FROM how many times you wash the sheets to the number of times you wash your clothes and at what temperature – it’s been a debate among many people.
But one mum has got people talking after revealing her routine when buying new products.
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Taking to TikTok, the mum-of-four shared a video on her social media page @livsmeh, which currently has 10.9K followers.
Livvy responded to someone who commented on a previous video of hers saying: “you must wash new bedding.”
However, the mum responded with something slightly different, and it has very much got people talking.
She explained that she “never” washes new bedding and has never washed her new clothes either.
Livvy also added: “I sometimes don’t even wash clothes I get from the charity shop. That’s gross isn’t it?”
She explained to her followers that she didn’t understand why people would wash their new bedding or new clothes.
The mum then went on to explain that she didn’t even wash the brand-new newborn clothes she bought.
Livvy then asked her followers: “What am I doing wrong here? Why? They’re new.”
Before then telling her followers that she didn’t want to know the answer to those questions.
After 24 hours of the video being shared, Livvy’s video received over 10.2k views, with 90 people rushing to the comments section to share their thoughts.
Some were mixed.
One wrote: “Same here. Mum-of-five, new bedding straight on, new clothes straight in the drawers, charity shop clothes sniff test will decide whether it gets washed or not.
“If it smells like the person smokes it goes through the washer twice, if not in the drawer they go!”
A second added: “If you wash them, then you have to dry them and then you have to put them away. No thank you.”
A third said: “Not gross in my opinion.”
The charity shop non-washing has kinda given me the ick
TikTok comment
However, others didn’t agree.
One commented: “Always wash before use.
“One of my kids got hives from the factory finishings on a body warmer.”
A second said: “You lost me at a charity shop.”
Whilst someone else wrote: “Oh I’m more than fine with new clothes and bedding, but the charity shop clothes not being washed has been scratching all over a little bit.”
Another added: “The charity shop non-washing has kinda given me the ick.”
Laundry tips
Catherine Green, sustainable cleaning expert at smol shared her laundry tips.
How often should you be remaking your bed?
When it comes to your bed, maintaining a hygienic sleep setup can actually improve your sleep quality, helping you start every day better.
Most people shed 500 million skin cells per day and a lot of that ends up in bed for dust mites to feed on. And those with asthma or allergies might see symptoms worsen by sleeping on dirty sheets!
You want to be washing your sheets once a week – or every 10 days if you don’t suffer from allergies and wear nightclothes. Bedding builds up with sweat, skin cells and oils quickly, even if it doesn’t look dirty.
Using an effective detergent like smol’s will still give you a great clean on a 20°C cycle – that’s better for the planet and your energy bills!
What temperature do smol recommend then?
For your regular weekly washes I recommend washing most loads at 20°C for 30 minutes. It’s gentler on fabrics, slashes energy use, and still delivers excellent stain removal with the right detergent. A colder wash can actually be more effective if you opt for a bio detergent as its enzymes need cooler water; too hot and they lose their ability to digest stains. A wash at 60°c (unless you have silk sheets) every now and again can help kill off dust mites and other nasties.
What’s the difference between bio and non-bio detergent?
Bio detergents contain enzymes, which are especially good at breaking down tough stains like food, grass, or sweat. It’s best used in mid to low temperature washes (ideally between 20-40°C) as anything hotter can cause them not to work effectively.
Non-bio skips the enzymes, which in turn makes it more suitable for those with sensitive skin or allergies. Although non-bio doesn’t contain enzymes, it’s still great at removing stains and keeping your clothes clean, you just may need to use a slightly higher temperature setting to aid with the cleaning process.
