How to Wash Linen Bedding

With approximately half of Brits not washing their bedding within the recommended maximum of every two weeks, millions of sleepers are leaving themselves prone to irritants, allergens, and dirt.

For linen sheets, extra care and knowledge is required to clean the natural, delicate material without sacrificing its quality or material.

Before beginning to wash linen bedding, separate the bedding by colour and type – for example, lights and darks. This will prevent colours bleeding and dyeing other bedding, which is often difficult to wash out and remove without damaging the material, due to often repeated washings needed.

After preparation is complete, you have the option of either hand washing linen bedding or using a washing machine. Smaller, more delicate materials may best be washed by hand, but stained or larger bedding – such as linen duvet covers - would benefit from a machine wash for a more thorough rinse.

Patterns – such as dark and light striped bedding – would be best washed separately from the others. Lukewarm water is the best temperature option, even if the material is stained. These will prevent the material from being stripped by extreme conditions in the wash.

To ensure the delicate fabric stays intact, it is better to use a milder, eco-friendly detergent that lacks harsh chemicals. Many detergents state on their packaging that they are linen friendly, or have natural ingredients. Avoid fabric softener.

Items should be flipped inside out when placed on to wash, in order to avoid the patterns or colours losing their vibrance from the wash. If the item is buttoned, please fasten the buttons before washing. Your washing machine should be put on the most gentle setting possible, and the machine should not be crammed full of bedding, so the items can move freely in the wash and complete a full cycle. If stained, put the item on to wash ASAP.

After preparation is complete, you have the option of either hand washing linen bedding or using a washing machine. Smaller, more delicate materials may best be washed by hand, but stained or larger bedding – such as linen duvet covers - would benefit from a machine wash for a more thorough rinse.

For both instances: the same basic tenets apply. Lukewarm water, with mild detergent and no fabric softener is the best option to wash linen bedding. Neither option should involve harsh handling of the materials, to avoid the material from splitting or becoming damaged, which will make the bedding unusable and require a quick replacement.

Buttoned bedding such as duvet covers or certain types of pillows should be buttoned during the wash – although this should be done inside out to prevent weakening the external bedding design.

In a prepared sink or basin, stir the bedding gently by hand, for approximately 1-2 minutes. Do not twist or wring out the materials, and never scrub the material, even when stained. Continue to swirl the material, drain the container and refill with lukewarm water. Rinse and repeat until no soapy detergent water remains.

 For a machine wash , ensure loads are separated by colour or design, as described in the preparation segment above, with all buttons fastened. Do not fill the washing machine to its full capacity, leaving ample room for movement and a full cleanse.

When choosing the machine settings, users should ensure the water is at a low temperature (40° Celsius/104° Fahrenheit is the maximum recommended) and the cycle is set to a gentle wash. Do not add fabric softener or bleach, only add mild detergent and a colour catcher sheet if you are concerned about darker colours running. This should only require one wash cycle. Too frequent a wash could weaken linen fibres, although stains should be acted on as quickly as possible.

The short answer is yes – linen runs a significant risk of shrinking when washing. Many owners of linen have found out too late that too harsh a wash can cause the material to shrivel and downsize, and the bedding is damaged.

To avoid shrinking, material instructions on the label should always be read before washing. Harsh chemicals and temperatures should be avoided whenever possible. Although it is not a certainty, linen can be unshrunk. Laying out a shrunken garment – dampened at a low temperature – and ironing at a low temperature, can undo damage. However, the safest bet is always to ensure material avoids shrinking with careful, gentle washing.

Linen is a high-quality fabric, but is sensitive to the elements, and can become dirty, wrinkled, misshaped, or faded with improper care or use. While sensitive, there is, somewhat paradoxically, a delicateness to it. Too hot a wash can cause the bedding to become misshaped, and its natural qualities mean that colour or fabric can become stripped of its strength when it comes into contact with harsh, unnatural chemicals.

Linen bedding should be washed every two weeks at the very least, to ensure the material doesn’t get irreversibly wrecked from too much dirt or sunlight or exposure to other material-damaging elements like high temperatures or animal fur. Linen bedding can be washed weekly when done safely, following instructions to ensure proper care and longevity.

Linen can often shrink after its first wash, but this does not mean the bedding is damaged forever. This shrinkage is reversible if gently ironed at a low temperature. Always refer to the attached bedding instructions before washing and drying.

Linen can go in the tumble dryer, but as always, careful reading of the instructions and preparation is required. Failure to do so can result in shrinkage or permanent damage to linen bedding.

As well as tumble drying, air drying is a popular option for drying bedding without risking further machine damage – although this also runs the risk of some shrinkage and stiffening. Another issue can be that air drying is time consuming, which is why its best to have other bedding options available. However, smaller pieces of bedding, like linen pillowcases, will dry much faster.

If you need to tumble dry multiple large items quickly, tumble drying is the best option – although it’s best not to do this too often. Many labels on linen bedding state “do not tumble dry”, as more fragile materials can lose their quality in this process.

Tumble drying should be done immediately after the wash cycle – whether by hand or by machine – to prevent shrinking and other potential damage. Tumble dryer balls should be used to keep items separate and ensure fabric colours do not bleed onto one another.

Linen bedding should be placed in a tumble dryer on a low heat – ideally 30° Celsius/90° Fahrenheit at the very hottest, on gentle settings, for no longer than fifteen minutes. To avoid too much damage, it would be best to leave the bedding slightly damp when taking it out of the dryer, allowing it to air-dry the last of the moisture from the material.