How To Shop for and Wash Sheets with SFERRA’s Paul Hooker
Welcome to Part III of my three-part (obviously) interview with SFERRA president, Paul Hooker. This is a man who knows his yarn. You can read Part I, in which we discuss the whole thread-count issue, by following this link.  Read Part II, all about style here.
Paul and I ended out discussion with some dirty talk. How to wash the sheets, that is. He’s got a few tips on shopping as well.
DH: Is it important to wash linens with special detergent?
PH: What you have to watch for in detergent is chlorine bleach.  Chlorine bleach kills cotton fabric.  It not only yellows the fabric, but it breaks down the fibers, causing the sheets to have a shorter life. They pill and rip more easily. There are many good detergents on the market. Just avoid any that contain chlorine bleach. Use an oxygen bleach instead. We have a page on our site dedicated to this subject.
DH: I iron my sheets, which has spoiled me forever. What makes an ironed sheets feel so much better?
PH: It brings out the crispness of the cotton or linen of the sheet.  The same way a nicely pressed piece of clothing becomes the person, the nicely pressed cotton or linen makes one feel “extra special” when crawling into bed.  It could also have something to do with the fact that extra attention was given to get this fabric just right.
Paul’s Tips on How to Buy and Wash Bed Linens
- Educate yourself about the various types of sheets. Do you want percale or sateen?  A specialty store can tell and show you the difference.
- Know and trust the merchant who is selling you the sheets.¬† If it sounds too good to be true, it generally is.¬† Will they stand behind their product?¬† Have they been in business a long time?¬† Will they be there tomorrow?¬† Those who have a long history tend to take the business more seriously, and offer better quality than others.¬† Sometimes price leads the way. If it doesn’t, shop at a specialty store that carries the best quality possible.
More shopping tips and all about washing after the jump.
- Forget about thread count. It is not an indicator of quality. It used to be, when all yarns were the same, but no longer.  A higher thread count today has nothing to do with the quality. You have to know the manufacturer (we’ve been at it for 118 years). The best Egyptian cotton yarns are used.
Jennifer’s shopping tip: If you’re like me and buy white sheets, buy 2 sets and rotate them. They’ll last longer and you’ll always have a fresh set.- Launder your sheets in warm water. Make sure you sort the colors. [Jennifer here: I wash my sheets separately]
- Never use chlorine bleach. Pre-treat and use an oxygen bleach instead.
- Yes, sheets can go in the dryer. But don’t bake them! A hot dryer is the worst thing you can do to fine linens.  The heat breaks down the fine fibers.
- Dry sheets in a cool dryer for about 15 minutes, then check on them.¬† It is okay to remove them while slightly damp. If you have the space, dry them until they’re “just” dry and hang them to dry the rest of the way.
- Never dry clean sheets – always have them laundered.
- Jennifer’s last word. If you don’t have time to iron your sheets, at least iron the cases. It wouldn’t take that much longer to iron the first 2 feet of the top sheet. Your bed will look really great.
Thanks, Paul for a great interview!
Have any questions about what to look for when buying and/or laundering sheets? Put your question in the Comments Box and your answer will be revealed.
One Response to “How To Shop for and Wash Sheets with SFERRA’s Paul Hooker”
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Ironing sheets is so over-the-top, I love it.
I’ll do it tonight.