Is there anything better than fresh, new bedding? You know you’re an adult when you get excited about sheets and making your bed lol!
I recently scored a pair of piglet in bed sheets on clearance I’ve had my eye on for a long time. Their gingham prints are just precious, when I saw they were on sale I added them to cart so fast! I got the cafe au last small gingham sheets, they are a soft statement that is perfect with fall around the corner. I have been wanting a second pair of sheets for our bed for a while (so when I wash the bedding I can put new bedding right on, what a luxury!) but I really like to buy quality sheets that will last a long time, so was holding out on making a purchase.
Whatever your reason for investing in some new bedding, you definitely want to wash it before sleeping on it for the first time. Washing it beforehand will get rid of any additives from the manufacturing process, any excess dye, or smells. It will also rid them of any dust or dirt that has accumulated while the bedding was sitting on store shelves or in a warehouse.
natural laundry products for your home
The importance of laundering your bedding with safe, non-toxic cleaning agents cannot be understated! If you didn’t know, laundry products are the most toxic household products. Their assault on our health is two-fold: the fragrances can off-gas into your home while you are doing laundry, plus the chemicals will seep into your clothes, bedding etc and then seep into your skin. And when you think about the fact that you are always wearing clothes, sleeping in sheets, etc you are essentially exposed to these chemicals 24/7.
This study details one of the many ways conventional laundry products can disrupt the normal functioning of our bodies and have consequences for our health. These products typically contain toxic additives such as phthalates, optical brighteners, artificial fragrance, preservatives, dyes, and more.
Before I knew about all of this, I used to go to Costco and buy those big orange jugs with the bright blue detergent inside. Oh, and I would stock up on dryer sheets too! I had no idea I was unknowingly bringing toxic chemicals into my home and exposing myself & my family to their harmful effects.
But the good news is, there’s a better way! You can get your laundry (or in this case bedding) super clean without the use of any harmful additives. You simply do not have to compromise!
I use this laundry soap for our laundry now, and I’ll never go back! I use it on everyone’s laundry, including the baby’s, and it gets our clothes super clean. It’s also very concentrated, so a little bit goes a long way! The bottle is small, but most conventional laundry soaps contain a lot of water – so it’s still good for at least 64 loads.
How to launder new sheets
If you have standard bedding, you should be able to follow these instructions no problem, It’s always a good idea to check the care instructions prior to washing though, especially with luxury brands. I learned this routine from Liz at the quick journey (one of my personal favs for anything home related) and I’ve used this process ever since! Here are her steps:
- Using a mild laundry detergent (my tried and true favorite is this one) wash the sheets using the quick cycle.
- Once completed, add 1 cup baking soda to the drum & 1 cup white vinegar to the “fabric softener” section of your washing machine. These are both effective, natural agents to clean & soften the fibers of your new bedding.
- Wash with hot water, or if your bedding has vibrant colors stick with warm. This will help keep the colors bright & saturated.
- Dry as you normally would! I always add dryer balls with essential oils on them to give them a natural scent without the toxic ingredients. My favorite combo is peace & calming and gentle baby – these two together smell like the “spring rain” laundry scent!
The small things in life are really the big things! Crawling into bed at night with fresh sheets in a pattern hat brings me joy – few things are better. Plus, having cute sheets makes me 10x more likely to make my bed lol. It’s science.
I have been using thieves cleaning products in my home & love them so much. They are just as effective as the conventional stuff yet completely natural and pose no risk to those under your roof. If you want to start cleaning with thieves, this bundle is def the best place to start1