Sheets for the big boy bed

[swd12422]

I was assuming we'd get organic sheets for his bed b/c I don't want him inhaling all the chemicals/pesticides from conventional sheets. But he has a queen-size bed and organics are really expensive.

Is there an alternative? Is there some amount of time/quantity of washings/method of cleaning that will nullify the concerns over dyes and pesticides? Is there a less expensive option that I'm not aware of?

[lolar2]

Have you looked on ebay?

[swd12422]

No, I'm not an ebay shopper in general, so it never occurred to me. I still think of it as being a site for individuals to sell their used stuff, even though I know you can get new stuff on there, too.

[SleeplessMommy]

Originally Posted by swd12422

Is there an alternative? Is there some amount of time/quantity of washings/method of cleaning that will nullify the concerns over dyes and pesticides? Is there a less expensive option that I'm not aware of?

Organic cotton is a great idea - it reduces permethrin exposure to farm workers and the environment. It is claimed that 25% of the worlds pesticide usage goes to cotton production. All that being said, pesticides are applied before the boll opens and there is a lot of washing/processing with turning the cotton into sheets. There is no pesticide residue on conventional cotton fabric.

You can get conventional sheets, wash them once or twice to remove sizing, and everything will be fine.

[swd12422]

Don't I feel silly?

I think I was thinking mattresses offgassing when I decided he needed all organic bedding. Since the mattress he's sleeping on is a good 15-20 years old, I'm guessing it's done offgassing and wasn't worried about that, but I was thinking about the sheets as part of the deal. Geesh, that's a relief!

(And I did look on ebay -- lots of decent deals there! Thanks for that tip!)

[Denvergirlie]

If you have a bit of time to shop around, the thrift store has always done right by me for sheets on all our beds.