Before going to bed every day, do you casually pat off a few strands of hair on the bed sheet, then pull the blanket up and lie down peacefully in the "familiar warmth"? Do you think that 'no obvious stains' sheet is a' safe harbor 'to accompany you in repairing fatigue? A study has found that there can be billions of bacteria on bed sheets that are not washed for a week, and if the environment is humid (such as the southern rainy season), the number will double. The "invisible residents" in the dirty bed sheets hide four types of microorganisms that feed on the human body in the fibers of the sheets that you cannot see, and they quietly reproduce at night. Bacteria: "Nutrient rich culture dishes", sweat, saliva, dead skin cells, and even food residues are all "delicious dishes" for bacteria. Staphylococcus and streptococcus on the surface of the skin, as well as Escherichia coli on door handles and mobile phones, can "move" to bed sheets through contact. A bed sheet that is not changed for a week has enough bacteria to "fill a small bacterial library". Fungi: "The darling of humid environments", even if you don't sweat significantly, the human body will still secrete 200-300 milliliters of sweat at night, keeping the bed sheets in a "slightly damp" state - which provides the "germination conditions" for the spores of Trichophyton rubrum and Candida albicans. The skin fungi of patients with tinea pedis can contaminate fabrics through contact between their feet and bed sheets, and even float onto pillowcases, exacerbating scalp itching and hair loss. Dust mites: "gluttons of dead skin", invisible dust mites that feed on dead skin cells shed from the human body. Long term bed sheets that are not changed can breed tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of individuals. Their excrement is a strong allergen, and about 80% of allergic rhinitis and asthma patients are "sensitive" to it. Inhaling a little bit may cause sneezing and wheezing. Virus: "Short lived but dangerous passerby", droplet virus and skin herpes virus during a cold can contaminate bed sheets through coughing, sneezing, or skin contact. Although the survival time of the virus on bed sheets is relatively short, elderly and children with weakened immunity may still be indirectly infected. 02 These health problems are related to "dirty bed sheets". Pathogenic microorganisms on dirty bed sheets can "attack" the human body through skin contact, respiratory inhalation, and other means. For people with lower immunity, the risk is higher. The bacteria on the sheets can continue to irritate the skin, which can easily lead to folliculitis and acne; If there are fungi on the bed sheets, it may induce tinea corporis and tinea pedis. Fungi on pillowcases can also exacerbate symptoms such as scalp itching and hair loss. In addition, allergens in dust mite excrement can irritate the skin and cause allergic dermatitis, manifested as skin itching, rash, and in severe cases, may lead to the recurrence or aggravation of eczema. Respiratory "alarm": Dust mite excrement, fungal spores, bacterial metabolites, etc. on bed sheets will float in the air with people's movements of turning over and making beds, and then be inhaled into the respiratory tract, triggering allergic rhinitis and asthma. Long term inhalation of large amounts of pollutants may also lead to chronic pharyngitis and bronchitis, causing dryness, itching, and coughing in the throat. 03 Using these 'excuses' to delay changing bed sheets? No way! Do you take a shower every day without changing the bed sheets? Even after taking a shower, sebum and sweat are still secreted at night, which can penetrate into the fibers of bed sheets and provide nutrients for bacteria and fungi; In addition, taking a shower cannot prevent the production of dandruff. Even if you take a shower every day, the dandruff on the bed sheets will gradually accumulate, leading to the growth of dust mites. Just expose it to the sun, don't you need to wash it? The sheets that are only sun dried and not washed may appear clean, but in reality, they hide a lot of dirt. Firstly, ultraviolet radiation has limited penetration ability and can only kill microorganisms on the surface of bed sheets. Secondly, dirt such as dandruff, oil, and sweat residue on the bed sheets will solidify in the fibers during the drying process, providing favorable conditions for the growth of microorganisms. Don't sweat in winter, don't you need to change frequently? In winter, when covered with thick blankets and kept in a closed and warm environment, bacteria multiply the fastest at 20-30 ℃; Combined with a decrease in shower frequency, there are more bacteria and dead skin on the surface of the skin, making the bed sheets actually "dirtier". The frequency of changing bed sheets should be based on the season and the crowd. Summer: It is recommended to change bed sheets and pillowcases once a week, and bed sheets every two weeks; If there is excessive sweating at night, it can be shortened to once every 3-5 days. Winter: It is recommended to change bed sheets and pillowcases every 2 weeks and bed sheets once a month. Special groups: It is recommended that the elderly, children, and pregnant women change their clothes once a week; Patients with skin diseases (eczema, tinea corporis) and asthma should have their skin changed every 3-5 days; People with allergies or pets should change their diet once a week. As soon as you see stains or smell an odor on the bed sheets, replace them immediately! To clean bed sheets, these three points need to be "done right": water temperature: 55-65 ℃ for heating and washing, which can kill most bacteria, fungi, and dust mites; If there are blood stains or sweat stains on the bed sheets, soak them in water for 10-15 minutes first, and then wash them with warm water to avoid high temperatures causing the stains to "solidify" in the fibers. Detergent: Selective laundry detergent, do not use alkaline soap or laundry detergent, as it can damage the fibers of the bed sheets and cannot wash away grease; Neutral laundry detergent can gently remove dirt and protect the lifespan of bed sheets. Drying: Direct sunlight from 11-15 o'clock, when the sunlight is most abundant, the surface temperature can reach 60-70 ℃, and drying for 30 minutes can kill deep dust mites; Don't let the bed sheets dry in the shade, as it can breed mold. (New Society)