We're not washing our pillowcases nearly as often as we should

We often look forward to that time of night when we can rest our head on our pillow and fade off into a deep sleep.

Only little did we know, our pillows could be doing us more harm than good if we aren’t regularly washing our pillowcases.

In fact, they’re said to be a significant contributor to breakouts, irritation and face acne – so if you find yourself waking up with a new spot on your face it might be time to strip the bed and throw your sheets in the wash.

The reason is, that during a single night our pillowcase accumulates an unsettling amount of skin, bacteria, fungus and oils from our face and our hair.

And when you think about this accumulating day-by-day it can really send shivers down your spine.

So how often should we be washing our pillowcase?

According to an expert aesthetician, Jordana Mattioli, we should really be washing our sheets every day.

And if you’re thinking this sounds like a bit too much effort than you’re willing to take on, a handy tip is to turn your pillowcase inside out to get an extra night out of the same pillowcase.

Alternately she recommends sleeping with a scarf wrapped around your hair, particularly if you use plenty of hair products, as this will prevent some of the leftover residues from ending up on your pillow.

When it comes to your actual pillow, experts suggest washing it every six months.

And if you want to do it without wrecking them, wash on a warm, gentle cycle and lay them flat in the sun to dry.

As for our bed sheets, it’s best not to go too long between washes – once a week is usually your best bet.

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