One in 10 people in the UK only change their bedding once a month, new survey claims

One in 10 of us are grotty little gremlins when it comes to bedroom hygiene, a new study suggests.

Changing bedsheets is a vitally important aspect of maintaining good personal hygiene and health. Not doing so has been proven to worsen pre-existing health conditions – such as acne – harm our skin, and allow the build-up of dead skin cells on bedsheets. Despite this, you may be surprised to find out how many people don’t do it often enough.

A survey of 2,000 Brits showed that 10 per cent of us only change our bedding once a month, when it should really be changed once a week.

Jana Abelovska from Click Pharmacy said: "Hygiene is an important part of looking after ourselves as humans – helping to remove harmful bacteria from our skin that could otherwise spread illnesses, keeping our hair, nails and teeth in good condition, and generally making us feel fresh.

"Our beds go through a lot and often absorb sweat and other bodily fluids while we sleep or lay in them. That’s why it’s important to regularly change out our bed sheets every week, or a maximum of every fortnight, to ensure that where we sleep doesn’t become a safe haven for harmful bacteria and dirt that can clog our pores and irritate our skin.

"Overall, the survey highlighted that many take actions to maintain their hygiene on a regular basis – with most people opting to shower either once or twice per day at a minimum and brushing their teeth twice daily. However, we did also find that some factors are still behind where they should be ideally – including the changing of bedding."

In total, 21 per cent of people revealed they change their bedding every fortnight, with six per cent doing so twice or more a month and 10 per cent revealing that they only change their bedding on a monthly basis.

Alarmingly, four per cent of survey respondents admitted to changing their bedding less than once per month - and six per cent of people from the north east confessed that they don't change their bedding at all.

Changing bed sheets is paramount to maintaining healthy skin and avoiding further health concerns. Not doing so can lead to a build-up of bacteria within bed sheets that could cause illness or irritation.