I know laundry is boring, but have you ever wondered what happens to your mattress if you don't change the sheets often? Some people find it essential to change their sheets once a week, while others don't change or wash their sheets for a month or more.

If you have invested in the best mattress for your body and your sleep, cleaning your mattress and sheets regularly will make your bed last longer and keep it healthier. Otherwise, a variety of toxins can build up and affect the quality of your sleep or cause allergies.

Here's why it's important to change your sheets regularly, how to keep your bed clean between changes, and whether or not it's worth investing in the best mattress protector. With the Presidents Day mattress sale just around the corner, now is the perfect time to upgrade your sleeping space.

We all shed nearly half a teaspoon of dead skin every night when we are in bed, and the longer the sheets are on the mattress, the more dead skin accumulates. The dead skin flakes off directly onto the sheets, but don't assume that the sheets will protect your mattress from these flakes. The longer dead skin cells remain attached to the sheets, the more likely they are to penetrate the mattress.

So what happens when these dead skin cells begin to snowball on the sheets and mattress? They become food. Dead skin is a haven for mites, and just one night of dead skin shedding is enough to feed more than a million mites. The accumulated dead skin also becomes a breeding ground for bacteria, which spread through the linens and into the mattress.

Most people sweat approximately 26 gallons per year (possibly more during hot weather), unless they are in good health, which causes them to sweat profusely. Sweat and natural body oils can quickly run through the sheets and into the mattress.

Yellow stains on mattresses. While some yellowing is due to the natural decay of old mattresses, vomit and urine can cause similar stains.

While everyone should make it a priority to change sheets regularly (once a week is recommended), some people should change them more often than others. For example, people who are prone to night sweats and hot flashes (such as those who are menopausal or have health conditions that cause profuse sweating) should have their sheets changed regularly to avoid sweat buildup.

Sheets should also be replaced more often in areas where people live in warm climates, experience hot weather, or suffer from heat waves. Similarly, if there are disease bugs floating around town or if we are in a cold or flu season, they will spread contaminants all over the bed.

These contaminants are spread by coughing and sneezing, and these virus particles can survive on porous surfaces such as cotton for up to 72 hours. In fact, in a 2020 study, bed sheets of people infected with covid-19 (even asymptomatic) were 50% positive for coronavirus.

Here's some bad news for those who like to sleep with their cats or dogs at night. Sharing a bed with a pet is not very pleasant, with the mixture of dead skin, body fat, sweat, and pet dander. Therefore, if your four-legged friend also sleeps with you, you need to remove the fur and wash the sheets regularly.

To keep the mattress clean, vacuum it every six months and spot clean it with a stain remover. Aside from the mattress, regularly wipe down the bed frame and railing to remove dust and dead skin cells; a 2020 study found that bed rails were the most contaminated part of the bed for Covid-19 patients.

And contrary to what we are always told, it is not a hygienic practice to make your bed immediately after waking up. Lydia Lloyd, textile expert at M&S Mattress, who answered some frequently asked questions about mattress care, told us that you should always allow your mattress to air dry for 30 minutes before making your bed.

"While it may be tempting to make the bed right away, it is recommended to let the mattress and bedding breathe between uses. To ventilate your bed, hang up your comforter for half an hour each morning to allow moisture and naturally built-up allergens to escape."

Mattress covers completely cover the mattress (including the bottom), but the next best thing is a mattress protector, which protects the top and sides. Mattress protectors help protect the mattress from spills, dirt, dust mites, dead skin, and even bed bugs, but it is recommended that the bed be changed once a week to keep the sleeping space fresh and sanitary.

Another benefit of changing sheets regularly is the clean smell (think of a clothesline full of freshly laundered cotton sheets rustling in the summer breeze).