How Often Should You Wash Your Clothes? A Full Laundry Guide
How Often Should You Wash Your Clothes? A Real Guide (Because We’ve Been Overwashing Some Things)
- Underwear, bras, and workout clothes need washing after each use for hygiene.
- Jeans only need washing every 5-10 wears to prevent fiber damage.
- Sheets should be washed 1-2 times per week, except for bodily fluid stains.
Let’s be real, some of us were taught by our parents that washing all of your clothes after one wear is what we are supposed to do. You know doing laundry the “right way” like we were taught, but it turns out that might actually be slowly runing your clothes. And I dont know about you, but clothes cost too much these days to slowly runing them, especially thinking you are taking good care of them.
What our parents didn’t know is that overwashing your clothes can break down the fibers deep within our clothes, causing serious wear and tear and shortening the life of our favorite clothes. So consider this your how-to guide on how often you really need to wash your clothes, and what you can chill on.
Quick Washing Guide
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Underwear, Bras, and Workout Clothes
Under no circumstances should you be wearing your underwear (boxers, panties, etc), socks or workout/exercise clothes multiple times. This is because these items are closest to your body and exposed to various bodily fluids, including sweat. With that being said, for sanitary reasons, it is important that you wash these items after every use to combat bacteria and more. Bra’s have a different washing cycle of 3-4 wears. The exception to this is if you have a very “sweaty” day, maybe you were outside in extreme conditions and perspired a lot. If that’s the case, wash them right away. So that means you will experience more wear and tear to these items and possibly need to replace them more often than, say, jeans.
Jeans or Denim
Now this might sound crazy, but your jeans or denim only need to be washed every 5-10 wears. Denim was designed to be more durable, but it can sustain a lot of breakdown or damage from detergents and washing machines. So, unless you have been around, say, smoke or some other odor that has made your jeans or denim smell, chill on the washing. If you get a stain, spot clean your item and allow it to air dry between washings. I would not recommend doing this with blood or bodily fluid stains, but something as simple as a food stain, spot clean it, and hang it to dry. In an interview, Chip Bergh, CEO of Levi Strauss & Co, said that jeans shouldn’t be washed often and in some cases should not be washed at all. The company’s general guidance is to wash your jeans only after 10 wears or when they are actually dirty; in between those times, spot wash. So if Levi’s said it, take heed.
T-Shirts
T-shirts are pretty simple; you can get 1-2 wears out of them before throwing them in the wash. Exceptions are much like other garments; if you have an overly sweaty day, wash them. If you get stains, wash it. If it’s a regular wear and you don’t think the shirt has an odor, hang your t-shirt on a hanger to air it out a bit and give it another wear before washing.
Pajamas and Towels
You can get a little more wear out of pajamas and towels. It is recommended that you wash these items after every 3-4 uses or wears. The exceptions are bodily fluid stains. If you get any stains like this, wash them immediately.
Sheets
Sheets aren’t too strenuous to keep up with, with a washing cycle of 1-2 weeks. And, much like other items, the exception is exposure to bodily fluids. If you have this issue, throw them in the wash to ensure the longevity of your sheets.
Overall, these washing parameters can save you time and money while also being environmentally conscious. Washing less can save you money on your utility bills and give you more time to do the things you enjoy in life. Also, following this washing cycle can contribute to the longevity of your clothing items. So take extra good care of your clothes, and they will last you longer.
