1,000 Thread-Count Sheets: Be Careful What You Wish For

[frigilux]

I've always purchased no-iron, standard, roughly 300 thread-count sheets. Armed with a generous coupon from JC Penney (after experiencing a thrice-botched online order) I decided to go for the gold-standard and get a set of Chris Madden 1,000 thread-count sheets, which were on sale; in white, of course.

The first quandary occurred when I pulled the linens from my front-loader and put them---two queen-sized bed sheets and six pillowcases (4 standard; 2 king)--- in my Frigidaire dryer with its 5.7 cu. ft. drum. It was, quite literally, filled to the top. I realized I would have to dry the items in two loads: one with sheets, another pillowcases. OK, an inconvenience, but worse things happen at sea, right?

The sheets emerged from the dryer super-wrinkled. I'm talking accordian-like wrinkled. OK, so no more leaving the bed unmade, as the thing looked unsightly.

Then I got into the bed. The sheets are quite stiff and feel rough compared to others I've owned. After grumbling that the ad should have read "1,000 thread-count burlap" instead of "Just like the sheets at 5-star hotels!!", I tucked in for the night---and grumbled some more.

Having lived with them for a week, I decided to wash them in the Frigidaire top-loader, thinking a good beating from an agitator might soften them up a bit. The load totally overloaded the machine. I over-filled the tub to the balance ring, and still they barely managed to turn over once during the 8-minute wash.

I hung them outside on the line, which alleviated the wrinkling problem a bit.

Are these bad sheets, or am I just so used to cheap ones that I don't know what "luxurious" sheets are supposed to feel like? I feel, sheepishly, like an ignoramus who, when given a glass of vintage red wine, decides he prefers Spanada, LOL!

Anyone else have experience with high thread-count sheets?

 

[DADoES]

Nothing that luxurious. I have a set of 600-count bought at the evil WM. Queen-size, with three pillow slips. They're nice-enough, no objectionable wrinkling, and make for a medium load in the F&P.

 

[launderess]

Even the best natural cotton thread tops out at about 240 threads per inch, this would be percale which is the tightest weave of cotton sheets. To get more threads per inch vendors use thinner cotton threads and or multi-ply so they can pack more threads per inch.

This is really because many consumers equate higher thread counts with better quality sheets, which is simply not true. Quality will depend upon type of cotton used, thread count, and weaving quality, amoung other things.

Higher thread cotton sheets also are not always long laster and or more durable. Because the threads are often finer, they will wear faster. In general percale sheets do not wear as long as muslin (TC-140), especially vintage cotton muslin linens. You cannot kill the stuff.

As for your sheets, try soaking them overnight in warm water with a small amount of either pure soap or gentle detergent. Then launder again in warm water with no detergent. If possible do not tumble dry, but line dry, pulling items into shape as you hang them up.

Soaking will soften up the fibres and remove much of the sizing applied during production.

 

[nmaineman36]

You can also dry one sheet at a time in your dryer. I do that with my Miele since it would be way too wrinkled coming out. And the difference is astounding doing it one at a time. Plus they get to tumble properly. I do this technique with 600 thread count sheets. You might also want to think about ironing them as well.

 

[58limited]

I have some Chris Madden 350 thread count sheets and I love them. Bought some 1000 thread counts from Target. Like them too - not rough, but not any better than the 350 thread count set. And they do tend to wrinkle.

 

[andrewinorlando]

Eugene, I have a set of 400 thread count sheets that behave the same way you describe! They take up the whole machine, wrinkle like an SOB, and can be scratchy. There are two king sheets and 4 king cases. So, I started washing them on the "Casual/Delicate" cycle in the Calypso, 16 minute wash time, with liquid detergent and a bit of fabric softener. It seems to do a good job washing them. The slow spin keeps them from wrinkling. I dry them, one sheet at a time, also on delicate, and dry the pillowcases separately. At least it did solve the wrinkling and scratchy problem. One sheet takes up almost the whole 7.4 cu ft dryer drum when it's dried. They're really nice sheets, and well made, but very bulky. None of my other sheets have this problem, and I can easily wash two sets of them together with no problem....but not these. I believe these are Egyptian Cotton sheets, though not 100% sure.

 

[jeffg]

Eugene, it's just another case where people have been duped by marketing. As L points out, above some basic lower number (say 250 or 300), higher thread count means absolutely nothing with regard to softness or quality. And in many cases a higher count = inferior quality, because of durability issues (again as L noted).

Soaking the sheets might help, but I disagree with the advice to line dry them. Just don't use too high of a temperature in your dryer: this will convert the sheets into permanent cardboard faster than anything. If you want to hassle with it, you can try tumble drying them until they're just barely damp and then finish them on a clothesline.

Fabric softener will help, but that causes other problems (e.g. much faster accumulations of dirt and body oils).

 

[autowasherfreak]

My last set of came from the Brylane catalog, which was about 5 or 6 years ago, thread count is 220. The color of my set is navy blue and must have been discontinued. I really wanted the ocean blue set but they were on back order. They are really soft, don't wrinkle to much unless they are left in the dryer over night.

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[launderess]

Line Drying vs Tumble Drying

Because of the tighter weave and other factors, if properly laundered and line dried, much less ironing (if any) would be required verus tumble drying.

Percale linens in general wrinkle more so than say sateen, and therefore require ironing. This is one of the reasons hotels use either a cotton and polyester blend or some other "no-iron" finish on linens to cut down on laundry costs.

Have tons of percale sheets, though most are vintage Wamsutta "Supercale" and am here to tell you with proper laundering, they will come out of the washing machine less wrinkled, If hung properly on the lines they will stretch by their own weight, and further tugging along the hems and selvages goes further. All of the above sets up the final laundry stage of ironing.

As the thread count increases one begins to move from a soft sheet to almost canvas like thing.

 

[launderess]

And Another Thing

Modern front loading washing machines in general to not use enough water to fully immerse many items, including "stiff" bed lines made of percale.

Unlike sateen, terrycloth and other weaves, percale will not "compact down" in the washing machine. This means one either has to use more water and or underload the washer.

Miele now has an option on it's machines for "sheets" that one believes increases the water level slightly. On my vintage Miele, I set the machine to "delicate" and allow to fill, then turn the machine to "cottons". This gives a slightly water level to the wash, rinses are always on high or very high, so there is no problem there.

 

[petek]

High thread count sheets = Newsprint!

Thats what they feel like your sleep on, newpaper. And a lot of paper/newspring is made of old cotton. I bought some a few months ago to christen my new Sealy Posturpedic with. They were horrible, stiff, scratchy and then a big rip appeared down one side the threads were so thin, back for a refund post haste.
I went to Walmart and bought a Queen set $34 of sheets made out of "Jersey" or Tee shirt material, very stretchy and comfy. I really like them. I'd never heard of them before this. Worth trying them

 

[ttuee2006]

Mine are 240 count cotton/polyester sheets that I bought from Overstock.com about 5 years ago. Other than fading from a very pale blue to almost white now, I've never had a problem. One of the things I learned early on with sheets is to wash them in warm, with plenty of fabric softener in the rinse. Dry on low and they'll come out perfect! Soft, yet satiny and with little to no wrinkles to speak of.

If I don't dry on low or if I don't use softener, they come out crunchy which I HATE!

 

[xraytech]

Last time I bought a new set of sheets was last fall when I bought a Waterfall 6 pc bedroom suite with maple inlaid woode veneers made in 1936. I down sized from a queen bed to a double bed and had to get sheets to fit.
I b ought the Chris Madden 500 thread count cotton sheets in a sage green stripe. I find it hard to find sheets in this color as it is the only color sheets I want. I usually but the 240 thread count J.C.Penney sheets. The 500 thread count ones always come out of the washer twisted and full of deep wrinkles and they seem slightly less wrinkled when line dried but I still have to sprinkle and iron them and also starch them to keep them crisp, not that I mind since I do find ironing very enjoyable and like more than washing and drying the clothes.
It has been a hastle with the higher thread count and I will go back to the lower thread count sheets next time it is in my budget to buy a new sheet set.

Sam

 

[danemodsandy]

If You're Gonna Have Fawncy Sheets...

...Get an Ironrite!

Seriously, ironing is the only way to get that fawncy-fawncy stuff looking or feeling like anything. As other people here have said, you really need to stop at about 250-300 count, or you're getting into sheets that are high-maintenance.

If your sheets were ironed, much of the rough feel would disappear, but that's such a chore that you may or may not want to do it. A high-thread-count sheet is supposed to feel crisp with rather a lot of body to it, not soft like a regular percale sheet that's had some use. A Mrs. Danvers-type housekeeper would see to it that those sheets were glass-smooth.

 

[sudsmaster]

Eugene,

You didn't mention what type of cotton was used in these sheets.

I have some 600 count sheets, made of either long staple Egyptian cotton or Pima. I happen to prefer the Pima - it's softer and wrinkles less. Both wear extremely well, and both wrinkle a bit more than lower count sheets. But line drying seems to help reduce the wrinkling.

 

[launderess]

Was going to say the same thing, but had to go and get one's own ironing done.

Unless one has a heavy, hot iron, and knows how to use it, an ironer or laundry press is really the only way to get percale and high thread count sheet to feel and look anywhere like they should.

Calendering smooths the fibres back down, and gives the material a slight gloss, which is what percale should look like when properly got up correctly.

 

[spankomatic]

Take them back! I say you have defective sheets. I had this happen years ago.... The sheets would come out wrinkled every time. Turns out they were defective. The fabric (cotton) was not "treated" with the "no iron" chemicals they use when the sheets are made. Hence,hard stiff wrinkled sheets. They will always come out wrinkled and feel stiff. Take them back and get something you LOVE!

Jim

 

[sudsmaster]

Frankly I don't care that much about slight wrinkling of the sheets. They smooth out in time in the bed ;-).

I really dislike cotton/poly blend sheets, however. They seem never to be as soft as 100% cotton; the polyester has an abrasive quality that never seems to go away. It's fine for shirts or pants, but for sheets it's a bit much.

 

[jeffg]

So true. Creative marketing in the last 20 years has put some pretty faces on polyester, e.g. "washable silk", "Polartek fleece", "microfiber" etc. But it's still crap for nearly everything except automobile covers and shower curtains, and even in those cases, nylon is much preferable to polyester.

The bottom line is, in any office you can easily separate the guys you'd like to know from those you wouldn't.. The second group wears cotton/poly shirts, while the first appreciates the look and comfort of 100% cotton. As superficial as it sounds, it's been true in every office I've worked in over the last 35 years.