This is the 5th installment in our Guide to Modern Bedding.

Here, we discuss sure-fire ways to make your bedding last longer.

You buy a house, you fix it up. You buy a car, you put oil in it. I’m more of a Vespa man (sounds better than “scooter man”) myself, and I know that if I don’t tighten the cables and adjust the tire pressure on that thing every month, I’m in it for a world of hurt when my brakes go out!

Here are our favorite sure-fire tricks to make your investment in bedding pay off: (drum-roll please)

SURE-FIRE Bedding Care Tips

In general, one of the best ways to remember how to care for an item is to save its care instructions. Tape them up in the laundry. Check when in doubt before washing.

Washing Sheets:

* Wash in cool or lukewarm water that’s less than 104F.
* Set wash cycle on “gentle”
* Use the extra rinse cycle if available
* Use less detergent — about half the recommended amount
* Avoid using bleach, as it breaks down fabric fiber.

Drying:

* Avoid over-drying.
* Remove sheets from the dryer promptly and fold immediately.
* If you forget a set of sheets in the dryer, and they get all wrinkled, throw a wet towel in there. Tumble another 5-10 minutes to get the wrinkles out.

Storage & Quantity:

* We recommend at least two (ideally three) sets of sheets for your bed — one on the bed, one in the wash.
* Rotate the sheets you use (vs. the sets you store) frequently so they wear evenly.
* Bottom sheets and pillowcases wear out the fastest — if you love a set of sheets, purchase extra fitted sheets.
* Change sheets once a week in normal climates, more often in hot and humid regions.

Size:

* Measure your bed and mattress before you buy sheets. Mattresses vary in size, so be careful. Allow for shrinkage (insert Seinfeld quote here).

Duvet covers

* We like duvet covers. Why? Because keeping a duvet inside a duvet cover will keep it clean and fresh.
* Shake and fluff your duvet every morning. This will get the dust out.

Laundering:

* Wash the cover frequently; the duvet less often.
* Dry a duvet on gentle heat in the dryer, remove and adjust duvet so damp areas are exposed, then reinsert into the dryer for another cycle.
* Hang a duvet out to air dry for at least 24 hours to make certain all sections are dry before replacing on the bed.
* Very large duvets may need to laundered or dry cleaned commercially since their volume is more than most home washers can handle.

Protecting your Pillow:

* When you purchase a pillow, always purchase at least two pillow protectors in the correct size to match your pillow.
* The pillow protector (basically a plain white pillowcase with a zippered closure) offers an additional barrier against dirt and oil. It will lessen the need to clean your pillow.
* Having at least two pillow protectors per pillow will allow you to have one in the wash while the other is being used on the pillow.

Keep a Supply of Extra Pillowcases:

* Always buy at least one extra set of pillowcases each time you purchase sheets. Extra cases will give you the option of changing the pillowcases every few days to freshen up the bed.
* Changing pillowcases frequently can also keep your face and hair cleaner.
* Buy the highest thread count you can afford — you will feel the difference on your face.

Laundering Pillows:

* Set your washer on a gentle wash cycle.
* Use “extra rinse” if possible; if not, just run the washer again without soap.
* To dry (this is where things can get messy on an older pillow): - Use the spin dry feature of your washer at least twice to get as much moisture out of your pillow as possible - Dry in your dryer, stopping every so often to fluff the pillow - Repeat for a couple cycles (this may take a while - the fillings can stay wet for a long time - You might hang the pillow outside for 24 hours to ensure complete dryness.

Did we leave any out? Let us know below . . .

Next lesson: a couple ideas on how to best navigate our Design Public site.