Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2021 August 2

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August 2

Sheets

I've got sheets on my bed. Besides the fitted sheet, I use two top sheets and they have the same problem: the edges have this annoying tendency to roll over themselves. The sheets are typical: single layer, but folded over once at the edges to prevent fraying, with maybe a 1 cm fold at the sides and foot and a 10 cm fold at the head. What seems to happen is that the folded over piece folds over itself again and again so that my sheets tend to "curl up", shortening or narrowing them. I've taken to ironing them for the past couple of years but it doesn't seem to have helped at all. Besides looking odd, they feel uncomfortable and literally make the bed harder to make. I've got multiple different sets with the same issue, so I assume it's a common occurrence. My first question is: why do they do that? My second question is: how do I fix it (or at least prevent it from happening in the future)? Searching tends to find instructions on how to fold fitted sheets, which is deep magic, but one I've already mastered. Matt Deres (talk) 15:37, 2 August 2021 (UTC)

Is it the edge you are tucking under the bed by the footboard, or the edge up under your chin that is the issue? If it is the foot-end of the sheet, the "hospital corners" technique seems to work well to keep the sheet properly tucked and avoids curling, in my experience. This page describes how to tuck hospital corners. If it is the bit under your chin, usually that side of the sheet has a significantly wider hem than the other three sides. I have not experienced any "curling up" at that end of the sheet; so it may be a symptom of the brand of sheets you have bought. --Jayron32 16:42, 2 August 2021 (UTC)

It's the side edges mostly, though some sheets also get it on the bottom. The wider cuff at the top doesn't seem to have the same problem. The thing is, multiple sheets of different qualities all have the same problem. It's actually slightly worse in my more expensive sheets; since they're thicker, they seem to hold the folds in more resolutely. But it happens to essentially all my flat sheets to some degree, so I assumed this was a common thing happening to everyone. Matt Deres (talk) 12:46, 3 August 2021 (UTC)

• Just use a duvet instead. Much better in every way. Fgf10 (talk) 18:35, 2 August 2021 (UTC)

There are various styles of sheet holders available. In my travels around Europe I stayed at numerous places that only had a duvet and I have to agree with Fgf10 it is much better. MarnetteD|Talk 19:13, 2 August 2021 (UTC)

We have a duvet that we use during the colder months, but even when we were using it we'd still have a sheet underneath it to reduce the amount of washing required. Matt Deres (talk) 12:46, 3 August 2021 (UTC)

Don't you have duvet covers over there? Fgf10 (talk) 13:37, 3 August 2021 (UTC)

I imagine they (in Canada) do, but (a) it's less faff to wash a sheet than remove, wash and replace a duvet cover and (b) Canadians might share our (British) culture's habit of treating a duvet like the more traditional eiderdown, a variety of quilt without a removable cover, which one washes as infrequently as possible because of its nature (essentially, a bag of feathers). {The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.195} 2.122.62.68 (talk) 16:24, 4 August 2021 (UTC)

I can confirm the existence of Canadian duvet covers and assure my fellow man he's not alone; the sheets do fold around the sides up here and it is annoying. All down to surface tension and slight-but-constant lateral wriggling, I increasingly suspect. My fix, as a single Thoreau type, was to refuse to change the fitted sheet and gradually wear it out into a more loosely-threaded shape that literally suits me. Smells like it sounds, sadly, old couch effect. Not suitable for Mr. Deres or any respectable character, I figure. InedibleHulk (talk) 01:53, 6 August 2021 (UTC)