Done and Dusted

 

As my family were staying over Christmas, I wondered if I should wash the bedding. They hadn’t been for over a year but had only stayed a couple of nights, so surely not. Then I thought about how dusty the duvet covers might be. So I asked my sister and a good friend, “Do you think I need to wash the sheets and duvet covers on the spare beds? It has been over a year.”

They replied, “Na, it’ll be fine. Why make work for yourself.” So I didn’t!

I did look up Google but the information they gave was very depressing. ‘Wash duvets and pillows every two to three months’ said some sites—apparently dust mites can trigger allergies. Oh dear. Then another site said at least twice a year, another said at least once a year. I don’t actually wash pillows, just hang them out to air! Mattress protectors? Every two months says Google. I don’t have the energy for any of that.

So I did a little canvas of family and friends, most of whom said ‘I’ve never washed mine’ or ‘not for years’ or ‘every couple of years.’ These are my kind of people. I also found that 70% of Brits have never washed their duvets so we are in good company.

So after the family were gone I decided to wash all the bedding as it had been a couple of years since duvet inners and mattress protectors had been washed (remembering that my family usually visit a couple of times a year for three or four nights).  Of course, it rained—and rained—and rained.

I wondered how long it would take to thoroughly dry the duvet inners. So I consulted Mr Google again even though I hadn’t been impressed with the initial information. To dry naturally, one site said eighteen to twenty four hours. Whaaaat? Another said 45 minutes in a drier. I waited for a sunny day—finally—and washed them at the local laundromat, dried them for 45 minutes in the driers, then hung them on my washing line to finish off. And the rest? Well every time we had a wee bit of sunshine I had blankets, mattress protectors, duvet covers and sheets washed and on the line.

Finally the beds are made up and tidy. This time I covered them in bright coloured sheets to help keep dust off. That’s me done and dusted—for now.