As we spend between 49 and 60 hours in bed per week, it's important to make sure the bedding is clean, as it can quickly become a hub for dirt, dust mites, dead skin cells and sweat.
Many experts agree that you should wash your bedding once a week, or at least once every two weeks. Still, lots of people neglect changing the sheets, which can feel like a chore when you're busy with work, children or other activities.
While many of us are guilty of not washing our bedding enough, one woman previously admitted she had never done it.
Cornelia Bayley, who lives in a Grade I listed 17th century manor in north Wales, appeared on the Channel 4 show Obsessive Compulsive Cleaners back in 2013.
Then aged 74, the retired antiques dealer was struggling to maintain the 10-bedroom mansion by herself, and enlisted the help of cleaning obsessives Hayley and Dann.
They admitted it was their "greatest challenge yet," as the house was full of dirt and grime, with Cornelia saying she had only covered a couple of times in 29 years.
But one of her most eye-opening confessions was that she had never washed her bedding or mattress – which is believed to be 100 years old.
In the episode, Dan and Hayley came to stay at Plas Teg, Cornelia's home which was in desperate need of a refresh. Together all three would try to understand the extremes of their habits, and hopefully come to a middle ground.
After being shown the bedroom, Hayley asked: "Cornelia, when was the bedding last washed," to which she replied: "Never".
Hayley, who was diagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) in 2007, added: "It's never been washed? What about the mattress? Do you clean the mattresses?"
Dan then asked: "How old is the mattress," to which Cornelia replied: "It could be 100 years old, or something. You know, this is how people used to live years ago – and I still live like that."
One of the things Cornelia was clear on when Dan and Hayley visited was that they weren't allowed to use any cleaning products – only water and a sponge.
When Cornelia said this, Hayley asked: "It doesn't kill the bacteria then, does it?" to which the homeowner replied: "The bacteria can live here, I couldn't care less."
Looking back on her experience in the house in a YouTube video in 2020, mum-of-three Cornelia said she had a "bit of a breakdown inside" when she was told she could only use water.
She added: "That was the first hurdle for me, and instantly I was like, 'This is going to go downhill very, very quickly.
"Because I was thinking in my mind things like, 'How am I gonna get these these toilets clean? What am I gonna use to clean the sink drains and put down the drains and stuff?".
After completing the challenge by scrubbing everything with water and a bit of washing up liquid, Cornelia said she was "happy" with all their hard work.
Plas Teg is currently closed to the public while they complete structural repairs, but Cornelia still lives there.
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