Care
The Ultimate Washing Guide
We spend about a third of our lives in bed, and step out of the shower every day, so it's worth getting the wash right. Here's how to keep your Juniper bed linens and towels at their best, for longer.
Wash regularly
As a rule of thumb, wash your bed linens every two weeks if everyone in the household is healthy, every other day if someone is unwell, to avoid spreading infection.
Towels should be washed more often, every few days, while a facecloth is worth washing after every use: it stays wet longer than a towel and holds on to more skin cells and microbes in the meantime.
Use a quality detergent
It's tempting to reach for the cheapest option in the supermarket, but there's a real difference between a quality detergent and a budget one. A trusted, well-known brand will serve you well.
A small tip: keep a detergent set aside just for your bed linens, so your bed always smells the same. It helps signal to your mind that it's time to sleep.
And use less than you think you need. Too much detergent wears down fibres faster, on sheets and towels alike.
40–60°C, and a moderate spin
Bed linens are generally rated for 60°C, but with today's detergents, 40°C gets them just as clean. Washing at 90°C to get sheets "really" clean is an old habit, not a necessity.
A higher spin speed leaves linens drier, which shortens drying time, but also wears fibres faster over the years. Around 1000–1200 rpm is a good balance for good-quality cotton.
Tumble drying
Tumble drying bed linens works, but it does add wrinkles. If you'd like that extra-soft feel, a good sateen weave plus a fabric softener gets you there without tumble drying at all; if you still want it softer after that, tumble drying is the next step, though most people are happy before they reach it.
Towels and robes are the other way around: they get fluffier in the dryer. Use short cycles, under 20 minutes, on low to medium heat, ideally on a dedicated towel setting. High heat and overdrying is what damages towelling over time.
Either way, take laundry out as soon as the cycle ends. Leaving it damp in the machine is how odours and mildew start.
Fold neatly, and hang to dry when you can
Folding bed linens neatly straight out of the wash helps them dry without wrinkling. If you have the space, line-drying, even just over a door, is gentler than a dryer and a good finish for sheets.
The same goes for towels: air-drying causes less wear than tumble-drying, so they last longer. Sun helps keep white towels bright, but dry coloured towels in the shade, direct sun will fade them over time.
Your laundry questions answered
Why shouldn't I wash bed linens and towels together?
It's not as damaging as washing sheets with something like zippered items, but it's still worth avoiding. Towels are thicker and heavier than sheets, which can hasten fading or yellowing on light-coloured linens, and towel lint tends to stick to bed linen fabric.
Are there specific detergents recommended for bed linens and towels?
Look for a detergent labelled as gentle or suitable for delicate fabrics; it helps preserve softness and absorbency over repeated washes.
What can I do to prevent bed linens from pilling?
Wash sheets inside out, use a gentler cycle, and avoid overloading the machine. All three reduce the friction that causes pilling over time.
Can I use bleach to whiten my towels and bed linens?
Bleach will whiten white towels, but it can damage or discolour anything coloured, so we wouldn't recommend it for coloured linens or towels. White vinegar or an oxygen-based bleach are gentler alternatives for brightening coloured fabrics.
Are there eco-friendly alternatives to fabric softener?
Yes: wool dryer balls, or a cup of white vinegar in the rinse cycle, both work as natural softeners without the synthetic residue conventional softeners leave behind.
Would you like to speak with the Juniper team?
If you still have questions, send us a note and we'll get back to you shortly.
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