How to Wash Linen Sheets and Care for Them Over Time

There is something particularly lovely about linen that has been lived with for years.

Fresh linen can feel crisp and structured. Then, slowly, wash by wash and night by night, it begins to relax. It softens. The creases become part of its character. Eventually, it feels completely at home.

That is part of what makes linen worth caring for.

Good linen does not need to remain looking new. It simply needs to be cared for in a way that allows it to age well.

Here is how we care for ours.

How often should you wash linen sheets?

For most households, washing bed linen around once a week is a good place to begin, although there is no rule that suits every home.

Climate, season, personal preference and how the bed is used will all make a difference.

More important than following a perfect schedule is washing your linen when it needs it, rather than washing simply out of habit.

Between washes, pull back the covers in the morning and give your bed a little time to air before making it.

Open the windows if the weather allows.

Sometimes the simplest forms of care really are the best ones.

Before putting linen in the wash

Begin with the care label.

Even when two pieces are both described as linen, their construction, dyes, finishes and blends may mean they require different care.

Separate colours where appropriate and check your sheets for stains before washing.

If you find one, treat the stain individually rather than subjecting the entire load to a more intensive wash than it needs.

Button or fasten duvet covers where appropriate to prevent smaller pieces from finding their way inside.

And resist the temptation to fill the washing machine to its limit.

Linen becomes heavy when wet and benefits from having enough room to move freely through the wash.

What temperature should you wash linen at?

Always follow the temperature recommended on your linen's care label.

For many everyday linen pieces, a cool or warm wash is sufficient for regular care.

A hotter wash is not automatically a better wash.

The appropriate temperature depends on the textile, its colour, how soiled it is and the manufacturer's instructions.

When the sheets simply need their usual refresh, there is rarely a reason to make the wash more intensive than necessary.

Choose the wash cycle for the textile

We tend to think of laundry as one job.

It isn't really.

A load of bath towels has very different needs from a set of linen sheets. A heavily soiled load is different again.

For linen, choose a cycle appropriate to the care instructions and avoid unnecessarily aggressive washing.

The aim is simple.

Clean what needs cleaning. Treat what needs treating. Care for the rest.

How much laundry product should you use?

More does not necessarily mean cleaner.

Use the amount recommended for the product, taking into account the size of your load and how soiled it is.

Using excessive laundry product can be unnecessary and may make rinsing more difficult.

For our Laundry Mineral Wash, we use one wooden scoop, approximately 30g, for a standard 8 to 10kg load and half a scoop for smaller or lightly soiled loads.

For stubborn stains or heavily soiled linen, we recommend treating the stain appropriately and pairing the Mineral Wash with a suitable enzyme detergent where required.

Always follow the care instructions for your particular linen.

Should you use fabric softener on linen?

Generally, linen does not need conventional fabric softener to become beautifully soft.

One of the pleasures of good linen is that it naturally relaxes with use and laundering.

Before adding another product to the wash, consider whether the textile actually needs it.

Sometimes softness is simply something that comes with time.

How should you dry linen?

Again, begin with the care label.

Where appropriate, line drying is a lovely way to dry linen. Shake each piece out before hanging it and give it enough space for air to circulate.

There is something deeply familiar about linen moving on a washing line.

The slight creasing, the fresh air, the warmth left in the fabric when you bring it inside.

If your linen can be tumble dried, follow the manufacturer's instructions and avoid unnecessary heat.

Removing linen while it is still slightly damp can also help prevent it from becoming overly creased.

Do linen sheets need to be ironed?

Only if you like them that way.

We love linen precisely because it does not need to look perfect.

Its natural creases are part of the fabric's character.

Smooth the sheets with your hands when making the bed and let the rest be.

There is a difference between a home that is cared for and one that looks untouched.

We will always choose the former.

How should you store linen?

Make sure your linen is completely clean and dry before putting it away.

Store it somewhere dry and well ventilated, away from prolonged direct sunlight or moisture.

Avoid compressing beautiful linen into an overcrowded cupboard if you can.

Fold it simply.

Give it a little room.

Then use it again.

Let your linen become yours

Perhaps the most important part of caring for good linen is actually using it.

Do not save your favourite sheets for some imagined future version of your home.

Sleep in them.

Wash them.

Let them soften.

Let them crease.

Let them become the sheets you automatically reach for when the bed needs changing.

The goal of caring for linen is not to keep it looking untouched.

It is to keep it in your life.

For the everyday wash

Our Laundry Mineral Wash was created for considered everyday textile care, gently cleaning, softening and deodorising washable textiles while leaving behind a subtle trace of your chosen Ode.