curious, zandperl, have you or anyone you know acquired fungal infections from sharing bedding? i had never thought of something like that until this survey.
Yes, as a teenager I got a rash on my legs which lasted a few weeks after sleeping over at a friend's house. When I finally went to the doctor, he diagnosed it as fungal in nature. I don't recall taking any particular treatments for it, and it eventually went away.
As an adult, I have had ringworm (fungus) from student teaching and wouldn't want to set up a situation where if someone visiting my house had it, it could be even more easily passed on. There are many other diseases that can be passed on through contact, not necessarily all skin-related: it's my understanding that MRSA (bacteria) is usually passed on through contact with people or surfaces, and again, washing sheets is such a simple precaution. I myself do have some resistant bacteria on my skin - everyone has bacteria colonizing their skin, mine happens to be somewhat resistant (though not MRSA specifically) due to past repeated courses of antibiotics for my skin condition (hidradenitis suppurativa, or HS), and simply washing sheets reduces the chance of those bacteria of mine ever getting to someone with a compromised immune system.
For blankets I give guests my polar-fleece ones because they're the only ones I have other than the comforter on my bed; it's nice that they're also very easy to wash. A spontaneous guest might have to use a blanket that's been hanging out on the couch, since sometimes they're all down here at once for keeping people who live here warm in the winter while watching TV/playing video games ;P. But I have enough sheets that there's always some clean ones to be had; a guest's sheets and blankets go in with any other dirty sheets that are being washed that laundry cycle.
Generally, I would always wash sheets and pillowcases, but since I have to schlep linens to a laundromat for cleaning, I'm a bit more practical. I have a few people who stay over, and generally they are from the same circle of (younger) friends. For them, I'll just make sure nothing smells like cigarette smoke. Other people will always get a clean set of sheets. Friends who are allergic to cats have EVERYTHING washed before they sleep in my living room.
My mom is a neat freak - she washes sheets before & after uses. She thinks its more polite to the guest to have fresh nice smelling fluffy soft sheets and then washes after for cleanliness.
Nick's mom stays the night often, so I won't wash the sheets unless a new guest is coming because I am lazy and don't want to wash the sheets every time she comes over & I don't see a point if they are used by the same person 3-4x a month.
This is the reason "dirty" sheets stay on our guest bed. The most likely guest is our daughter, if someone else is staying we will changes sheets before and after. But if she is going to be back in a week, the same sheets will stay on the bed for a few visits.
Washing an extra set of sheets kind of disappears into the noise of the amount of laundry that my family does these days. (Three kids under 5, and the twins are currently being toilet trained.) I do occasionally wash a blanket or two for a guest's arrival if they are particularly subject to allergies.
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2009-11-12 03:47 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-11-12 04:07 am (UTC)As an adult, I have had ringworm (fungus) from student teaching and wouldn't want to set up a situation where if someone visiting my house had it, it could be even more easily passed on. There are many other diseases that can be passed on through contact, not necessarily all skin-related: it's my understanding that MRSA (bacteria) is usually passed on through contact with people or surfaces, and again, washing sheets is such a simple precaution. I myself do have some resistant bacteria on my skin - everyone has bacteria colonizing their skin, mine happens to be somewhat resistant (though not MRSA specifically) due to past repeated courses of antibiotics for my skin condition (hidradenitis suppurativa, or HS), and simply washing sheets reduces the chance of those bacteria of mine ever getting to someone with a compromised immune system.
no subject
Date: 2009-11-12 05:53 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-11-12 01:29 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-11-12 03:43 pm (UTC)Nick's mom stays the night often, so I won't wash the sheets unless a new guest is coming because I am lazy and don't want to wash the sheets every time she comes over & I don't see a point if they are used by the same person 3-4x a month.
no subject
Date: 2009-11-12 04:43 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-11-14 11:20 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-11-12 05:08 pm (UTC)