Is it Gross Not to Wash This?

Do you know how often you should be washing your clothes? How often do you wash your jeans, shirts and socks? If you said after every wear to each of these clothing items, there’s a chance you may be washing more often than needed. How often do you wash your sheets? Many people don’t wash them often enough. Find out how your washing schedule compares to recommended practices in the article below.

Cleanliness — we all strive for it, but sometimes we fall short. Dishes go undone, clothes pile up and dust accumulates. In most cases, it’s OK to let things go for a bit. After all, there’s no harm in letting the furniture get a bit dusty. There are some things, though, that cannot go unwashed, like underwear. But you may be surprised by how much you can push off washing certain things without being gross.

Jeans

How often should we wash jeans? After every wear, once a month, never? The CEO of Levi’s says you don’t have to wash them at all, according to Business Insider. But that could place us in a smelly predicament. While there is no rule as to how often to wash jeans, we should pay attention to their soil level and smell. When the jeans start looking haggard, it’s time to wash them. This usually occurs after five wears, says Lifehack.

Shirts

The length of time we can get by without washing our shirts depends primarily on their proximity to the body. T-shirts and undershirts should be washed after each wear, says Wash. Overshirts, such as sweaters and sweatshirts, can be washed after every two or three wears, depending on how much we sweat in them — but that’s only if you wear an undershirt with them.

Socks and Underwear

Socks and underwear should be washed after each wear, even if they don’t stink, according to the Cleaning Institute. Not only does washing these items often keep them vibrant, it also gets rid of the nasty bacteria that live in them. Socks, especially those made from cotton and cellulosic fibers, can contain several types of microorganisms that make socks smell and may lead to health issues.

Sheets

It’s easy to put off washing the sheets when you’re tired and want to crawl into bed at the end of a long day. The good news is that we can get by without washing our sheets for a bit, especially if we don’t sweat a lot. However, we really should wash them at least once every two weeks. For those who sweat a lot, wash them each week. Also, be sure to always wash them immediately after an illness.

If you feel like you need to wash a bit more often than recommended, do so. Your items may fade and wear more quickly, but if frequent washing will give you peace of mind, then wash them as often as feels good to you. But if you want to extend the wear on some items, don't feel like you're being gross to put those jeans on again, and again.

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