Journalist confirms Unwashed pillowcases reportedly contain more bacteria than toilet seats

Journalist has confirmed Unwashed pillowcases reportedly contain more bacteria than toilet seats.

The analysis included cleanliness data for mattresses, linens and pillowcases, as well as a breakdown of the potential pathogens lurking between the sheets.

Allergens, fungi and dead skin are among the unsettling particles you wouldn’t want to cozy up with at night — and they can attract dust mites, microscopic critters that feast on sloughed skin cells.

Experts warn that pillowcases, specifically, should be changed routinely — and more than just once a week (or month). The novel experiments covered unwashed pillowcase samples that were left incubated for a week. They revealed bacteria that are capable of leading to inflammation and skin infection. Dead skin, allergens, and fungi are all unsettling particles that are capable of attracting tiny critters and dust mites that feed on dead skin cells.

The New York Post adds that the analysis covered cleanliness information for pillowcases, linens, and mattresses. It also involved the possible pathogens present between sheets.

AmeriSleep, a mattress company, revealed findings that showed that three million colonies of bacteria dwell on a pillowcase that has not been washed in a week. The company performed swabs on the unwashed pillowcases of three volunteers at the start of every week. It did so for four consecutive weeks to find out the results.

The company shared that after a week had passed, the pillowcases were found to harbor around 3 million to five million colony-forming units for each square inch. The pillowcases were observed to hold gram-positive cocci and bacilli.

“When you get into bed, you contaminate your bed linens with dead skin cells (about 50 million per day), sweat, makeup, lotions, hair, and anything else you’ve picked up during the day, from pollen and pet dander to fungal mold and dirt particles to bacteria and viral particles as well,” Dr. Hadley King told Well+Good. 

“Dead skin cells and sweat provide food for dust mites, attracting them to your bed and helping them multiply.”

A recent TikTok gave a visual representation of the bacteria colonies that apparently flourish beneath your head every night. Per MailOnline, studies have revealed that a typical person cleans or changes pillowcases every 24 days. Dermatologists, however, recommend having these changed at least twice each week.

Dr. Handley King, a dermatologist, mentioned to Well+ Good that when one gets on the bed, the linen gets contaminated with roughly 50 million dead skin cells each day. On top of that, other things like lotions, makeup, hair, sweat, and anything else one picked up throughout the day could contaminate the sheets as well.