="https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/chem-2016-0005/html">nanosilver</a> or copper, antibacterial metals that kill micro-organisms. The antibacterial compounds will stop the growth of bacteria and can be useful to limit smells and reduce the frequency with which you need to clean your sheets and towels. However, they’re not going to remove dirt like oils, skin flakes and sweat. So as much as I would love the idea of sheets and towels that clean themselves, that’s not exactly what happens. Also, excessive use of antimicrobials <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6636436/pdf/idr-12-1985.pdf">such as nanosilver</a> can lead to <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2021.652863/full">microbes becoming resistant</a> to them.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/216083/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rietie-venter-100529">Rietie Venter</a>, Associate professor, Clinical and Health Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-often-should-you-wash-your-sheets-and-towels-216083">original article</a>.

Home & Garden

How often should you wash your sheets?

Cleaning your sheets How often should you wash your sheets? It may not be a question you ask yourself regularly. After all, unless you spill something on them or your pet has an accident, it’s easy to assume they’re clean and just get into bed. But, unfortunately, there’s a lot lying on those sheets besides you. We spend upwards of 60 hours a week on our sheets, according to Annette Grant and Sarah Karakaian, full-time short-term rental managers and hosts of the Thanks for Visiting podcast. “If you think of it like wearing the same t-shirt or pants for 60 hours a week, laundering your sheets more often doesn’t seem like such a tall order. Caring for your bedding can directly affect your health and the quality of your sleep,” they say. How often should you wash your sheets? “Washing once a week is best,” says lifestyle expert Cheryl Nelson. “But definitely wash sheets AT LEAST once every two weeks. That’s the maximum amount of time you should go. You’re washing off germs, sweat, saliva, body oils, allergens, pollen, makeup residue, dead skin cells, pet dander, dust mites, bacteria, fungi, and even bodily fluids/faecal matter, all of which can cause health problems.” What happens if you don’t wash your sheets often enough? “More exposure to pollen, pet dander, fungi, etc can worsen allergy and asthma symptoms,” Nelson points out. “Dirty sheets can also cause contact dermatitis or trigger eczema.” Some people may need to wash their sheets more often How often you should wash your sheets depends on your body and lifestyle. Nelson suggests you wash your sheets every few days if you: <ul> <li>Suffer from allergies or asthma</li> <li>Sweat excessively</li> <li>Eat in bed</li> <li>Let your pets sleep in your bed</li> <li>Have an infection or lesion on your body</li> <li>Sleep naked</li> <li>Don’t shower before getting into bed</li> </ul> All of these factors make it more likely that you’ll have some kind of negative reaction if you don’t wash your sheets regularly. Why it's important to wash your sheets regularly Because your skin comes in direct contact with them for so many hours, some of the negative reactions you can have to dirty sheets include: <ul> <li>Skin irritations</li> <li>Acne</li> <li>Eczema</li> <li>Allergies</li> <li>Infections</li> </ul> However, you can rest assured that you will not get bed bugs from dirty sheets. “Bed bugs have nothing to do with cleanliness,” explains Nelson. “They ‘hitchhike’ a ride on other items brought in from outside, like luggage, bags, and shoes.” How often should you buy new sheets According to Grant and Karakaian, the quality of your sheets will directly affect how long they last. “Sheets made of higher-end cotton are more durable and can last up to four to five years,” they say, “but the average polyester sheet will start to break down after two or three years.” Some of the signs that you need to invest in new sheets include pilling, tearing, thinning, and stretching. If your sheets have stains that can’t be removed, they don’t smell as fresh after washing anymore, or they just don’t feel as good against your skin, toss them. Depending on your preferences, consider buying a set of cooling sheets or some cosy flannel sheets for a good night’s sleep. “If you really hate doing laundry, we recommend having extra sheets on hand,” say Grant and Karakaian. “That way, you can still change your sheets every week but you don’t have to wash them as often.” Should you wash brand-new sheets? “Yes!” says Nelson. “Sheets are often made with chemicals and dyes that can irritate skin, eyes, and airways – especially if you have allergies or sensitive skin. I always wash sheets first with a hypoallergenic and fragrance-free laundry detergent to ensure they’re clean.” How to wash sheets Even if you know how to do laundry, you’ll want to know how to choose the best washing machine temperature and how to choose the best dryer setting for getting your sheets their cleanest. Here’s a step by step guide to washing your sheets, according to Grant and Karakaian, who, as full-time short-term rental managers, have perfected the process. <ul> <li>Check the instructions and laundry symbols on the care tags before doing anything.</li> <li>Pretreat any stains by soaking in your desired stain remover in it for an hour.</li> <li>Unless otherwise noted on the care instructions, select the normal cycle on your washing machine and opt for warm water.</li> <li>When the wash cycle is complete, remove the sheets and hang them on the line or toss them into your dryer. If using a dryer, hoose the permanent press setting if your machine offers it. This will allow sheets to continue tumbling after the cycle is through until you’re ready to remove them. If your machine doesn’t offer permanent press, select the medium or warm setting. Do not dry your sheets on high! Doing so will significantly cut the lifespan of your sheets.</li> <li>Remove sheets from the dryer just before they’re completely dry. Place your sheet on the bed and smooth out with your hand.</li> <li>When folding bedding to be stored, keep an iron and ironing board close by. Fold the sheets into thirds, then take a warm iron and run it over the folded sheets. Fold them again and take the warm iron to them one more time before storing. When you pull them out to make the bed, they’ll be fresh and crisp</li> </ul> Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/home-tips/how-often-should-you-wash-your-sheets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.

Home & Garden

5 ways you didn’t know you are ruining your sheets

We spend a lot of our time laying on sheets – approximately a third of our lives – so it makes sense that you would want to make them last as long as possible. Here are the five most common mistakes that could be ruining your sheets. 1. You put too many sets of sheets into the washer or dryer Large items like sheets should always be loosely placed into the washer/dryer so it can tumble freely, which means better cleaning and less tangling. If you’re finding you are jamming sheets in, wash one set at a time instead. 2. You wash sheets on the heavy-duty cycle A normal cycle is sufficient to clean sheets. Heavy-duty cycles can cause tangling and winkling. 3. You dry them for too long If you use a dryer for your sheets, be cautious of over-drying your sheets, which can cause them to wear and tear more easily. 4. You don’t change them often enough Sheets that have been used too long might not be stretched out and unable to recover their shape in the washer and dryer. It’s best to change sheets weekly or fortnightly. 5. You don’t fold your fitted sheets Don’t just ball your sheets up and throw it in the closet as it can stress and stretch fabric, not to mention cause all those creases. Image: Getty

Home Hints & Tips

How to pick the best sheets

If you are having trouble sleeping or don’t look forward to climbing into your bed, then there could be something wrong with the bed sheets you currently have. Just like mattresses or pillows, bed sheets are important facilitators of falling asleep because they come in direct contact with our skin. Here are four features of bed <a href="https://shop.oversixty.com.au/collections/sheets?utm_source=Over60&utm_medium=in-article-link-sheets&utm_campaign=Over60Shop&utm_content=sheets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sheets</a> that you need to look out for the next time you invest in bed sheets. 1. Material The most popular material for bed sheets is <a href="https://shop.oversixty.com.au/collections/sheets/products/linen-house-makalya-flannelette-sheet-set?utm_source=Over60&utm_medium=in-article-link-sheets-makalya-flannelette-sheet-set&utm_campaign=Over60Shop&utm_content=makalya-flannelette-sheet-set" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cotton</a>. Cotton has remained as the most popular material for sheets due its durability, comfort and breathability. There are variations of cotton such as Egyptian, pima and Sea Island cottons. Make sure you always check that the fabric is 100 per cent of the material as some sellers loosely use the terms to attract buyers. Be sure you are always buying from a quality manufacturer. 2. Thread count It is popular opinion that the higher the thread count, the more comfortable the sheets will be. However, this isn’t always the case as manufacturers can alter sheet softness by enhancing them will silicone softeners that vanish after the first wash. A lower-thread-count sheet made from naturally softer fibres such as Egyptian cotton will feel more comfortable than a lower-quality cotton blend with a higher thread count. To be sure you are purchasing comfortable sheets make sure they are 100 per cent cotton rather than the 1000 thread count. If you want a more affordable option than Egyptian or Pima cottons than polyester/percale blend is best. 3. Weave It is a good habit to get into that when you go on holidays, you take note of the bedding that you find most comfortable to sleep in. Do you prefer crisp or soft? If you prefer a little snap in your sheets than choose percale which is plainer weave. If you want your sheets to be completely soft than choose sateen. If the cold irritates you while you are sleeping, choose <a href="https://shop.oversixty.com.au/collections/sheets/product-type_flannelette-sheet-sets?utm_source=Over60&utm_medium=in-article-link-sheets-flannelette-sheet-sets&utm_campaign=Over60Shop&utm_content=flannelette-sheet-sets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">flannel sheets</a> to help regulate your body temperature. 4. Fit It is important that you get the right size and fit for your bed sheets so you don’t have to wrestle with your mattress every time you need to put your sheets on. If you have a standard-size bed including twin, queen or king, it can be helpful to purchase <a href="https://shop.oversixty.com.au/collections/bedroom/products/linen-house-sheet-sets-elka-fitted?utm_source=Over60&utm_medium=in-article-link-sheets-sheet-sets-elka-fitted&utm_campaign=Over60Shop&utm_content=sheet-sets-elka-fitted?utm_source=Over60&utm_medium=in-article-link-sheets-sheet-sets-elka-fitted&utm_campaign=Over60Shop&utm_content=sheet-sets-elka-fitted" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sheets</a> that have features such as elastic edging to ensure a snug fit. Before you buy sets that include pillowcases, make sure your pillows are not under or over scale to avoid wasting money. Image: Getty

Home & Garden

We studied how the Antarctic ice sheet advanced and retreated over 10,000 years. It holds warnings for the future

Alarming stories from Antarctica are now more frequent than ever; the ice surface is <a href="https://theconversation.com/warmer-summers-threaten-antarcticas-giant-ice-shelves-because-of-the-lakes-they-create-180989" target="_blank" rel="noopener">melting</a>, floating ice shelves are <a href="https://theconversation.com/conger-ice-shelf-has-collapsed-what-you-need-to-know-according-to-experts-180077" target="_blank" rel="noopener">collapsing</a> and glaciers are <a href="https://theconversation.com/ice-world-antarcticas-riskiest-glacier-is-under-assault-from-below-and-losing-its-grip-178828" target="_blank" rel="noopener">flowing faster</a> into the ocean. Antarctica will be the largest source of future sea-level rise. Yet scientists <a href="https://theconversation.com/scientists-still-dont-know-how-far-melting-in-antarctica-will-go-or-the-sea-level-rise-it-will-unleash-166677" target="_blank" rel="noopener">don’t know</a> exactly how this melting will unfold as the climate warms. Our <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s43017-022-00309-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">latest research</a> looks at how the Antarctic ice sheet advanced and retreated over the past 10,000 years. It holds stark warnings, and possibly some hope, for the future. <h2>The current imbalance</h2> Future sea-level rise presents one of the most significant challenges of climate change, with economic, environmental and societal impacts expected for coastal communities around the globe. While it seems like a distant issue, the changes in Antarctica may soon be felt on our doorsteps, in the form of rising sea levels. Antarctica is home to the world’s largest single mass of ice: the Antarctic ice sheet. This body of glacier ice is several kilometres thick, nestled on top of solid land. It covers entire mountain ranges beneath it. The ice sheet “<a href="https://vimeo.com/133626869" target="_blank" rel="noopener">flows</a>” over the land from the Antarctic interior and towards the surrounding ocean. As a whole it remains a solid mass, but its shape slowly deforms as the ice crystals move around. While the ice sheet flows outward, snowfall from above replenishes it. This cycle is supposed to keep the system in balance, wherein balance is achieved when the ice sheet is gaining the same amount of ice as it’s losing to the ocean each year. However, <a href="https://climate.nasa.gov/vital-signs/ice-sheets/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">satellites</a> keeping watch from above show the ice sheet is currently not in balance. Over the past 40 years, it has lost more ice than it has gained. The result has been global rising sea levels. But these historical observations span only four decades, limiting our understanding of how the ice sheet responds to climate change over much longer periods. We wanted to look further back in time – before satellites – and even before the first polar explorers. For this, we needed natural archives. <h2>Digging up Antarctica’s past</h2> We brought together various natural archives to unearth how the Antarctic ice sheet changed over the past 10,000 years or so. These included: <ul> <li>ice cores collected from Antarctica’s remote interior, which can show us how snow accumulated in the past</li> <li>rocks collected from exposed mountain peaks, which reveal how the ice sheet has thickened or thinned with time</li> <li>sediment cores collected from the seafloor, which reveal how the ice sheet margin – where the edge of the land ice meets the ocean – advanced or retreated</li> <li>lake mud and old beaches, which reveal how the coastline changed in response to the ice sheet growing or shrinking.</li> </ul> When we started our research, I wasn’t sure what to expect. After all, this period of time was long considered fairly dull, with only small changes to the ice margin. Nevertheless, we studied the many different natural archives one by one. The work felt like a 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle, full of irregular-shaped pieces and seemingly no straight edge. But once we put them together, the pieces lined up and the picture was clear. Most striking was a period of ice loss that took place in all regions of Antarctica about 10,000 to 5,000 years ago. It resulted in many metres of sea-level rise globally. In some regions of Antarctica, however, this ice loss was then followed by ice gain during the past 5,000 years – and a corresponding global sea-level fall – as the ice sheet margin advanced to where it is today. <h2>A warning</h2> Understanding how and why the Antarctic ice sheet changed in this fashion offers lessons for the future. The first lesson is more of a warning. The period of ice loss from 10,000 to 5,000 years ago was rapid, occurring at a similar rate to the most dramatically changing parts of the Antarctic ice sheet today. We think it was likely the result of warm ocean water melting the underside of floating ice shelves – something that has also happened in recent decades. These ice shelves hold back the ice on land, so once they’re removed the ice on the land flows faster into the ocean. In the future, it’s predicted ice loss will <a href="https://youtu.be/XRUxTFWWWdY?t=149" target="_blank" rel="noopener">accelerate</a> as the ice sheet retreats into basins below sea level. This may already be under way in some regions of Antarctica. And based on what happened in the past, the resulting ice loss could persist for centuries. <h2>Bouncing back</h2> The second lesson from our work may bring some hope. Some 5,000 years ago the ice sheet margin stopped retreating in most locations, and in some regions actually started to advance. One explanation for this relates to the previous period of ice loss. Before the ice began melting away, the Antarctic ice sheet was much heavier, and its weight pushed down into the Earth’s crust (which sits atop a molten interior). As the ice sheet melted and became lighter, the land beneath it would have lifted up – effectively hauling the ice out of the ocean. Another possible explanation is climate change. At Antarctica’s coastal fringe, the ocean may have temporarily switched from warmer to cooler waters around the time the ice sheet began advancing again. At the same time, more snowfall took place at the top of the ice sheet. Our research supports the idea that the Antarctic ice sheet is poised to lose more ice and raise sea levels – particularly if the ocean continues to warm. It also suggests uplift of the land and increased snowfall have the potential to slow or offset ice loss. However, this effect is not certain. The past can never be a perfect test for the future. And considering the planet is <a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg1/downloads/report/IPCC_AR6_WGI_SPM.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">warming faster</a> now than it was back then, we must err on the side of caution. This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/we-studied-how-the-antarctic-ice-sheet-advanced-and-retreated-over-10-000-years-it-holds-warnings-for-the-future-185505" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. Image: Shutterstock

Travel Trouble

Clever mum shares the ultimate laundry hack for clean sheets

Aussie mum Dina Santos has been sharing handy home hints and tricks over on her popular Instagram page. Her latest is a little-known hack of adding salt and baking soda to each load of white sheets or clothes to help them keep their bright white colour. The home stylist also recommends not overloading the drum and putting whites on a warm-wash so they come out as fresh and clean as ever. "Put all your whites in the washing compartment making sure you never overload," she wrote in the clip. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cfa1sdZARC_/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cfa1sdZARC_/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Home styling with dina (@dina.sweethome.style_)</a> </div> </blockquote> Dina said to make sure to put washing liquids or powder in the right compartment in the detergent drawer as per the machine's instructions. She used a laundry pod and scent boosters that go straight into the drum along with her bed linen. “Add two full teaspoons of baking soda and two of salt flakes (I swear ladies, this work miracles and your whites come out beautifully),” the mum-of-two suggested. Dina's clip racked up thousands of views and hundreds of comments from many of her followers thankful for the sharing the clever hacks. Images: Instagram

Home Hints & Tips

22 uses for dryer sheets (that aren’t laundry)

Along with making clothes soft and sniffably fresh, dryer sheets can be used in dozens of ways around the house. Their clean scent covers up plenty of odours, and they’re abrasive enough to clean, but won’t damage most surfaces. Here are the most unexpected uses for dryer sheets. Clean skirting boards Vacuum the carpet or sweep the floor, then wipe a dryer sheet along the skirting boards to remove stubborn dust and pet hair. Bonus: It repels dust later, too! Dust your TV screen The sheets have anti-static properties that will help prevent dust from settling on the screen. Clean window blinds Just like with the TV, dryer sheets will repel dust and make blinds easier to clean over time. Tame flyaway hair Did dry air make your hair static-y? Rub a dryer sheet between your brush’s bristles to smooth things over. Clean up pet hair Dryer sheets are great grabbers. Rub one along the floor or couch to pick up pet hair – or clippings from at-home haircuts. Freshen up your shoes Stick a dryer sheet in your flats or sneakers overnight to get rid of stinky odours. Scrub away soap scum Rub a sheet on glass shower doors to clean caked-on grime. Easily scour pans If food gets burned on a pan, let it soak overnight with water and a fresh dryer sheet. Give chrome a polish From bathrooms to vehicles, dryer sheets can help restore chrome’s trademark shine. Clean up pantry spills From bathrooms to vehicles, dryer sheets can help restore chrome’s trademark shine. Freshen the air fast Place sheets in vents or behind fans to fill your home with a fresh, clean scent. Cover up nappy smells Tuck a fresh sheet into your nappy bag or bathroom garbage bin can help take the edge off odours. De-musk old books You scored some great reads at a garage sale – but they’re a little musty. Put old books in a bag with some dryer sheets – after a few days, they’ll smell as good as new. Remove crayon marks Lightly rub walls with a sheet and watch the crayon disappear. Magic! Get paint off brushes Put a dryer sheet in warm water along with the brush – within a few minutes of soaking, the paint should wash right off. Sharpen scissors Run a used dryer sheet along the blades to restore their snipping power. Repel insects Mosquitoes don’t like the smell of dryer sheets, so slip one into your belt loop to ward off the pesky insects. Keep camping gear fresh Toss dryer sheets into your tent and sleeping bags to stave off a mildewy smell. Banish post-beach sand This is one of the most surprising uses for dryer sheets! Wipe yourself and your kids with a dryer sheet to rid skin of dry sand before getting in the car. Keep cars smelling fresh Put a few sheets underneath the seat to freshen up your car without hanging something from your rear-view mirror. Clean the toilet Dryer sheets are great to use for cleaning the toilet – especially that crevice at the back that traps all kinds of hair and dust. Remove deodorant stains Keep your clothes streak-free (and smelling fresh) with a quick dryer sheet wipe on deodorant stains. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/home-tips/22-uses-for-dryer-sheets-that-arent-laundry?pages=2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.

Home & Garden

Here’s how often you should actually be changing your sheets

Whether you wash your sheets once a week or wait to do a sniff test, you’ve most likely wondered how often you should be changing your bed sheets at the moment. Like many things in life, the answer isn’t so black and white, but we’re here to answer it for you in these unprecedented times. To increase your protection against the new coronavirus, the US Centres for Disease Control (CDC) recommends daily cleaning and disinfecting of “high-touch areas”. That includes doorknobs, light switches, tables, remotes, handles, desks, toilets, sinks, and chairs – but what about your bed sheets? Why do we need to change our sheets? “There are a lot of things that can get in your sheets,” says Dr. Robb Akridge, Co-Founder of Clarisonic and Skin Expert, PhD in Microbiology specialising in Immunology and Infectious Diseases. “First, you need to understand that everyone has tiny mites all over their bodies and these mites feed off dead skin. (You can’t see them, but they are there.) For our skin to be healthy, we need these mites on the body. When these mites — commonly known as dust mites — excrete feces, it is the fecal matter that then causes irritation, inflammation and other allergy responses. When we shower, we wash off the feces, which is often why we can minimise irritation. When you sleep, you often shed skin and mites into your sheets, and remember, dead skin is food for these dust mites which are transferred from your skin to the sheets. If you don’t change your sheets, you create a breeding ground of mites (and they breed very rapidly), and the more mites, the more feces. The more feces, the more likely you will have irritation, especially if you are more sensitive to this.” But that’s not all, as you could also have fungi growing within your sheets. “For example, if you have athlete’s foot, the fungi can live in your sheets and can be passed on to someone who you are sharing a bed with,” Akridge says. What type of sheets are best? “It is important to use sheets that are breathable,” Akridge says. “Cotton is really the best. Also, if you have any skin infections, acne or mite allergies, you should stick to white cotton sheets. That way you can clean them with super-hot water and bleach. You obviously cannot use bleach if your sheets are coloured, so this is something to consider when purchasing. Bleach and extremely hot water will help to get rid of the mites and kill microbes in the sheets.” To deal with dust mites, you need to use water that is at least 55 degrees Celcius and the highest heat setting on your dryer. Get yourself a mattress cover if you don’t already have one. They are designed to keep your mattress safe from mites and prevent their feces from going into the mattress. “You can get an allergy mattress cover and allergy pillowcase covers,” Akridge says. “Your mattress and pillows have ample area for dust mites to expand and multiply, and therefore, over the years, if you don’t have a protective cover, it can easily become the source of irritation and other allergy-related symptoms.” What if my pet sleeps in my bed with me? Then you need to make sure you’re washing your sheets more often. “We see lots of skin rashes and conditions due to pets,” says Board Certified dermatologist Dr Dhaval G. Bhanusali. “It’s better to do at least once or twice a week to minimise the chance of negative effects.” So how often do you need to change your sheets? Many sources suggest changing your bedsheets weekly even under normal circumstances, and the CDC has not made any specific recommendations about doing it more frequently due to the new coronavirus. However, paying attention to bedding is important because germs can collect there. So, if it soothes you to change your sheets more frequently, go right ahead. “Overall, the amount of times you change your sheets really depends on your lifestyle, personal habits and living conditions,” Akridge says. “For example, if you are active or if you are someone who perspires a lot when you are sleeping, then you should change your sheets at least once a week. Also, if you have acne, then you may want to change your sheets more often.” To be on the safe side, aim to wash your sheets once a week, but try not to stretch it past two weeks.

Home & Garden

5 household chores that are a waste of time

<div id="page1" class="slide-show"> <div id="test" class="slide"> <div class="slide-description"> An endless list of the same old household to-dos costs you time, money and sanity. Here are some you can just skip. <div class="at-below-post addthis_tool" data-url="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/household-chores-that-are-a-waste-of-time">1. Washing your hair every day</div> <div class="at-below-post addthis_tool" data-url="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/household-chores-that-are-a-waste-of-time"> It may sound counterintuitive, but if you shampoo too often, you will actually make your hair oilier. Washing strips hair of natural oils, so your scalp produces more and then you have to wash again. Stick to two or three times a week, says dermatologist Dr Tsippora Shainhouse. Using a gentle, sulphate-free shampoo and conditioner will keep your scalp and hair from drying out too much. 2. Using a top sheet on your bed Save time making your bed every morning by skipping the tangle-prone top sheet. Many Europeans sleep directly under a quilt or a duvet with a cover, as do many of us. Just be sure to make time every week to wash any bedding that touches your body. 3. Tossing mouldy bread The best bread is bought fresh at a bakery and eaten on the day you buy it. But if you don’t devour the loaf, you’ll want to store the rest in the freezer.  It’ll last longer (two to three months, according to the experts  at epicurious.com) and make much better toast,  according to the New York Times. 4. Opening curtains wide every morning <div id="page9" class="slide-show"> <div id="test" class="slide"> <div class="slide-description"> Letting the sunshine in is a lovely way to greet the day, but if you’ll be leaving the house and not returning until after dark, all those rays can fade your furniture and make your air conditioner work harder. North and west-facing rooms are especially sun-prone, so try leaving those curtains drawn. Also, consider running the air conditioner only when you’re home. <div class="at-below-post addthis_tool" data-url="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/household-chores-that-are-a-waste-of-time">5. Peeling vegetables</div> Unless you’re preparing pumpkin, celery root or some other food with a tough outer coating, there’s no reason to waste precious before-dinner time peeling vegetables, reports thekitchn.com. That goes for foods you may have been peeling  all your life, such as carrots, cucumbers, potatoes and turnips. You’ll save time and gain flavour and healthy fibre. Written by Jody L. Rohlena. This article first appeared in <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/household-chores-that-are-a-waste-of-time">Reader’s Digest</a>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a href="http://readersdigest.innovations.com.au/c/readersdigestemailsubscribe?utm_source=over60&utm_medium=articles&utm_campaign=RDSUB&keycode=WRA93V">here’s our best subscription offer.</a> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div>

Home & Garden

How regularly you should be washing your bed sheets

A leading microbiologist from New York has advised people to wash their <a href="https://shop.oversixty.com.au/collections/sheets?utm_source=Over60&utm_medium=in-article-link-sheets&utm_campaign=Over60Shop&utm_content=over60-shop" target="_blank">bed sheets</a> once a week to avoid illness. Philip Tierno from New York University told Business Insider that microscopic life can build up over time and within a week gunk becomes “significant”. Tierno explained that not washing your bedding for two weeks will leave you with a build-up that can leave you with a scratch throat especially if you suffer from allergies. Unwashed bedding can also make you sneeze and sniffle more as the microbes are near your face, meaning you are more susceptible to breathing them in. "Even if you don't have allergies per se, you can have an allergic response," Tierno said. In a recent study, researchers found that a test sample of feather and synthetic pillows that were more than 11.5 -20 years old contained up to 16 species of fungus each. Mary Malone from about.com explained that leaving bedsheets unchanged can lead to health complications such as infected wounds and athlete’s foot. “It is possible to find saliva, urine, genital fluids and faecal matter in the fibres,” she told ATTN. “Infrequent cleaning of sheets and pillowcases allows the fluids to seep into the pillows and mattresses, and those are much more difficult to clean than tossing sheets in the washer,” she said. As well as your own microbial life, you can also find pollen, soil, lint, dust mite debris and faeces and finishing agents in your bedding. "If you touched dog poo in the street, you'd want to wash your hands," Tierno said. "Consider that analogous to your bedding. If you saw what was there — but of course you don't see it — after a while you have to say to yourself, 'Do I want to sleep in that?'" How often do you wash your bedding? Let us know in the comments below.

Home & Garden

The disgusting reason why you need to wash your sheets every week

A recent survey has found that the average person changes their sheets once every 24 days, which is not nearly enough. The MatressAdvisor survey, which interviewed 1,000 people, found that people are becoming lazy when it comes to washing their sheets, with single men being the worst culprits. On average, a single man will only change their sheets every 45 days. Married couples were found to refresh their bedding every 20 days and single women washed their sheets every 19 days. However, microbiologist Philip Tierno revealed why the procrastination of this important chore is much more disgusting than we realise. Philip explained that when someone sleeps, gravity draws everything into your sheets, such as sweat, dribble, hair and skin cells. All those things also attract dust mites, who will gladly leave their faeces and parts of their bodies over your dirty bed. “The environment in that mattress becomes akin to a botanical park," Philip told the New York Post. “And what happens is, you kick up that material when you toss and turn in bed and you breathe in that material for eight hours or so at night and then you wake up with a stuffy nose or other issues.” Philip suggests washing your sheets every week and two weeks maximum. He advises that the doona can be done every six months as it is left on top of the bed. Pillowcases should also be washed every week with your sheets. It is also important not to forget your actual display pillowcase, which can be washed every six months. To wash without damaging them, wash them on a warm and gentle cycle and then lay them in the sun to dry. How often do you wash your bed sheets? Let us know in the comments below.

Home & Garden

Hilarious cheat sheet to help tourists speak like an Aussie

Australian slang is a unique art form that many tourists have to take time to grow accustomed to. One “helpful” writer has created a cheat sheet to help new tourists avoid any embarrassing misunderstandings with the locals. The guide, which was found in an Australian travel book, lists the slang words for 13 common words. <img width="500" height="598" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/44047/1_500x598.jpg" alt="1 (33)"/> The list starts off by correctly saying that Aussies will often refer to as a friend as a “mate”. As the list continues, the slang words become even more peculiar with Australians not even hearing of these phrases before. According to the guide, Aussies call snakes “crikey mikey” and the moon is referred to as “mother onion”. Other bizarre translations include calling a cigarette a “koala log” and a sweatshirt a “Sleeve Urwins”. Unbeknownst to tourists, the slang guide is actually a prank. The author created the cheat sheet to continue the tradition of convincing tourists to believe odd things about Australia, just like how we ride kangaroos and have deadly drop bears. Hopefully tourists will figure out the joke before they start using these bizarre words! Image credit: Obviousplanet

Domestic Travel

Expert hack for cleaner sheets

It is no surprise that our sheets have a build-up of bacteria thanks to body oils, sweat and night creams. According to cleaning guru Shannon Lush, many people are failing to keep their linen clean, especially their pillowcases. “If you’re showering once a day, you can wash your sheets weekly," Shannon told news.com.au. "However, pillowcases should be changed every second day without fail. It’s against your face, and your hair holds more dirt than anywhere else on the body. It’s like a mop.” “Most people don’t wash their pillows enough, and it’s really vile," Lush said. It is important to remember that if you are forgetting to change your sheets, it means you are hopping into bed with various discarded skin cells, dirt and oils. If you want your sheets to feel new and crisp, Shannon recommends diluting rice water with water and adding it through the rinse cycle. "I always put rice water in to the final rinse of my sheet wash," she explained. "Keep the mixture in a jar in the laundry, and add two tablespoons during the final rinse." To whiten sheets, measure out the exact amount of detergent and avoid bleach. There is also the option of throwing out your crusty sheets and <a href="https://shop.oversixty.com.au/collections/sheets?utm_source=Over60&utm_medium=in-article-link-sheets&utm_campaign=Over60Shop&utm_content=over60-shop" target="_blank">starting again with fresh sheets</a>. To find your home essentials <a href="https://shop.oversixty.com.au/?utm_source=over60&utm_campaign=Over60Shop&utm_medium=in-article-link-o60shop&utm_content=over60-shop" target="_blank">head to the Over60 Shop for high-quality offerings</a>. <a href="https://shop.oversixty.com.au/collections/bedroom?utm_source=Over60&utm_medium=in-article-banner-bedroom&utm_campaign=Over60Shop&utm_content=over60-shop" target="_blank"><img src="http://media.oversixty.com.au/images/EditorialAddon/201706_Shopnow_EditorialAddon_468x60_Bedroom.jpg" alt="Over60 Shop - Bedroom Range"/></a>

Home & Garden

How to fold a fitted sheet

Folding fitted <a href="https://shop.oversixty.com.au/collections/sheets?utm_source=Over60&utm_medium=in-article-link-sheets&utm_campaign=Over60Shop&utm_content=over60-shop" target="_blank">sheets</a> can be messy and time-consuming if you don’t have a good strategy on how to do it. Watch the video above to find out how you can neatly fold your fitted sheets with this easy method. Instructions: 1. Drape the sheet over your hands With the top two corners inside out and elastic edge facing you, drape the sheet over your hands with one hand in each of the top corners. 2. Fold sheet in half and tuck in corners Fold the sheet in half vertically and flip the right corner over the left to create a pocket. Turn the sheet 180 degrees and fold a second pocket up top. If the sheet has gathered any sides, tuck them into each other. 3. Fold in half Reposition your hold so there are two corners over your left hand and the other two over your right hand. The folded seam should be at the bottom and the tucked and gathered edge should be facing you. Fold the sheet in half again so all four corners meet and then flip the right set of corners over the left set. 4. Lay the sheet on the bed While the gathered edges are facing up, fold the longer part of the curved edge in toward the centre to create a straight edge. The sheet should now be a rectangle. Fold in half lengthwise and then fold into thirds. Do you use this method when you fold fitted sheets? Let us know in the comments below. Video credit: Real Simple To find your home essentials, including bedding, <a href="https://shop.oversixty.com.au/?utm_source=over60&utm_campaign=Over60Shop&utm_medium=in-article-link-o60shop&utm_content=over60-shop%20%20%20" target="_blank">head to the Over60 Shop for high-quality offerings</a>. <a href="https://shop.oversixty.com.au/collections/bedroom?utm_source=Over60&utm_medium=in-article-banner-bedroom&utm_campaign=Over60Shop&utm_content=over60-shop" target="_blank"><img src="http://media.oversixty.com.au/images/EditorialAddon/201706_Shopnow_EditorialAddon_468x60_Bedroom.jpg" alt="Over60 Shop - Bedroom Range"/></a>

Home & Garden

5 common mistakes to avoid when washing your sheets

You might think that your bed is the thing in your bedroom getting the most use, but, if you think about it, your sheets suffer more wear and tear than the bed itself. So it pays to take good care of your bed linens – and the best way to do that is by avoiding some of these simple, common mistakes when you’re in the laundry. 1. Keep an eye out for stains Stains on bed sheets aren’t all that common, but it’s a good idea to check them over before throwing them in the washing machine. Pillows are especially susceptible to makeup and hair dye stains. If you notice any marks, use your usual pre-wash stain remover. Doing this will reduce the likelihood of your sheets needing to be re-washed. 2. Overloaded As with all loads of washing, you need to leave room for things to circulate. If you overload the washing machine, there’s no space for the sheets to move around, which can impede the soaking and rinsing processes. It’s also best to avoid wrapping the sheets around the centre agitator (if you’re using a top-loader). 3. Too long between washes While many people shower right before they go to bed, your sheets can still attract a build-up of sweat, body oils, and other germs. To that end, the most amount of time you should leave between washes is two weeks. In the hotter months, weekly is recommended. 4. Wrong setting While your sheets do take up a lot of space in the washing machine, don’t be fooled into thinking this makes them heavy duty. Unless there’s a need for some extra effort (like stains), you can use one of the shorter settings. Just try to use hot water whenever possible – you’ll banish more germs that way. 5. Detergent no-nos There are two things you should be mindful of when washing your sheets, especially if they’re of a finer quality. Firstly, if you use too much detergent, you can cause damage to your sheets (and clothes for that matter). In the same way, using a harsh detergent can have a similar effect. If you like to splurge on luxurious linen, then consider using baby detergent to ensure your sheets last a little longer. What are your best tips for washing bed linens? Share in the comments below. Related links: <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/home-garden/2016/10/beginners-guide-to-using-colour-in-the-home/">Beginner’s guide to decorating your home with colour</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/home-garden/2016/10/15-time-saving-cleaning-tricks/">15 genius cleaning tricks that will save you time</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/home-garden/2016/11/great-ways-to-repurpose-your-vintage-handkerchiefs/">10 great ways to repurpose your vintage handkerchiefs</a>

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