How to Wash Bed Sheets by Hand

Co-authored by Safir Ali

Last Updated: January 21, 2021

Washing your bed sheets by hand is a great way to protect the fabric while giving them a good clean. The most important things are to check the care labels on your sheets in case they have special washing instructions and to use a gentle laundry detergent to wash them. With just a few supplies, like a container full of clean water and some detergent, you'll have fresh sheets in no time.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Cleaning Your Bed Sheets

1
Treat stains with a stain remover before washing.^{[1]
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Expert Source

Safir Ali
Professional Dry Cleaner
Expert Interview. 15 September 2020.} If you have a stain on your sheets that you’d like to treat before you start washing them, spray a laundry stain remover on the area or pour white vinegar on the spot instead. Let the stain remover or vinegar sit for 10-15 minutes before starting the washing process.^{[2]
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- It’s a good idea to rinse the white vinegar out as much as possible before washing the sheets.
- Make sure the spot treatment spray works on the specific type of fabric you’re washing.
2
Fill a large container with warm water if you're washing cotton sheets. If you have a bathtub, this works well, otherwise choose a container large enough to fit all of the sheets you’re washing. Fill the container or tub with warm water so there’s enough to saturate the cotton sheets completely.^{[3]
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- If your sheets are made out of a synthetic fabric so they're a cotton blend, warm water is still okay to use.
- Read the care label on your sheets to check that warm water is best for them.
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3
Use a container full of cold water to wash silk sheets. Fill a large sink, container, or bathtub with enough cold water to saturate your silk sheets entirely. Cold water is safest for delicate fabrics, so if your sheets are made out of a material similar to silk, this is the best temperature for the water.^{[4]
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- Check the care label on your silk sheets for more detailed washing instructions.
4
Stir 1 tsp (5 ml) to 1 tbsp (15 ml) of laundry detergent into the water. How much detergent you use will depend on how many sheets you’re washing, but consider using between 1 tsp (4.9 ml) and 1 tbsp (15 ml) of a gentle detergent that’s safe for your fabric. Stir it into the water using a large spoon so it’s evenly distributed.^{[5]
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5
Submerge your sheets in the water and knead them for 5 minutes. Place your sheets in the container of water and press down on them so they’re completely in the water. Move the sheets around in the water while kneading them with your hands to agitate them so soap reaches every area. Continue doing this for 5 minutes so they're clean.^{[6]
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- Avoid scrubbing the sheets or moving them around too quickly or aggressively.
- If your sheets are especially dirty, consider letting them soak in the suds for 10-15 minutes after agitating them in the water.
- Be very gentle if you're washing silk sheets.
6
Rinse the sheets under cool running water to get rid of the soap. Once the sheets are clean, empty your container and either fill it with clean water to dip your sheets in, or hold the sheets under clean running water to get the soap out that way. Be as thorough as possible in removing the suds, repeating the rinsing process several times if necessary.^{[7]
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- For example, you might fill your container up with cool water and then submerge the sheets in this, swishing them around and squeezing out the water to help get rid of the soap.

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Drying the Sheets

1
Squeeze the extra water out of the sheets gently. When all of the detergent is rinsed out of the sheets, squeeze them gently to get rid of as much water as possible. Avoid wringing or twisting the sheets too aggressively so you don’t accidentally damage them.^{[8]
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2
Hang your sheets on a line with clothespins to dry them naturally. It’s easiest to do this outside on a sunny, dry day, but you can also hang your sheets on a line indoors if you have enough space. Use clothespins to keep the sheet in place on the line and let it dry completely before removing it.^{[9]
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- It's best to hang silk sheets to dry instead of putting them in a dryer.
- Letting sheets dry in the air can sometimes cause them to feel hard, but you can fix this easily by putting them in a dryer for a couple minutes if it’s a problem.
3
Dry your sheets on low heat if they're safe to put in the dryer. If you don’t want to hang your sheets to dry them, place them in your dryer with a pair of rolled up socks or a wool ball to prevent them from getting tangled. Set the dryer to low heat and fold the sheets as soon as they’re dry so they don’t wrinkle.^{[10]
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- Cotton sheets can often be tossed in the dryer.
- Do a touch test when the dryer turns off to make sure every area of the sheet is dry before taking it out.
- Using a high heat setting on your sheets can cause them to shrink or their fibers to break.

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How can I get sweat stains out of bed sheets?

Safir Ali
Professional Dry Cleaner
Safir Ali is the Co-Founder and CEO of Hamper Dry Cleaning and Laundry, a startup in Houston, Texas reinventing the laundry industry. With over six years of experience launching and operating Hamper, Safir specializes in innovative ways to simplify dry cleaning using the experience from his family's business. Safir holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Management from Texas A&M University. Hamper offers 24/7 on-demand dry cleaning and laundry through delivery and kiosk services. Hamper has been featured on the Houston Rockets, Station Houston, the Houston Business Journal, BBVA, Yahoo Finance, and Innovation Map.

Safir Ali

Professional Dry Cleaner

Expert Answer

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If the sheets are a white or cream color, wash them with bleach. If they aren't white, treat the stains with a stain remover before washing them.