The single most useful rule: wash cold, dry low, and skip the fabric softener. Softener coats the fibres and reduces absorbency — the opposite of what you want from sheets you sleep under every night.
Cotton percale
- Machine wash cold with similar colours.
- Tumble dry low. Pull straight from the dryer to minimise ironing.
- Iron on medium if you like a crisp finish.
Linen
- Machine wash cold on a gentle cycle.
- Line dry flat to keep the shape, or tumble dry low.
- Linen softens with every wash — by the tenth wash you'll forget how new it ever felt.