White sheets are now synonymous with hotels, but it wasn’t always that way. So, why did hotels begin using white bed sheets? Through research and testing, hotels found that white sheets offered an overall better experience for guests. In fact, there’s no reason not to bring that “better experience” to your family every night in your own home.
White Sheets Are Synonymous with Hygiene
In the late 1980s, a study revealed that guests preferred white sheets because they provided a sense of well-being and hygiene. Prior to that time, many hotel owners used colorful sheets as it was easier to hide stains. Once Westin Hotels released this study, however, hotel owners began to adopt white sheets, which soon became the standard around the world. Investing in white sheets for your own bed brings that luxury to your everyday life. Go a step further and add a lavender sachet to your pillowcase for a relaxing scent that melts the stress away as you fall into bed.
White Sheets Are Associated with a Sense of Peacefulness
When you think of a peaceful scene, do you imagine light and airy or dark and moody colors? Research shows that light colors, particularly white, support peaceful and happy feelings. Although color associations are not universal, the color white conveys a sense of peacefulness, which is another reason hotels choose white bedding. Hotels use this to their advantage. Whether their guests are anticipating a relaxing vacation or a stressful business trip, the hotel room should be a stress-relieving place to unwind. The relaxing results white bedding provides are a secret weapon for hotels, so why not make it yours, too. Your own home offers that same optimal relief from stress when you add white sheets, a white or light-colored comforter, and matching decorative pillows. Add flowers and a lamp to each bedside table, and hang coordinating, calming décor on the walls. You’ll find the stress fading away as soon as you walk into the bedroom.
White Sheets Are Easy to Clean
Hotels clean massive amounts of bedding every day in order to ensure that the bedding is clean and fresh for every guest so efficiency is key. With white sheets they can use bleach to eliminate stains and germs and ensure that every guest stays healthy.
While you likely aren’t washing as many sheets as a hotel does each day, we can still learn from their practices. Even with stains, white sheets are easier to clean. Bleach is a powerful stain remover but, unless you’re using a less effective color-safe bleach, can only be used with white sheets.
For best results, add a ½ cup of regular bleach to wash water after the detergent, but before adding the white bedding. Once the wash cycle begins, add the bedding to the wash water with the bleach. If you use a front-loading washing machine, add the bleach to the laundry drawer in the designated area. Make sure to avoid filling above the max line.
Whatever the stain, you can be confident that bleach will remove it so your sheets will remain fresh and clean for years.
Pro Tip: If you don’t have bleach but need to get a stain out fast, baking soda and white vinegar, or lemon juice, are great alternatives. Just add a ½ cup of baking soda to the load of laundry along with the detergent. Add the vinegar just before the rinse cycle. Your sheets won’t smell like vinegar once dry and the stains will be gone! The lemon juice method is similar. Add a ¼ cup along with your chosen detergent, and the citric acid will work the stains out during the wash cycle.
Then take that relaxation a step further by investing in a bedding set that has a high thread count for long-lasting comfort. These cotton high thread count sheets will also get softer with age, and they are more resistant to pills and wear because the weave is tighter.
Once you build the foundation of a relaxing bedroom, add some personal touches to make it your own such as family photos from your favorite trips. For an even higher level of relaxation, we suggest you make it a technology-free space where you can enjoy a mug of tea and a good book. It’s the cure to whatever your week brings you.
So, bring luxury and relaxation home with you by investing in high-quality cotton sheets that age beautifully, clean easily, and make you feel like you’re at a hotel every night. Learn more about our beautiful white cotton sheets including our different pattern choices.
If you’re not sure where to begin, we can help! Contact us to find the perfect match.
Updated August 2, 2022
