How Often Should You Wash Your Clothes? (And Why)
Yes, Sunday is a laundry day for many! But that does not mean that we drop everything in our Washing Machine each Sunday. How often a particular garment should be washed depends on its uses. Check out the list below. This is of course indicative. You are the best judge of the need for your laundry. Just keep in mind to wash it only when absolutely needed [link]
How often Should you wash Your Underwear and Socks?
Underwear and socks need to be washed after every use. They are in direct contact with the skin. And absorbs sweats and other bodily fluids throughout the day. It will be extremely unhygienic to wear them without washing.
Bras can be washed after 2-3 wear. However, make sure to hang them to air dry in a closet or any other open space in between.
Camisoles and slips also can be used for 3-4 wears, without washing. Hang them to air dry inside the closet or outside after each wear. That way the Sweat smell will evaporate.
Pro tips: Small garments do not really need a heavy machine cycle wash. Ideally, you can clean them daily in the washbasin. The handsoap works just fine. It is even advisable to wash them immediately, without piling up.
How often should you Wash your regular clothes
Pajamas and other sleepwear can be used three to four times before each wash.
Dresses, skirts, dress pants, shirts can be worn around 3 times before they need to be put for a wash. Of course, the exceptions apply. If you’re sweating heavily throughout the day. you need to wash your shirts, blouses daily.
Children’s clothes are an exception here. Wash them when they seem dirty. Baby and Toddlers clothes, in general, should be washed after each use. For clothes diapers, find the detailed step-by-step guide here[link].
Pro Tip: If any cloth gets a little stain, and is not really dirty, wash the stained part immediately to get rid of it. And hang it to dry.
Suits and Blazers need to be dry cleaned. These can be easily worn 5-6 times between each wash.
Jeans can be worn quite a few times between the washes. This depends on individual preference really. However, you can wear it 3-6 times before washing.
Workout clothes should be washed after every use, as they end up being sweaty. You need not wash them with soap every time. Regular cold water rinse gets the sweat out just fine.
How often should you wash your winter wear?
Sweater if worn with an undershirt can be used a minimum of 6 times before washing. However, if you are not wearing an undershirt, you need to wash the sweater after wearing it twice.
Woolen garments can be worn 6-7 times before they need a wash. If you are working outdoor, or they have outdoor dirt exposure on any particular day, you need to wash them sooner. Just adjust the duration as per the need.
Jackets and other types of winter garments may need a dry wash. You can easily wear them around 10 to 12 times before sending them for cleaning.
Pro Tip: Avoid the peak time of 4 pm-7 pm to run your washing machine. Many companies charge extra during this time.
How often should you wash your Bedding?
Bedsheets pillowcases etc need to be washed every week. Even though they are not exposed to outside dirt, they still will have the dry cells we shed while sleeping.
Curtains, rugs, etc household items can be washed once every three months.
Cloth Mats and kitchen towels– wash them if they feel dirty. It is a good practice to wash the kids inside the towel after a few hours of heavy cooking. Sometimes using hand soap in the washbasin cleans it just fine.
Pillows & Comforters should be generally cleaned after every six months. But go ahead and clean them in between if they fill dirty.
| Item | Wash frequency |
| Bedsheets, pillowcases | Every week |
| Curtains, rugs | Every 3 months |
| Cloth Mats, kitchen towels | Every week (earlier, if dirty) |
| Pillows, Comforters | Every 6 months (earlier, if dirty) |
Bottom Line
For sustainable living, it is advisable to wash clothes only when absolutely needed. Also, sort out the laundry in advance and put similar clothing items for one load. Check out other sustainable laundry tips here. [link]