Say Goodbye to Ironing: The Ultimate Guide to Crisp Sheets
Do you like the feel of clean crisp sheets but don’t want to iron or have the resources to professionally launder weekly? I have a brilliant solution for you.
Years ago, a friend shared with me that she treated herself to getting her sheets ironed at the dry cleaners every week. I did it once and was in love but I wasn’t in love with the $50 price tag, so I never did it again.
Fast forward to my recent girl’s retreat, blogging tips were not the only thing we shared. My dear friend Amy from Amy Sadler Designs shared with us how she gives wrinkled sheets, a pressed sheet feel all while saving time and money.
None of us believed her but the proof was in the pudding!
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Here is the Secret!
Put the sheets on your bed right out of the washer. Yes, you heard me right put your damp sheets right from the washer onto your bed.
I also put the damp pillowcases on the pillows, but I laid them over our balcony banister to dry. You could also put them over a chair.
I also didn’t tuck in the top sheets until they were dried.
You honestly won’t believe how amazing these sheets are when you climb into your freshly made bed. It’s truly heavenly.
Did You Know?
Did you know that the correct way to make your bed is to put your top sheet with the top part facing your fitted sheet so that you’re laying between the right side of both sheets. This also allows you to have the right side showing if you fold down your sheet and it has a decorative edge.
Why are your Sheets Wrinkled?
Sheets wrinkle after washing due to the properties of the fibers and the mechanical actions involved in the washing process. Natural fibers like cotton and linen are more prone to wrinkling compared to synthetic fibers because they have less elasticity. During washing, the agitation and tumbling cause the fibers to twist and compress, leading to wrinkles. When sheets get wet, the fibers swell and lose some structural integrity, and as they dry, they contract unevenly, resulting in wrinkles.
The drying method also plays a role, with air drying often causing more wrinkles than tumble drying, especially if the sheets are left to settle into creases. By eliminating the drying you allow the fibers in your sheets to settle back into place.
What are my Favorite Sheets?
I have only tried this method with cotton sheets. If you try it with a blend, I would love to hear from you.
What sheets do I use? Well, I’m a bit of a sheet snob.
I don’t spend a lot of money on other things for myself so sheets are my guilty pleasure. My sweet mother-in-law generously gifts me some money for my birthday and I generally use it to buy a new set of sheets!
Nest Bedding Crinkle Percale Organic Cotton Sheet Set
- Very soft and breathable – Great for Summer Sleeping
- Sustainably sourced
- Raw materials
- The flat sheet size is very generously sized at 113″ x 109″ – tucks in really well
- (4) Pillow cases come with the king-sized sets!! (Bonus)
Brooklinen Luxe Sateen Core Sheets
- Silky-soft feel and luminous sheen
- Long and short tags on fitted sheets
- No harmful substances are used
- Generously sized flat sheet that tucks in well 110” x 104”
Pottery Barn 400-Thread-Count Organic Percale Sheet Set
- Incredibly soft and smooth
- Sustainably sources
- No harmful substances are used
- Flat sheet size 108” x 105’
Damp Sheet Tips
My only tip for this method is that you don’t want to be putting your damp sheets on your bed at 7 pm if you’re going to bed at 9.
I wash my sheets first thing in the morning and then put them on my bed.
I tuck my fitted sheet around my mattress but my top sheet I just fold the top over about 4-6” and then let the sides all hang down until the sheets are dry and I’m ready to make my bed.
Additional Tips for Sheet Care
I have several sets of sheets and I store them in a cabinet using the most amazing size bands so that I can easily identify my sheets.
I also have a special method that I use to deep clean my sheets. I love white sheets and we have well water and I have a husband who creates oil marks on his side of the bed. My system works to keep them white.
That will be something I will share along with stain removal methods in another post.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I hope that all of you find this to be a life-changing, revolutionary way to have the feel of pressed sheets without any of the time and effort.
No more wrinkled sheets as well as saving time and money by not having to put your sheets in the dryer.
You can now enjoy your favorite sheets even more. Please let me know what you think!
Peace and Love,
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I’m an Interior Designer turned full-time blogger who lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago in a 1,300 sq., ft., home with my “Handy” husband, Keith.
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I haven’t tried this yet! But after the endorsement of the most discerning sheet snob I know, you bet I’ll be giving it a try.
🙂
I am so happy you love this sheet trick! It’s amazing!
I am ordering those sizing bands. I have never seen those before! How cool!
Thank you for linking to me! I hope the world follows along on your organizing journey in September as well! You are so inspiring and helpful!
Your sheet trick is genius and it’s my favorite life hack to date! I can’t stop telling everyone who will listen!
Lynn
Can you please share with me your tip for getting really clean sheets. I have cream color sheets in most of the bedrooms in one of our homes, and the duvet cover is very dingy along the top edge where we sleep with it next to our faces. Please help! By the way, my name is also Lynn.
Warm regards, Lynn
Hi Lynn – We have horrible water so about every 4 or 5th washing of my sheets I put them in the washer with 1 scoop of Tide Laundry Powder Soap, 1 Scoop of baking soda, 1 scoop of borax, 1 cup of white vinegar, and a capful of calgon water softener liquid. Then I start the washer (set on white with the hottest water). Once the washer is filled and has agitated a bit (for me it’s about 15 minutes) I stop the washer and let the sheets soak for about 2 hours. Then I start the washer again and after the cycle is completely done, I was again with an all-free and clear liquid detergent to get all of the “stuff” out of the sheets.
Some people do the first step in their bath tubs if their washer doesn’t have a soak cycle. I hope this helps. It has brightened up my laundry. Unfortunately it hasn’t really worked on older sheets but it keeps all of my newer sheets nice and white.
So, the wet sheets do not cause a mould build up on the mattress? I hang my sheets on the outside line to dry in the breeze and the sun. They smell fresh and they feel great. I am also lucky to have an undercover area where I hang my washing during Winter. I managed to get rid of my dryer.
Hi Penelope – No I don’t have a problem with mold at all. They dry pretty quickly. They are just damp when I take them out of the washer. Try it once, you’ll be shocked.
I would love to have a clothes line to hang my clothes outside. I have a design in mind for one, I just have to figure out where I can put one in my yard that doesn’t look out of place. Thanks so much for visiting my blog!
How would this method work in places with high humidity like Florida? I’m concerned about my mattress getting musty or mouldy.
Thx
When your machine spins the sheets, my experience is they aren’t very wet, just dampish. In Chicago we have very humid summers and it works but my air conditioning is on. I have never had an issue with mold and/or musty. In fact my sheets smell better than when I dry them in the dryer.