How to choose the right sheet and take care of it?

Sleep is an important part of any person's life, and a sheet is a thing that is present in almost any home. A well-thought-out choice of products from a variety of models on the market allows you to make the process of rest comfortable and enjoyable.

A sheet is a piece of fabric in the shape of a rectangle, which, when making the bed, is placed over the mattress. This bedding element may differ in the used material, size, color and additional properties. The main purposes of its use are to prevent contamination of the mattress, which is much more difficult to clean, and to maintain hygiene in the sleeping area. For a long time, the most popular color of the product was white, but today it is produced in numerous shades and designs.

Currently, in addition to classic sheets, you can also purchase stretch models or even heated ones.

A heated sheet, also known as an electric sheet, allows you to quickly warm your bed. Its owners can immediately go to bed with a comfortable temperature, and not warm the mattress with the heat of their own body. The electric sheet looks the same as the usual one, but inside it there is a heating mechanism. Usually such models are made of cotton or calico. The number of temperature settings for an electrically heated sheet may vary.

Stretch sheets are equipped with an elastic band sewn along the edge, which allows you to securely fix the fabric on the mattress and prevent it from slipping during sleep. Such models were invented in order to prevent the fabric from slipping, causing discomfort. Unlike classic stretch sheets, they are not universal, and therefore must be selected for specific mattresses, taking into account the length, width and even height.

A classic bed sheet is a fabric that has been trimmed around the edges. It is considered universal and suitable for any type of mattress. In most cases, the supply of fabric at the edges makes it possible to easily tuck the sheet under the mattress and prevent it from slipping out. By the way, warm and soft fabrics made of terry or waffle fabric can be called a variety of classic sheets. On hot days, these canvases are used instead of blankets.

For the production of bed sheets, different materials are used - from latex to knitwear, the choice of which determines both the price and ease of use.

Vinyl sheets are not suitable for everyday use as they are very slippery. They are easy to care for and have a long service life. As a rule, vinyl canvases are laid on top of regular bedding, while the base will not slip on the surface when properly fixed, so there will be no inconvenience.

Linen bedding has a bactericidal effect. The surface of the fabric will be protected from the appearance of fungi and other microorganisms, which means that the material will be completely hypoallergenic. If you touch a linen sheet, you can feel small nodules that will not cause discomfort, but will provide a light massage. Natural linen will not change shade when exposed to light, and can also dry quickly.

Poplin is formed by combining rayon, silk and cotton threads. A sheet made of this material practically does not wrinkle and has a long service life. The big advantage is that the poplin fabric does not need to be ironed.

The used technique of weaving of fibers contributes to a slight loss of softness of coarse calico sheets, but they are still pleasant to sleep on. It is convenient to cover the material with colored patterns that will persist despite frequent washing.

Latex sheets have properties similar to vinyl sheets. Moreover, they are waterproof.

Cotton is most often used for the production of bed linen. A wide range of products allows you to choose a model to your taste. The service life of knitted natural products reaches 7 years.

Satin bedding is made from twisted cotton fibers. The dense, absorbent fabric is highly breathable and hygienic.

Modern bed sheets can be chosen for any bed size. First of all, you need to focus on whether the bed is single, double or one and a half. By the way, there is no single standard for bed linen, so their parameters may differ by 10-15 centimeters. For single beds, a sheet of 110 x 200 cm is usually purchased, although for children or simply informal beds it is better to take products measuring 90x200 cm or even 160 x 80 cm.In a one-and-a-half bed, the width and length of the sheet should not be less than 160x200 cm.

The double bed sheet is intended for free beds, the width of which is in the range of 175-210 cm, and the length is 210-230 cm. For example, in this case, sheets 180x200 or 200x220 cm in size are suitable.For non-standard furniture, for example, round or oval, it is customary to take canvases whose diameter varies from 200 to 250 cm.Large berths - euro, euro-maxi or family - require a width of at least 220 cm. So, their area can correspond to 240x260 or 220x240 cm. In general, when choosing a sheet, it is believed that the larger its size, the better.In principle, even if the sides of the product are 20-30 centimeters higher than the sides of the mattress, its use will be very comfortable.

At the moment, the shade of the sheet is not limited by anything, and therefore it can be black or red, classically white or beige, decorated with patterns or covered with images of fairy-tale characters. Still more popular are bedding in pastel shades, which fade less often and do not fade during use. Fabrics with bright prints have to be washed with extreme care, adhering to the manufacturer's recommendations regarding temperature conditions. When buying, it is important to take into account the strength of the dye - the value indicated on the package cannot be less than 4.

When choosing a sheet, the first step is to decide which will be more convenient: a classic rectangular model or a model with an elastic band. The first will probably slide off, but the second will be rather inconvenient to fold, and it generally cannot be used on sleeping places that do not have access from all sides - for example, on folding sofas. Product dimensions should be determined on an individual basis. For classic sheets, it is convenient to take the length and width of the berth - and add 10-20 cm on each side. For a sheet with an elastic band, it will be necessary to add a hem on all sides and a double height of the mattress to the width. We must not forget that a fold of more than 20 cm crumples during operation and even interferes with making the bed.

Average number of threads per square meter m of bed sheet material - from 400 to 450, this already contributes to an increased level of comfort, so it is not at all necessary to purchase expensive products with 800-1000 threads.

Linen sheets are indispensable in hot climates due to their ability to absorb moisture. Satin underwear will look very sophisticated, but it can be too warm and slippery. Eco-friendly bamboo also absorbs moisture and is anti-microbial. Cotton will be warm in winter and cool in summer. Whatever the choice of fabric, it is recommended that you first “try on” a piece of fabric on your hand to assess how the material feels.

Caring for a sheet at home is not difficult. It should be changed once a week in the warm season, and also once every 2 weeks in the cold. You should also focus on the state of the body: with increased sweating, illness or long sleep, exceeding 8 hours, you can refresh the bed more often. At least once a month, it would be nice to hang the fabric for airing to get rid of unnecessary odors and microbes. It is only allowed to take the laundry outside on dry and sunny days, as high humidity will cause the material to become damp.

So, satin bedding requires being in the range of 40-60 degrees, and cotton and linen - 60 degrees for colored items and 90 degrees for whites. A product that is too dirty can be soaked for about an hour in water containing the powder. Synthetic sheets are usually processed at a temperature not exceeding 60 degrees. By the way, it will be possible to whiten the fabric either with the help of commercial bleach, or by making a composition of heated water, baking soda and ammonia.

It is still recommended to iron the washed linen, but, for example, calico models do not wrinkle at all, and therefore do not require additional processing. The set is best ironed when it is dry but still slightly damp. Synthetics will have to be provided with additional protection in the form of gauze or a wet clean rag.The ironed sheet can be folded either simply on the shelf, forming a separate stack, or by “packing” it together with the duvet cover into a pillowcase of the appropriate set.

If the sheet slips off the mattress, there are several ways to solve the problem. To begin with, this often happens when the mattress topper itself is made from unnatural fabrics. Replacing with a better product will immediately eliminate the problem. Previously, a frequent decision was to lay another thin and heavy one with a width of no more than 5 centimeters on top of the main mattress, or fix the sheet with various devices. Today, simple solutions are more popular, for example, purchasing a sheet with an elastic band or a protective mattress topper.