I think a lot of people wash their sheets too harshly. I use Dreft and was them in gentle with cool water. I buy higher count but Egyptian cotton with long thread. I never buy sateen because it's often short thread and pils or snags. All this said, the best sheets I ever had were hand me downs from my mother in law. they were so soft we used them and used them until they just wore out. I still have the pillowcases on my extra pillows because they are so darn soft and old.