Why people aren't using a top sheet

And by "people," we mean millennials and GenZ.

Look, we have no gripe with millennials, specifically. (S&G is 92% millennials, including our CEO, so this isn't a "back in my day" rant.) But, it does seem like millennials, specifically, have a gripe with top sheets. Why? Because it's trendy? Because all the good causes have been taken? Because f*#@ top sheets?

Whatever the reasons, we at S&G are firmly in the "use a top sheet" camp (for the record, you should definitely use a top sheet at camp because spiders).

So here's some dispassionate science to back up our passionate stance. 

How often do people change their sheets?

First, let's discuss the crux of the issue. Cleanliness.

How often do you wash your sheets? Don't worry, we'll tell you. According to a survey done by Mattress Advisor, people change their sheets about once every 24 days on average.

No surprise, men are more lax than women when it comes to cleanliness, waiting a full ten days longer to launder their bedding.

We hope this isn't too harsh, but: C'mon, fellas.

How often should you change your sheets?

According to this microbiologist and CNN, you should be washing your sheets once a week. The Good Housekeeping Institute thinks every other week is fine. Either way, that's more frequent than the every-24-days average from the survey.

Why should you wash your sheets once a week? So glad we asked ourselves.

The problem with dirty sheets

We spend a third of our lives in bed (even longer if you own soft, luxurious eucalyptus sheets, wink wink). That's eight hours per day where we leave skin, dust, debris, and sweat in our sheets.

In fact, we produce about 26 gallons of sweat between our sheets every year according to a gross study.

The ludicrous amount of sweat and the warmth from our bodies create the perfect breeding ground for fungi and bacteria. This can lead to acne, skin irritation, eczema, fungal or bacterial infections, dust mites, and allergies.  

If you have cats or dogs, you're also dealing with foreign microbes, like animal dander, pollen, soil, lint, dust mite debris, and–oh god –feces. 

PLUS, if you have a pet snake, why?

The problem with only using a comforter or duvet

If you're forgoing a top sheet in favor of a duvet or a comforter, you're subjecting yourself to the above grossness. Why? Because you don't have a regularly-washed top sheet buffer to protect you.  And everyone knows comforters and duvets aren't washed as often as sheets. 

"But what if I wash my comforter/duvet once a week like that nice scientist told me to?" 

Well, for one, it won't last as long. Comforters and duvets aren't built for it. You'll be burning through three or four a year at that rate.

And for two, many comforters and duvets are dry clean only. So good luck with that. As the late, great Mitch Hedberg once said, "This shirt is dry clean only, which means it's dirty."

Please use a top sheet

So, here we are. Begging you, pleading with you to use a top sheet. Clean it at least every two weeks – more often if you have animals. You'll be a happier, healthier human, we promise.

If this blog post has swayed you at all, check out our 100% eucalyptus top sheets and sheet sets if you need the bottom stretchy thingy and pillowcases, too. The best part is eucalyptus is more hygienic than other fabrics because of its exceptional moisture-management and zero static, so you can even safely go 2+ weeks without washing them. 

If you're still anti-top sheet, consider getting a duvet cover for your duvet or comforter. Our 100% eucalyptus duvet cover is a good compromise. You can forgo a top sheet while still staying fresh and clean (assuming you wash it regularly). 

it just looks better, too