How Often Should You Replace Your Bedding

Bedding Replacement Timeline

Use this as a baseline, then adjust depending on washing frequency, allergies, night sweats, pets, and general wear. If you are looking for bedding that holds its feel and finish for longer, invest in better materials and construction from the start. That is what keeps the bed feeling premium over time.

What Shortens the Life of Bedding

Most early wear comes down to care habits:

• Washing too hot or too harsh, especially repeatedly.
• Over drying on high heat.
• Using fabric softener, which can coat fibres and reduce breathability.
• A fitted sheet that is too small, which strains the corners and elastic.
• Heavy skincare products transferring oils onto fabric.
• Storing bedding before it is fully dry.

If you want your bed linen to stay crisp, it is worth treating laundering as care rather than damage control.

1. Sheets and Pillowcases

Sheets and pillowcases do the hardest work, so they are usually the first to need replacing. They are also the layers you feel immediately, which is why a fresh set can make the whole bed feel upgraded.

• Consider replacing your bed sheets every 2 to 3 years as it keeps most beds feeling properly fresh. If you wash weekly, have allergies, or run warm at night, 18 to 24 months can be more realistic.

• You may consider replacing your pillow cases every 1 to 2 years as a sensible standard, sooner if you notice roughness or a loss of smoothness.

How to Know When to Replace Your Bed Sheets and Pillowcases

• You can see light through the fabric where it used to feel opaque.
• The fitted corners lose grip and need constant adjusting.
• The surface pills, especially around the feet area.
• The fabric looks tired even straight from the wash.

At Rise & Fall, we focus on bed linen that sits cleanly, with fitted sheets that hold the corners properly and pillowcases that dress smoothly without pulling. If you are looking for sheets that feel genuinely premium night after night, explore our bed linen collections in Crisp & Cool percale, Soft & Smooth sateen and spun from high-quality European-grown linen. 

2. Duvet Covers

Duvet covers last longer than sheets because they experience less direct friction, but they still carry daily wear and frequent washing.

You should be looking to replace your duvet covers every 2 to 5 years depending on rotation and care. Keeping two covers in rotation usually extends the life of both.

How to Know When to Replace Your Duvet Cover

• Fading or patchiness in high contact areas.
• Buttons, ties, or closures begin to strain.
• The fabric no longer drapes neatly.

If you are looking for duvet covers that keep their finish and look beautifully made, explore our range of premium duvet covers and choose the fabric that suits how you like the bed to look and feel.

3. Pillows

A pillow can look fine long after it stops supporting you properly. Replacement is about alignment and hygiene, not appearance.

You may want to replace your pillows every 1 to 2 years as a strong guide. Protectors and careful laundering can extend that, but most people replace them later than they should.

How to Know When to Replace Your Pillow

• You wake with neck or shoulder tightness.
• Permanent dips or compressed sections.
• A musty odour that returns quickly.

If you are looking for premium pillows in natural fills, explore our pillow range in UK Standard and UK Super King sizing, available in British wool and recycled down.

4. Duvets

A duvet should keep you warm without feeling heavy, and breathable without feeling thin. When loft goes, performance follows.

You should replace your duvet every 5 to 10 years. This is typical for a high-quality duvet, often longer with correct care and storage.

How to Know When to Replace Your Duvet

• Cold patches or uneven warmth.
• Fill clumping that will not redistribute.
• Loss of loft, the duvet looks flat on the bed.

• A lingering odour that does not disappear after airing.

If you are looking to upgrade, explore our duvets in British wool and recycled down for warmth that feels refined, not bulky.

5. Mattress Protectors and Toppers

These layers are not decorative, but they set the standard for hygiene and comfort.

• You should replace your mattress protector every 1 to 2 years, sooner if elastic loosens or it no longer sits taut.

• Your mattress topper every 3 to 5 years, depending on compression and how much it changes the feel of your bed.

How to Know When to Replace Your Mattress Protectors and Toppers

• Protector corners loosen and shift.
• Topper feels uneven or compressed where you sleep.
• The mattress underneath feels cooler or less comfortable than it used to.

At Rise & Fall, our British wool mattress protector and topper make a premium upgrade to any bed as a result of their ability to breathe, regulate temperature and add comfort without feeling synthetic or stiff. 

How to Make Bedding Last Longer

This is how to extend lifespan without lowering standards:

• Wash at 30 to 40°C unless you have a specific reason to go hotter.
• Avoid fabric softener.
• Use a gentle detergent and do not overload the machine.
• Dry on low heat or line dry when possible.
• Rotate at least two sets of sheets and two duvet covers.
• Use pillow protectors and a mattress protector as standard.
• Store bedding clean, fully dry and away from direct light.

Bedding Replacement FAQs

1. How do I know if my bedding needs replacing?

If fabric is thinning, pilling, losing shape, or no longer feels fresh between washes, it is time. Bedding should feel good immediately, not only after you have adjusted it.

2. Does thread count determine how long sheets last?

Not on its own, as fibre quality, weave and finishing matter more, along with how you wash and dry.

3. Should I replace pillows more often if I have allergies?

Allergies typically benefit from more frequent replacement, plus protectors and regular laundering.

4. Can I extend the life of bedding by owning more sets?

Rotation reduces wear per set, so bedding stays sharper for longer.