How To Wash Your Egyptian Cotton Bedding

Have you just received your lovely new Egyptian cotton bedding and wondered how to look after it, so that it lasts for many years to come? Egyptian cotton is not cheap, so you will want it to last longer than standard cotton sheets.

Most manufacturers, like Belledorm for instance, give you a very good guarantee, normally 5 or 7 years on their luxury bedding ranges but you do have to adhere to their wash care label guidelines and there are many other things you can do to ensure the fabrics longevity. Firstly, you will want to wash the bedding before you sleep on it. Although most factories these days are very hygienic, it is sometimes best to wash it separately so there is no dye wash out, which can sometimes happen even though the fabric will have been pre-washed in order to prevent any shrinkage, etc. This is best done right away and always separately even after the first few washes, please remember that a deep dye fabric can dye other lighter fabrics. Also washing with garments like jeans and shorts, etc, can cause snagging when the drum is at high speeds, buttons and zips are a major cause of pilling or snagging during the wash cycle. The same can be said for mixing fabrics during the wash cycle, polyester fabrics even polycotton fabrics are not as fine as cotton yarns. Polyester has minute hooks on the yarns which can catch very delicate items and over time cause significant issues with the quality and appearance of other bedding items.

Another very good tip is not to overload the machine, leave plenty of room at the top of the drum so the bedding can rise and fall through the water. This keeps an even spread of detergent in the drum and stops the fabric from sticking together and not washing through evenly. This is really important when the machine is being emptied during the rinse and spin cycles. It helps to get rid of a lot of the water and also prevents excessive creasing. Another good way of preventing shrinkage and creasing is the water temperature, modern fabrics are now designed so they can be washed at more environmentally friendly settings like 30 and 40 degrees. There is no need to wash cotton fabrics at 60 degrees anymore, modern detergents ensure that anything you wanted to get rid of, stains and potential bacteria, etc, are just as effectively removed at lower temperatures. Try to choose a good detergent, cheap ones have optical brighteners and chemicals that literally bleach the fabric, making it look clean but just cause damage to the delicate cotton yarns, a good PH balanced detergent will care for your cotton bedding much better and ensure it lasts much longer as well.

The next big thing to look at is drying your bedding. Cotton is a natural fibre so it is always best practice to let it dry over time, preferably outside on the washing line, not in direct sunlight but in the shade with a nice gentle breeze, that will do nicely. If you need to use a tumble dryer, try not to rush the cycle, use a much lower temperature and don’t overload the drum. Just like we said about the washing machine, let the bedding breathe and dry completely through. We wouldn’t recommend you leaving it to the dryer to let you know when it is dry, setting a program to decide what to do has resulted in many fabrics being dried out completely using too high a temperature resulting in shrinkage, pilling and snapping of the long staple yarns. But I have an expensive dryer I hear you cry, well maybe but they have ruined more bedding than I can care to remember, just go with a low temperature and tumble dry until slightly damp, put it back on the bed and it will look amazing.

We have covered quite a bit in this blog but if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch as we are more than happy to try and help you get the most from your bedding. After all that is what we are here for!