REVISED with REAL "Bedding" Accumulation - was Yikes - Bedding

[throgmartin]

Some of you know I am a germ-a-phobe. I am not too far off the Howard Hughes spectrum. I read this article and ran like hell to my bedroom and stripped my bed. I have always stayed on top of my bedding and washed it often but after reading this article I am itching like a dog with fleas. 2 gallons of body slime after 30 days ? Pillowcases with more bacteria then a toilet seat ? Good God. I want to puke. At the very least I want to take a shower in hand sanitizer.

I took a microbio class at Michigan State and remember growing bugs in the lab. I never knew this. Of course I always knew bedding needed to be changed often and as a matter of fact I have a routine - change the bedding but before putting new bedsheets down, spray the hell out of the mattress with Lysol. The reason for posting this is that I know we have a few members who are very immune compromised like myself. I also know I cannot possibly be the only germ-a-phobe on here. There has to be one other member that washes his hands 25 times a day and has hand sanitizer bottles located everywhere in their home and cars. 🙂

Pardon me folks as I am on my way to the store to buy a couple extra sheet sets so I can change them even more often.

https://www.foxnews.com/health/dangers-you-cant-see-lurking-unwashed-bedding-study-health-concerns

[Guest Ray Davis]

Chris,  YUCK,  I may not be able to sleep again.   The article is making me into a germ-a-phobic too,  now I'm itching.

Not even considering germs this quote is disgusting  ⤵️ 

" By 35 days, bedsheets will have accumulated more than 30 grams of dead skin cells, two gallons of body fluids like sweat and saliva, and more than one million dust mites."

[throgmartin]

It is all about the science.

https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/ss/slideshow-dirty-sheets-skin-problems

 

[Wrayj1]

Have You considered therapy for your phobia, might help?  Also, the body naturally develops an immunity to many things we encounter in our day-day life.  Obviously there is a limit to how long one should asleep on the same sheets.

[Tom Cherry]

12 hours ago, throgmartin said:

Some of you know I am a germ-a-phobe. I am not too far off the Howard Hughes spectrum. I read this article and ran like hell to my bedroom and stripped my bed. I have always stayed on top of my bedding and washed it often but after reading this article I am itching like a dog with fleas. 2 gallons of body slime after 30 days ? Pillowcases with more bacteria then a toilet seat ? Good God. I want to puke. At the very least I want to take a shower in hand sanitizer.

I took a microbio class at Michigan State and remember growing bugs in the lab. I never knew this. Of course I always knew bedding needed to be changed often and as a matter of fact I have a routine - change the bedding but before putting new bedsheets down, spray the hell out of the mattress with Lysol. The reason for posting this is that I know we have a few members who are very immune compromised like myself. I also know I cannot possibly be the only germ-a-phobe on here. There has to be one other member that washes his hands 25 times a day and has hand sanitizer bottles located everywhere in their home and cars. 🙂

Pardon me folks as I am on my way to the store to buy a couple extra sheet sets so I can change them even more often.

https://www.foxnews.com/health/dangers-you-cant-see-lurking-unwashed-bedding-study-health-concerns

OK….not having a a PhD in science like some members, but doing a lot of work with liquids and weights ….I GOT intrigued.  I THINK the article was written or “lifted”  by someone with no “practical” concept and maybe missed a decimal or just “messed up”.  Lets do a reality check.

Assume that the two GALLONS of slime, body fluids, whatever…..is 50% “moisture” & 50% “oils”.  A gallon of water is approximately 8.3 pounds….use 8.  I have trouble visualizing (actually UGLY) slime & body oils. Motor oil weighs in the 7 pounds per gallon range….knock it down to 6.  

OK….A  set of two queen sheets and two pillow cases weighs about 5 pounds.  I do laundry as well as help out with household tasks.  That was my “job” when I was a preteen and did the chores around the house until I was 18 as my parents worked long hours and saved to send me to college.

So, you would be lifting 19 pounds if you stripped a bed and carried it to the laundry area.  Most washing machines can’t handle that….and I go back to wringer days.

FOLKS….I HAVE TO THROW A “CHALLENGE FLAG”.  So, pick up 2 full gallons of milk…not quite 17….  No WAY IT IS 19.

SO…As a moderator, we need to ask for more verification…..otherwise….it might have to edited….

I fully and totally agree that bedding should be changed weekly….but picking up the bedding pulled off and tossed on the carpet…..it doesn’t equal a 20 pound barbell or 2 one gallon containers of milk.  Tomorrow is laundry day.  With my wife’s knee replacement PT, we are maybe 8 or 9 days.  I will weigh them before and after and report back….

[Tom Cherry]

OK....My DW wants me to run more experiments, thus doing more of the laundry.  Here is the test and the results.

Queen Sized bed with fitted & flat sheets and two pillowcases.  This is a high "thread count", translated, my DW don't skimp...on sheets...or anything....that was why SHE asked me out on our first date....and after 58 years...we are still sharing the SAME bed....legally....

OK...these sheets were on the bed for maybe 10 days.  We do not "sleep" in the nude, but won't guarantee that "skin" had been on them a time or two.  Without a prostate, you KNOW that dried up my output.  MOVING ON....LOL...

Weighed on a fairly accurate postal/utility scale.  I have actually checked the calibration with standard weights.  OK...the Engineer is coming out.

Off the BED....                                                   1942 gr

Out of the washer...after final spin cycle..........   2798 gr

Water gain from washing machine......               856 gr or 0.2798 Gal or 35.8 Oz or 2 Quarts and 4 Oz...rounded

Dried on regular setting......                               1888 gr.  NET LOSS 54 gr or 0.0143 Gal or 1.83 Oz from ORIGINAL unwashed weight.  This assumes that it was ALL moisture in the loss.  DId not use an electron microscope to determine how much was dander, dirt, skin scaling or whatever.  

In simple terms.  The sheets weighed, off the bed, 4.28 pounds....when "wrung out wet" out of the washer, they weighed 6.16 pounds.  That is a gain of 44%.  Ain't no way that after 25 more days that one could add about 13 pounds (see my original estimate) unless they were covered with a thick layer of "feces"...as in COW DROPPINGS....

On a SERIOUS note, my DW is recovering from a knee replacement and has occasional "Night Sweats" from the body's immune system trying to adjust to the new plastic spacers and the SS inserts.  NOT every night and very light.  We have not eaten in bed or anything else to increase the "foreign matter, slide or moisture" in the sheets. I think the article was incorrect and perhaps not "reviewed" by someone with a logical scientific or engineering mind for "accuracy".

That's my take.  I TOTALLY agree with Chris.  I have a new shoulder and my DW has a new knee.  We will be on preemptive antibiotics for dental work and our surgeons have told us to intensify our personal hygiene like washing your hands often.  Infections are the NUMBER ONE reason for new joint replacement issues....particularly in the first year and we have a friend that has had 3 knees (same leg) and 2 shoulders (same side) due to infections and now has to have Titanium or some Cobalt alloy as he has a "Nickel" allergy reaction and it has been touch and go for him.  He had to sell his MH and can't do near the things that a late 60 YO guy, in seeming good shape, can do....