sheet home hacks

Thread quality over quantity

When it comes to measuring the quality of sheets, there’s a common misconception (promoted by some retailers as a marketing strategy) that thread count is the determining factor and the higher the thread count, the better the sheet.

Hack: Go for a sheet with a 250 to 600 thread count made from a high quality thread as this will likely be just as comfortable, feel as silky and be just as durable as a high thread count sheet (800 tc or more). Check out these Premium Percale sheets and these super-luxe Supima sheets that prove this theory.

Fun facts: Sheets made from linen are not measured by thread count but by GSM (grams per square metre). The best weight for linen is around 180 GSM. The weight measurement for silk is called momme (‘mom-mie’) and the best quality is around 19 mm. Our NOOK Elayna linen sheets and quilt covers are 180 gsm and our NOOK Silk Royale pillowcases are 19mm.

Elastic life

The elastic in a good quality fitted sheet is never going to last as long as the sheeting itself, but you can extend its life by putting your fitted sheets in the dryer as little as possible.

Hack: Hang them out on the line in the sun (or in the shade if you don’t want them to fade) or inside over the laundry door. 

Ditch the fabric softener

It smells great and makes everything feel soft and silky, so it’s a total downer to find out that fabric softener is really bad stuff. It contains compounds that can cause breathing and skin irritations, puts a coating on the fibres and makes fabrics more flammable. It can also cause stains on your sheets and leaves behind a fatty residue that over time can clog your washing machine and pipes.

Hack: If you feel like your sheets need a bit of softening, add 1 cup of bicarb soda + half a cup of vinegar to your sheet load. The vinegar will make your sheets smell fresh and is good for your washing machine. If you want an even nicer smell, add a drop or two of essential oil. Start on ‘hot’ and switch to ‘cold’ when you get to the rinse cycle. Give it a try! Your sheets will come out feeling like you paid a million dollars for them.

Hang them out to dry

It’s so easy to throw sheets in the dryer after washing, but there are lots of reasons to get them out onto the line. It’s better for the environment, better for your budget and gets you and your sheets out into the fresh air! The sun is also a natural germ killer.

Hack: Hang fitted sheets by the corners ‘hammock style’ and flat sheets in half over the line and fold them up straight away rather than scrunching them up in the basket and leaving them there, or put them straight back on the bed. This means no need to ever think about having to iron your sheets, not even your Elayna linen sheets!

Stack and store

There’s always that one pillowcase that likes to hide when it’s time to make the bed, isn’t there?

Hack: Fold the fitted sheet, flat sheet and one of the pillowcases and slide them inside the other pillowcase from the set. Then you can stack them on different shelves in their sizes and then stand back and pat yourself on the back because you are so organised and your linen cupboard looks so neat!

Which of these hacks are you going to try first?