How Often Should You Wash Your Clothes?

"I love doing laundry" said no one ever, so if you have ever worn something twice before washing it or come up with excuses to delay the dreaded laundry day, you're NOT alone!

In a study of 2000 people, it found that 76% of people admitted to have done the "sniff test" to determine if a piece of unwashed clothing was ok to wear, and 50% of people took clothing out of their laundry basket to wear it.

But how do you really determine if something needs washing? It's not like you were taught about laundry in school! So we wanted to share a quick at-a-glance guide to help you determine if something is actually "dirty" enough to wash.

It turns out that 70 percent of dirt on clothes can be invisible, so there’s much more to that seemingly clean t-shirt than you might think.

The soils our bodies produce are transferred onto our clothes and need to be removed, not only for good hygiene but also for good clothes maintenance as they can build up over time and cause fabric to become dingy, dull and stiff and eventually odors can appear.

So, how do we avoid all these issues without over washing our clothes? The answer depends on the type of garment.

EVERYDAY WEAR

Depending on your activity level, if you’re wearing something for a few hours and not sweating, it’s probably safe to wear it two to three times before washing. For example, if you are an entrepreneur or working from home, your clothing may need less washing.

But if you’re running around, brushing up against things and interacting with a lot of people and environments you may want to consider washing your items after each wear.

In general, anything that has very direct and consistent contact with your skin (think socks or undershirts) should be washed more frequently. However, items like pants, dresses, and shorts, can be worn two to three times (unless they’re visibly dirty or you’ve been working up a sweat, of course).

WORKOUT WEAR

If you sweat in it and it comes in direct contact with your skin, you should wash it after every wear. This is especially true if you go to a gym and are using equipment and mats that other people have sweated on.

SLEEPWEAR

When you sleep, perspiration, dead skin cells, body care products, and bacteria can build up in your sleepwear. This can cause skin issues such as pimples, cysts, or other types of infections.

We recommend washing your sleepwear every two to three wears.

BRAS AND UNDERWEAR

You may have already guessed that underwear should be washed after every wear. Bras should be washed after every three to four wears - even if they are delicate. You may want to pull them out before sticking your laundry in the dryer to extend their life, but washing is essential as fungi, yeast, and bacteria start to grow due to the consistent exposure to your bare skin.

SHEETS

The average person sheds 12,000,000 dead skin flakes every night in bed. Along with sweat, lotions, and other dirt, that’s a lot that ends up in your sheets! We recommend you wash your sheets and pillowcases once a week. Mattress pads and actual pillows should be washed every three months to keep them clean and fresh.

TOWELS

Bath towels should be washed every three to five uses, and washcloths should be washed every one to three uses. Both should be hung to dry between uses to avoid bacterial buildup.

Hand towels and kitchen towels should be changed two to three times a week, and those that are used to wipe up spills or clean messes should be washed after every use.

Microfiber towels that are used for cleaning should be washed after every use.

WINTER GEAR

Most jackets and coats should be laundered one to two times a season. Down, wool, and canvas coats may be able to be machine washed (be sure to check the labels!) and leather and suede should be handled by a pro. Don’t forget to wash winter hats, scarves, and gloves about once a month during the cold season. Again, always check the label and follow the care instructions provided by the manufacturer. Many wool items can shrink in water temperatures above 40 degrees. Read the labels!

ALL WASHED UP

We hope we’ve “cleaned up” the confusion with how often to wash your clothes. In many cases, a wash after every use isn’t necessary, which is awesome for you and for the planet, as frequent washing sheds microplastics into the ocean and uses precious energy.

And if the environment and keeping your clothing and washables clean is important to you, consider using a professional wash-n-fold service such as OrangeBag. In addition to using toxin-free detergent, and toxin-free dry cleaning, our washers use 30% less energy, plus you get 15% off your first service!

Laundry has to be done, but thankfully, you don’t have to be the one to do it!