If you’ve decided to spend a bit more than usual to purchase eucalyptus bed sheets, you should learn how to launder them so they hold up for years. You’ll want to protect your investment so you get the maximum benefit from your new sheets.
Wondering how to wash eucalyptus sheets? This guide will walk you through all you need to know. If you follow this advice, your sheets will have a long lifespan, and you’ll get the most out of the money you spent on them.
Eucalyptus Sheets -- General Care Instructions
There are many great reasons to buy eucalyptus sheets -- they are comfortable, hypoallergenic, cool to the touch, and eco-friendly because they use fewer harsh chemicals. Despite being so silky smooth and super soft, this type of fabric is also surprisingly durable. But that durability depends partially upon how well you care for your sheets.
To make the most of your sheets, especially if you have allergies, it’s important to wash your sheets on a weekly basis. If you have allergies or you have pets who like to hop on your bed, you should make sure your sheets are cleaned weekly. If that seems tough to do with your busy schedule, consider buying two sets of sheets that you can alternate. If you don’t have pets or allergies, you may be able to stretch that timeframe to washing them every two weeks.
Generally, you don’t need to wash eucalyptus sheets before using them for the first time. If you have sensitive skin and your sheets are dyed, you might want to wash them before use to protect your skin from a reaction. But for the majority of people, that’s an unnecessary step. The sheets will be soft and ready to go on your bed right out of the package.
You should always read the care instructions for the sheet set you purchase. Follow those as closely as you can when washing and drying them. They may vary slightly from brand to brand.
Washing Eucalyptus Sheets
Before you wash your bed sheets for the first time, you need to be aware to skip the bleach. If you’re used to adding bleach or using a detergent that includes bleach, you’ll need to get out of that habit when caring for eucalyptus sheets. Bleach is too harsh for this type of fabric -- it will damage or eat away at the fibres, especially when used regularly.
Here are some other tips to ensure that you’re protecting the fabric while caring for it.
- Wash on the gentle cycle so the frequent washings take as little of a toll on the fabric as possible.
- Only wash your sheets in a single load. Don’t try to cram other items in with it. If you do, it could be damaged by zippers, Velcro, or other types of closures. Plus, you risk discolouring your sheets by including other items.
- Only use mild detergents, so each time you wash the sheets is as gentle as can be.
- You should only use cold water in the washing machine for your sheets. That is gentler on the fabric, preventing the colour from fading and the sheets from shrinking. Plus, it’s better for the environment than using hot water.
Drying and After-Wash Care
High heat is an enemy of Tencel, also known as eucalyptus fabric. That’s why you should avoid hot water when washing it. It’s also why you shouldn’t use high heat while drying your sheets.
It’s a good idea to let your sheets line dry, either inside or outside, whenever you can. But if you’re worried about outdoor allergens getting on your bed sheets as they line dry outside, you can put Tencel sheets in the dryer. You should, however, make sure you’re using the lowest heat setting that you can, as well as the low tumble dry setting.
These types of sheets are wrinkle-resistant. If you take them immediately out of the dryer as soon as they are done, you shouldn’t experience any significant wrinkling. But if you really love super crisp sheets or having company coming over, you can run an iron quickly over the sheets if you wish. You should only use low temperatures when ironing, though.
Storing and Caring Tips
The biggest thing to remember is to store your sheets away from sunlight when they aren’t in use. Sunlight isn’t good for the colour of the fabric as it can cause fading. You should also store the sheets away from moisture, so a bathroom closet isn’t the best choice for your extra sheets.
Finally, to keep dust off of your sheets, consider storing them in a bag or plastic protective case. Then when you need to use them, you won’t have to wash them. They’ll be dust-free and ready for use.
Getting the Most Out of Your Sheets
Caring for eucalyptus sheets isn’t difficult to do. You just need to watch the amount of heat you use and lay off the bleach. If you care for them properly, your sheets will stay in tip-tip shape for years to come, helping you get some high-quality sleep each night.