Do you wash your clothes straight away if you have worn them to the dentist/doctor/restaurant?

[Madeyoulook]

It never occurred to me before the pandemic to do that but I am more aware of germs these days and I have also read on here about people not allowing ‘outdoor clothes’ on the bed which again would not have been on my radar. I would normally wear clothes again if they looked clean.

What do you do if the clothes are clean? Rewear them or wash them straight away?

It’s just more of an awareness now as I know that a lot of people do change and put everything in the wash. What? You personally know lots of people who change and wash their clothes as soon as they've worn them? That's a mental health issue.

No. That is absolutely bonkers.

Spent 10 hours in a&e a couple of weeks ago, didn't immediately wash/burn the bothers I wore when I came in. I wore them until I was ready to get changed for bed, then put them in the laundry basket

I don't. I have a Ukrainian woman living with me at the moment and the first thing she does when she gets home is to go upstairs and change into "indoor clothing". Even if she is going out again an hour later. I find it very odd, but as she isn't doing excessive amounts of washing I can't get too worked up about it. I did ask her once about it and she said it was entirely normal back home and no one would wear outdoor clothes inside.

Wonder if the cost of living crisis will stop those posters who wash clothes, bedding, towels after only one use

No

Yes, sure.

But it made no sense to me at all. So I made a choice not to follow it and drive myself crazy thinking my cardigan would kill me.

I see MN more of “awareness that people are a bit mad, but let them crack on” rather than a place to learn to adjust my habits to theirs!

Knickers, obviously, are a wear-once item before going in the washing basket. Bras I used to be able to wear 2-3 times but since having Covid I have an insanely sweaty bosom – of all the side effects! So they’re wear-once too. Everything else, unless it’s got excessively muddy on a walk, been sicked on by the baby, etc, goes on a chair to be worn again/aired before hanging up.

My difficulty is DP is absolutely a “wear for 30 seconds then discard and wash” human, AND wears about six layers – no exaggeration – so our washing basket is almost always overflowing. I make him do the washing but it means my meagre amount of stuff disappears under his strata of crap

I'm wearing clothes for lo ger than I used too. Unless it looks dirty I reware it. If still looks clean on day 3/4 it only has a quick cycle wash.

If I have been to the dentist or hospital I have only sat on a clean chair so that makes no difference to me. I can't into see my gp so that doesn't figure.

How on Earth do people who do this stay on top of the laundry? Must cost a fortune too! I know someone who has indoor clothes and outdoor clothes, but she re-wears the outdoor clothes until they’re actually dirty.

God this is insane!

Of course not - what a bizarre idea. I wash my clothes when they are dirty. I do change my clothes when I get home from work, but only because I prefer to wear something comfortable at home. Honestly, some people seem to have real issues.

If I go on busy public transport, go to airport and on flights etc, or spend time in a hospital, I always put my clothes in the wash that evening even if they seem clean enough to wear again. I wouldn't usually get changed as soon as I get in through the door though, I'd just put them in the wash at the end of the day.

I had to re-read this a couple of times and still don't get it. If you think clothes that are clean need re washing because of the environments they have been worn in, why would you wear them til the end of the day? My personal view is that they don't need washing, but if you are worried about 'contamination' surely you take them off as soon as home? Am I missing something?

I am also amazed at all the 'nothing on the bed' people - surely you sleep in the bed not on it and seriously, what do you think would happen if you slept on a sheet that had had a bag on it?

The point about the dentist or doctor or restaurant is you are sitting where lots of other people have sat. If you just go around a shop your clothes are still clean.

I do know people who change as soon as they go in and most of my colleagues wear something different to work every day. I can’t vouch for the fact that they wash the whole outfit I suppose.

I read the outdoor clothing on the bed thread and thought posters were saying it was the norm not to do that whereas it wouldn’t cross my mind!

I am also not strict on outdoor shoes in the house but wouldn’t wear them upstairs as it’s carpeted.

I must be a right slob by your standards OP lol

@Madeyoulook · Today 08:03
'I’ve never been a person who changes into comfy clothes as soon as I get in. I would continue to wear my work clothes around the house into the evening. It’s just more of an awareness now as I know that a lot of people do change and put everything in the wash'.

No they don't and you are trying to project your own hang ups and make them the norm

Your choice.

The point about the dentist or doctor or restaurant is you are sitting where lots of other people have sat. If you just go around a shop your clothes are still clean

But then if you are that obsessive about germs, surely you'd get changed the minute you got home, not wear them until the end of the day transferring whatever germs/dirt you imagine to be on your clothes to your own furniture etc? That's what I don't get - there is no logic in that.

I personally don't think there's a need to wash clean clothes for that reason but if you do, surely you wouldn't wear them til the end of the day?

I do know people who change as soon as they go in and most of my colleagues wear something different to work every day. I can’t vouch for the fact that they wash the whole outfit I suppose.

Well yes - don't wear the same outfit to work two days running, but hang up the outfit, wear something different next day, re-wear first outfit next day. Or mix and match from various outfits. Wash when grubby, thrown dinner down it etc

No, would not even cross my mind to do so.

I change my knickers every day but every other item of clothing I wear more than once unless it gets a stain or it's very hot and gets sweaty.

I wear trousers at least 3 or 4 times and my jeans I probably only wash every 10 or so wears.

I also sit on the bed in clothes I have worn outside! I really don't see the problem in doing so

Don't clothes wear out ridiculously quickly with all this washing?

No but I wash my clothes if I've been though an airport. They are inherently grubby places.

Nothing to do with the pandemic - I’ve always changed out of work clothes as soon as I get home, and encourage the dc to change out of school uniform.

But tbh it’s more about wearing those clothes less so they last another day, I generally hang them up rather than washing them (unless they are actually dirty).

I would never have clothes I’ve worn all day on the bed, that’s just something I’ve been brought up with; similarly I wouldn’t wear coats/shoes in the house, but it’s just because it feels wrong somehow rather than because I think they are actually going to spread germs.

We have an incinerator just outside the front door. Strip off in the porch, chuck clothes into the incinerator and then rush to the shower (bleach is in a shower gel dispenser). We don’t allow visitors into the house. Ever.

I don’t think I am obsessive about germs and I don’t wash my clothes after every wear!

I did have a thought about the dentist when I got home the other day as I had worn clean jeans and they are so strict on hygiene and still have covid rules and masks and temperature checks it makes you very aware. I bet dentists wash their clothes every day!