To massively reduce how often I wash clothes?

[MyOtherProfile]

I'm always thinking of ways to lessen our impact on the planet and have recently started wearing clothes many more times than I used to. Previously I would wear things probably twice (undies excepted!) before washing but I've been thinking that even that might be too much. I look for dirt and I smell check but now I'm only washing clothes when they fail either of those checks. I'm now on the 5th day of the top I'm wearing (not consecutive so nobody would know). Sid anyone else doing this? I don't really want to hear from people who are just going to say ewww I have to wash clothes after every wear.

Yes I'm the same. I get three or four wears out of clothes and maybe just run an iron over them. I don't have any problems with perspiration so washing them after wearing once would be excessive.

I’m a wear it until it’s dirty person too. I also line dry stuff in the summer as I have a garden. My bras get washed when I am in the shower.

I have sporty teenagers so we do have a lot of washing even without washing things after a short wear.

I just don’t understand how people who shower (at least) once a day and wear deodorant can still be concerned that their clothes smell and need to wash those after every wear too.

Environmental concerns aside, the size of people’s water and electricity bills must be ASTRONOMICAL!

I used to wear things more between washes than I can now, thanks to perimenopause. Regular hot flushes leave me dripping with sweat, and I don't want to smell.

It's frustrating.

Do what you want with your own clothing, but for the love of god, there’s no need for the 76th billionth bloody thread about it, will people not ever get bored of discussing bloody laundry?

It's clearly stated what the thread is about, just don't click on it. Easy.

Brilliant OP!

And, not only do you save the planet by reducing electricity/water consumption from washing, but you will get much more wear from your clothes too - as its the washing of them that often results in their becoming aged.

(PS. that first poster really annoyed me. Anyone who obviously doesn't give a stuff about the planet can fuck off in my opinion)

Slightly scientific slant on things. If you wash on eco 30 deg then it doesn’t kill bacteria in clothes so they will smell after single use. I wash clothes at 60 deg so they stay fresh for longer. Towels even hotter. Knickers and socks are single wear.

Clothes that have been worn go on a hanger and the hanger goes on the wardrobe door, on the outside. So no problems there.

We're like this. I have a couple of dresses which crease so get washed every time but I only wear work clothes for about 7 hours & it's so cold at work I don't sweat! It's different in summer though.

I'm horrified by kid who have clean pyjamas daily just because, or who get a whole new outfit because they got a bit of lunch on themselves

All clothing and towels are returned to the wearer if they pass the sniff test apart from DS shirts and rugby kit.

Even pants?

I'm housebound most of the time due to ME/CFS, I don't get dressed if I'm not going out, so most of the time I'm in pjs & maybe a hoodie if it is a cold day. Going out I have to wear easy things due to restricted movement in my arms & hands, so it is usually leggings & a long jumper or top, the minute I arrive home I change back in to pjs. I do a wash twice a week, 1 wash for my things & one for ds as his uniform is all black, plus he usually wears black Jean's & T shirts out of school. This will change after July as sixth form is none uniform.

speaking with people who lived before and during the war, and had to deal with soap and other necessities restrictions, that's absolutely not true for everybody. As before the war the 30s and during the war was the 40s that isn't very relevant to the 50s which is what I was talking about.

Is anything absolutely true for everyone? I was there and I can assure you it was definitely quite normal in the 50s.

*ThatFriendsReunion" how many people who lived through the 30s and 40s did you manage to canvass about my statement in the 2 minutes and 10 seconds between our posts?

Yes I do this. If it’s not damp or raining a good blow on the line freshens them up 😁

Hmmm. I can’t quite bring myself to cut down on my washing. I like my clothes to smell fresh and just laundered and I have two sweaty teens who definitely need a complete clothes change every day.

But I’ve massively cut down on using our tumble dryer. In fact, I only really use it for towels, bedding and underwear. I’ve got two big clothes horses for drying and I line dry when whether allows. So I’m trying to change my ways!

If it touches pits or bits then wear once, otherwise when it get whiffy

I’ve solved the towel washing after one use issue by cross referencing threads. It seems the ‘towels are minging after one use’ people are the same as the people who wash their hair and pits in the shower and just let water run down the rest of them. They couldn’t countenance a shower scrunchy or flannel. As a result, the water just loosens the dirt and dead skin cells which then rub off onto their towel, making it smell. Shower properly people! Was the scrunchy every time if you like, it uses less energy.
Also the argument that if they only wipe clean water why do they need washing ever which those people trot out is shit. They hang in a bathroom. They get dust on them. Everything needs washing sometimes...

i've been working from home this week and just remarked on how much less washing has been generated as a result. I've worn the same jeans and hoodie all week - changed underwear and vest each day.

I'm doing this too now. I have a toddler and a small baby and I just can't keep up with the volumes of laundry so I try to keep trousers and jumpers clean (not always easy) and just wash the vests and t-shirts etc. I've reduced my work load and it's better for the environment :)

Forgot to add, part of the reason I have to change work clothes more often is because it's so difficult to get things in natural fibres. Synthetic stuff gets whiffy far more quickly imo.

I treat my outer clothes like a coat - wash when dirty or smelly. Inner layer depends how sweaty but 1-4 wears. Undies fresh every day.

I also put on slightly dirty clothes if I know I’m having a messy day. I have pre worn clothes on my chair for those days. My leggings have a toddler mark from yesterday, but we’re doing housework today and she’s already added a few more.

Also glad to hear others do the same, the thread from last week made me feel like a smelly lazy eco-hippy!

I'm with you OP. Our twins are currently potty training and have had a fair few accidents between them. It is killing me how much the machine has been on, and on hot washes too. I'll spare the details!
We already do a lot of washing because there are 5 of us so 5 lots of bedding, towels etc as well as clothes. We do towels weekly and bedding fortnightly. School uniform all in one go, once a week. We try to wear everything else as much as possible but 2 toddlers seem to get in a frightful mess every day! I only put on full loads but we probably do 6 loads a week.

Good thinking! I also use could water to wash and minimal washing powder. The results still look pretty good to me.

I agree that it is good to reduce wear of clothes for environmental reasons.

Just be aware we are entering a global pandemic so washing more frequently and at hot temperatures may be an important way of reducing germs spread.