When do you replace sheets? (sort of a s/o of the "what do you spend $ for" thread

[Janie Grace]

A lot of you said you are willing to pay $ for nice sheets, and I think I am too. But I am wondering when one should break down and buy them.

 

My sons' sheets sometimes get torn (don't ask -- forts, maybe, IDK) and so that's a no-brainer. But what about master bedsheets? Both sets of ours have a bloodstain (thank you, Aunt Flo). That might totally gross some of you out, that I would keep using sheets with such a stain. But... money is tight. Is sleeping on sheets with a bloodstain totally a no-go in your book? It does sort of bother me every time I get into bed. :( What say you, time to replace? If so, where do you get good sheets for not too much $?

[momtoamiracle]

I've never had blood stains not come out so I don't know. I'd probably work real hard to get them out.

 

 

I have a set now where the top band is coming off. That's about when I replace them, when they are starting to fall apart. I have a king bed so it's not like I can just buy good sheets for them cheaply.

 

It's my 25th anniversary this year so I may tell my sisters if they want to get me something...

[stripe]

Can you try to get the stain out? Zout works wonders for me. Or bleach!

 

I got a bunch of sets on clearance for $5 about 5 years ago so haven't bought any since then, but my pillowcases from older sets are all ripping. Some of them are twenty years old! Ha.

 

I used to get them at the outlet mall. Or sometimes TJMaxx has decent prices. I bought some Martha Stewart cotton sheets for my kids at Kmart once, they aren't bad. Ikea's look awful and thin.

 

Seriously, check clearance everywhere you go. My husband just bought me a whole set at JCPenney for $20, inc comforter. I don't like the sheets, but I know my MIL will adore them. I am keeping the comforter.

[Guest]

We started our marriage with about 6 sets of sheets. We are down to the last set so I probably should think about replacing them soon! I toss them when they tear. Stained sheets would be a no-go...I don't think my dh would like that, either. I'd get a really cheap set from Target or Walmart before keeping a stained set. That's me.

[Scuff]

I don't mind stained sheets. If I replaced them every time they got stained, we'd be buying sheets a lot. It bugs me when i first change the sheets. But after that you don't really notice stains- the blankets cover them up! Now pilly sheets, can't stand those. So, I buy new if they are thin or pilling.

[SKL]

I don't replace sheets until they get a hole in them. And I usually only have one set of sheets.

 

If I'd gotten a bloodstain, I would have worked hard to make it go away (or at least fade enough to be non-noticeable), rather than throw out an otherwise very nice set of sheets for that reason.

 

However, I would probably buy a cheap set of sheets rather than keep using one that has an obvious bloodstain.

 

I use cloth pads for extra days before & after to reduce the chance of getting a bloodstain on sheets.

[gardenmom5]

my rn friend uses hydrogen peroxide on fresh blood. Kids will love watching it bubble.

 

I usually replace sheets when they start to thin.

 

Costco has some nice queen and king 4-piece sets for under $100. Occasionally they've even had them in their coupon book - so I buy a set.

 

but I buy solid colors.

[Mrs Mungo]

Soak them in peroxide.

 

My uncle bought us a JC Penny's gift card for Christmas last year and we used it to buy new sheets. :)

[cjzimmer1]

But what about master bedsheets? Both sets of ours have a bloodstain (thank you, Aunt Flo). That might totally gross some of you out, that I would keep using sheets with such a stain. But... money is tight. Is sleeping on sheets with a bloodstain totally a no-go in your book?

 

Spray the stain with hydrogen peroxide. Let it work, rub the stain while rinsing and repeat until the stain is gone. My of my dad's doctors told them about this trick. Apparently it's what they use at the hospital/doctor office to get blood stains out. It works on washed and dried stains too but you will have to work a little harder to get it out.

[Lang Syne Boardie]

I agree about trying to get the stains out when they happen. Sometimes that does fail, though, and I use clean-but-awful sheets all the time. I think it's just part of life with kids that even the sheets for the parents' bed get pretty messed up.

 

I mend and patch until I feel that sewing one more seam in a too-thin sheet is only going to perforate it for an instant new hole.

 

When the sheet becomes worth less than the thread to mend it, I finally let it go.

 

My towels are in similar condition--mended and ugly but totally serviceable.

 

I keep guest towels AND guest sheets, pillows, and blankets for company. I am fine with our family standard of shabbiness but I don't like to make up beds with mended or stained sheets for guests.

[Punks in Ontario]

I just replaced our sheets when the fitted sheet elastic was no longer doing its job and the sheet was coming up every night. The pillowcases were also starting to get holes in the corners. I might have replaced the elastics, but Costco had great sheets on for $35 (queen), so I could hardly replace the elastic and pillowcases for that. Now the old set is our spare set just in case a child throws up on our bed - or a cat.

 

And the stain would bother me. I'd just have to weigh how much and act accordingly. I'd probably make sure the bed was made so I didn't have to look at it. Poly blend sheets are less likely to hold stains.

[HappyCrazyMama]

If it helps remember a stain is not dirt, it is a mis-dying.

[magnificent_baby]

I replaced a few years ago because we got a very thick mattress. We only have 2 sets for master bedroom. We had 3, but threw out the last set for the same reason you are talking about; I tried to use them but the stain on white sheets bugged me too much.

 

My favorite are sateen kind from Sam's club. They feel heavenly to sleep on and wash up really well (though wrinkle easily) and very reasonably priced. There is a small tear in the seam, but with only 2 sets they get used and washed frequently and we have a large pillowtop mattress, so I don't think it's a quality issue.

[Ellie]

I buy new sheets when the ones I'm using lose their elastic (fitted sheets, of course), or if they tear (not very common). Right now I have two sets of sheets for my bed, which I alternate weekly. I have been buying them from QVC, which often has sales, and which also frequently allows you to make two or three automatic payments. I haven't had much luck with sheets I've bought in the stores. :glare:

[MissKNG]

Someone else's blood stain...no way, the sheets would be in the trash. I usually find nice deals at walmart in the clearance isle. They may not be the coolest colors (I got a king sized sheet set for $25 with a good thread count...they are gold!) but the prices aren't bad. Money is tight here too but I would make it happen!:D

 

ETA: the blood stained sheet would be in the trash, I would make use of the non stained sheet.

[justLisa]

Just dab some bleach on it and say "Oops I went a little cleaning happy."

[Parrothead]

I like white sheets so I can bleach them. I buy good ones so they last. I haven't bought regular bed sheets in ages. I do have to replace the flannel sheets more frequently. No matter the quality they always seem to lose their elastic after about 5 years.

[magnificent_baby]

I buy new sheets when the ones I'm using lose their elastic (fitted sheets, of course), or if they tear (not very common). Right now I have two sets of sheets for my bed, which I alternate weekly. I have been buying them from QVC, which often has sales, and which also frequently allows you to make two or three automatic payments. I haven't had much luck with sheets I've bought in the stores. :glare:

 

Their return process is fantastic. Years ago, I returned a flannel set because they pilled so badly; money back with zero questions asked.

[AHASRADA]

Oh, sheets! Well, I don't buy the cheapest ones, but not the most expensive, fancy thread-count ones either, just decent ones, I guess.

 

How often? About every 5 years or so. :tongue_smilie:

[SKL]

I meant to say: I would not want a stained sheet because when we have overnight company, they sleep in my bed (and I don't have spare sheets). While I don't share my bed regularly, if I did I would feel uncomfortable having a blood stain on it.

[T'smom]

I haven't had a problem with getting stains out, but even if I did, I probably wouldn't get rid of the sheets unless I didn't like them. But nobody has ever slept in our bed but us (and the kids). We have actually had two sets of sheets tear fairly recently and I figured out that it was because when the little one wants to climb onto the bed, she grabs fistfuls of the sheet and pulls herself up. I guess making the bed would solve that problem, but that ain't happening! We have three sets that we rotate. We don't replace very often. Anyway, I don't find stains to be all that gross.....

[momofkhm]

What say you, time to replace? If so, where do you get good sheets for not too much $?

 

I haven't gotten to that point yet. I keep getting a new size bed. When dh and I got married, I had a double bed. We had that for 5-7 years and then got a queen cheaply from friends' parents. Had that maybe 7-9 years. Then we got a king. We've had the king 3-5 years maybe. The sheets we've had have not needed replacing before we got a bigger bed. We can't go bigger than a king though. I guess I'd replace sheets when they got thin or when the elastic is out. I change sheets when visiting my folks and IL. MIL has a set with no elastic at all left in it and I keep wondering when she will get rid of them.

[Tracy in Ky]

We replace when they get pretty big holes in them :D

[In the Rain]

If I saw a stain every time I got into bed, I'd make it a larger priority to replace the sheet.

[Liz CA]

I read the title and instantly felt guilty since my sheets are entering week 2.

Then I figured out what you meant. I buy them at IKEA because we have a CA King and they are typically very expensive unless seriously discounted.