What could be better than jumping into bed at night? Jumping into bed that has fresh linen on it! Here are my top ten tips on achieving the best fresh linen feel possible – such an indulgence for us hard working humans!
1 – Wash the bed linen in your favourite washing powder and fabric softener combination. Personally, I always wash with Persil Non-Bio, followed by whatever’s been on offer. I usually only go for Comfort or Lenor though, nothing too cheap, otherwise the smell doesn’t tend to last as long.
2 – Whenever possible, do not tumble dry! I find that it really takes the smell of the fabric softener out and it doesn’t quite have the same ‘feel’. In my opinion, for best results, always hang outside whenever you can. There’s literally nothing better than wind dried bedding because then you get the added extra smell of the outdoor freshness too. If it’s really rubbish weather, pop it on a clothes horse and let it air dry.
3 – Once they’re dry, iron them. Yes, I said it. Who has the time for that, right? But if you’re feeling like you’ve really earned the best fresh sheet feel, it’s worth the 10 minutes just to run the iron over the duvet and pillowcases. I wouldn’t go as far as the sheet though!
4 – The reason I wouldn’t go as far as ironing the sheet is because if you’re making the bed right, then you’re pulling the sheet tight. I hate the sheet bunching up as to me it means the bed probably needs changing again and I much prefer the smoothness.
5 – The earlier you change the bed sheets in the day, the better. The smell from the linen will fill your room and have you looking forward to it all day, that’s if you remember to put the linen straight on. There’s nothing worse than stripping the bed and, when you’re knackered, having to make it up at 10.30pm because you’ve forgotten about it.
6 – Give the rest of a room a clean if it needs it. There’s nothing worse than having clean sheets, but dusty windowsills or an un-hoovered carpet. I love knowing that the whole room is lovely, fresh and clean. Plus when you’re shaking the duvet into place there’s nothing worse than dust flying everywhere and giving you the sneezes in the middle of the night!
7 – Before you get into those fresh linen bed sheets, have a really lovely shower. My idea of a perfect shower is absolutely steaming hot, I can’t be doing with any lukewarm rubbish, I need it scalding so I come out looking like a lobster. I don’t know what it is, but I can’t get into fresh sheets without having one first.
8 – While you’re in the shower, shave your legs. I just love how everything is smooth and lovely, there’s no plucking on the sheet and if you get goosebumps or shivers then there’s no bristly leg there!
9 – Dive in and make the most of it and get an earlier night. Do a bit of reading, do a bit of blogging if you like, but don’t let them go to waste. After all, you’ve been dreaming about diving in all day.
10 – Never leave it too long between changing the duvet. Everyone obviously has different opinions on how long you should leave your bed linen, but being a busy mum of two and with lots of other washing, I think once every 2-3 weeks is ok. Some people do it once a week, and others once a month, so I suppose it’s when you feel the need.
What do you do to to get the best out of your linen? Maybe you go to bed in fresh pyjamas, or maybe you just use Febreze to increase the longevity?