Washing Clothes Question

[Nenuco]

How often do you wash your clothes? How many wears?

I always wash after wearing once but I was told this should not be the case for some articles of clothing.

Office skirts/pants - how many wear before you wash them?

Tops - every after wash surely?

I wash most tops after one wear as long as it's been a whole day.
Jeans and woollens I don't wash unless they're visibly dirty or if they're smelling.
Pants and socks/tights daily, bras every few days.
Office trousers / skirts I wash roughly weekly but about once a week I'll wear a dress - I'll only wear those for one day.

knickers daily
bras every 2 days
tops usually daily, occasionally it will do a second day
trousers, skirts, etc, I get lots of wear, maybe 3-6 wears? will depend on the trousers, how tight, how warm/sweaty it is!
jumpers, again 3-6 wears?

Washing everything after one wear is a bad idea for the environment and the longevity of your clothes.
Some tops I wash each time if I've worn all day/been sweaty. Otherwise, air and re-wear. Clean pants/socks daily. Everything else try to get a few wears at least.

Socks, underwear, tight tops get washed every wear. Everything else when they are dirty, smell or look tired. So for the kids uniform that is sadly every day, for my things, sometimes once a week, sometimes longer, occasionally after one days wear. Am trying to reduce what we own down to a capsule wardrobe each to make it easier.

In cooler weather I don't wash my tops every day two or three times is the average. As mentioned above it's really bad for the environment. If trousers or tops are creased inbetween washing I'll iron them. I always wear tshirts under jumpers so they get washed when they are dirty or smell. Underwear daily. I always thought it was only the Americans that washed after every wear.

According to Which? Magazine, it's best to turn clothes inside out prior to washing.

Agree with PPs regarding frequency of clothes washing.

Roughly what setppedmum does.

I tend to wear a t shirt or top under a jumper so just wash the top and hang up the jumper for another day. Same with dresses in the winter.

Jeans get washed every wear or two, but that's because I wear them for decorating, gardening and cleaning rather than lounging about or going out.

Other trousers and leggings, when they look as if they need it.

Most things get washed after one wear. The exceptions are:
Bras- about once a week so maybe after 3-4 wears
Jumpers that I’ve worn over something else usually two wears. Unless they’re pale and look grubby after one.
Jeans- probably three wears
Evening dresses- maybe two wears
Nightwear probably 3
Cardigans seem to get away with a good four wears before they pick up smells, blazers the same if not more

How about office/work pants during summer?

How about office/work pants during summer?
Blimey, it was every day with the heat we had to endure this past summer (no air con in my office - grim was not the word).

I usually wear a thin t shirt under woollens and wash the t shirt after every wear but only wash the jumper as required. Otherwise tops and underwear daily. Work trousers and jeans 2-3 times

It depends on the item of clothing and the fabric.

Jeans can last 3/4 wears in most cases. Some trousers can handle the same but others are one wear. Some fabrics trap smells easier or go out of shape, particularly around the knee area. Leggings I find need washed every wear due to the thinner fabric and how close they cling to the whole crotch area. I treat them like tights in that respect and wash after one wear.

Coats I do as and when needed.

Outer layers like jumpers and cardigans when they look dirty or after a few wears as I usually have a top in underneath. Tops and t shirts that spend the whole day in with my armpits touching them get washed after one wear. Loose fitting might get away with two wears depending on the fabric and time of year. In summer I can rarely get away with two wears of a top.

I’m a “washaholic”. Bras, knickers, tights, stockings, suspenders, socks,, tops, dresses, leggings, once only then it’s in the wash. I have a shower before work and a bath or shower after work. There is no way I woud put the same things back on. I’m shocked that people wear the same bra for days.

Work trousers, skirts, jeans, cardigans, jumpers (if I have worn something underneath it), every 2 days.

Starlight I'm also shocked how obsessive people are about washing their clothes each time they wear them it's not necessary.

If it’s touching my skin, it’s going in the wash after I have worn it. My bra sits underneath my arm. Why on earth would I want to come out from the shower and put a worn bra back on?

Washing clothes so much is really bad for the environment

I find it really depressing that the environmental impact hasn't sunk in or that people really don't care.

Washing a bra or jeans after one use?!

I agree that it's not necessary for most things to be washed this often. Nor indeed for us to shower/bath every day, as most of us don't do enough these days to get us or the clothes dirty, and then we wash ourselves pretty often, and use antiperspirant and deodorant.

I am not going to apologise for being clean. But at least I don’t smell unlike some on my commute.

I trust those who raised environmental issues have an impeccable environmental record elsewhere.

Starlight, it’s reasonable for us to raise environmental issues without you getting so defensive. The bloody planet is in catastrophic trouble. I won’t apologise for raising that.

It's not about having an impeccable environmental record elsewhere. Nobody is perfect, but we can all make choices that sit well with us and are better for the planet and generations following us.

Washing everything after one wear is not necessary. If it's something you are not prepared to change, then that's your decision. But people who wash clothes less frequently are not dirty or smelly. Well, some might be, but it won't be because they wear the same bra for a couple of days. Hopefully, it's natural fibres you're washing because at least that won't be microfibres washed out every time.

Last post on this thread from me when it comes to wanting to be clean.

1. A few extra bras and other bits in a full washing machine load makes minimal difference when it comes to environmental impact.

1. I don’t own a tumble dryer. I hope nobody who criticised me for liking freshly laundered clothes uses one. Everything is line dried in my garden in the summer or dried on airers in the spare room in the winter.

1. I have a green electricity tariff.

On environmental issues more generally.

1. I don’t use disposable sanitary items , I use a mooncup.

1. I am a keen gardener and an organic one. I also have 2 rainbuts and a compost heap.

Finally, to those who don’t shower ot bath everyday. What about when you have sex with someone?

I also hope nobody who questioned my environmental footprint ever used or uses disposable nappies.

I’m sparing with washing clothing because I don’t like my clothes to get worn too quickly. I wear shirts or blouses at least three times, hanging them up on an open hanging rail (not inside a wardrobe) in between to refresh. I’m happy to wash them more often if needed but I won’t do it as a matter of course. Woolen or cashmere jumpers and tops that are worn with a t shirt underneath only ever get washed once in a while, as and when needed. My jeans, trousers and leggings get washed once every couple of weeks or so, but again, I will wash more often if needed. Knickers, underclothes, vests and socks etc are changed daily and washed.

Obviously in a very hot summer like last year’s it changes and I wash tops/dresses after one wear, trousers as needed and skirts less often.

My OH has a very keen sense of smell and can’t stand bodily odours etc so I always double check with him if something is fresh enough to wear one more time.

I like to keep myself fresh and clean which helps my clothing to stay in nice, fresh condition and luckily I don’t sweat too much.

I said there was no need to be so defensive starlight. That was the most defensive post ever!