“I only wore it once – do I really need to wash it?”
It’s an age-old dilemma that many Americans struggle with: Just how often do certain articles of clothing need to be washed?
The answer: It depends. Obviously, if an article of clothing is super soiled in dirt, sweat or something else, then you should wash it after a single use – no matter what it is. But some clothes you can wear more than just once. In this article, we’ll get to the bottom of things. Here’s a look at what you need to know:
Office, Business Casual Clothes
In most cases, you can wear the likes of work clothes up to five times before they need to be washed. Things like a suit can be worn multiple times, button-down shirts can usually be worn up to four times and pants can last for up to five wears as well before washing is necessary. You might even be able to get additional wear or two out of your shirts if you wear an undershirt underneath them.
Because you’re likely breaking a pretty good sweat in your workout clothes, it’s suggested that you wash them after a single-use. However, if you’re only wearing your workout clothes at the gym or on your neighborhood runs, you don’t have to worry so much about abiding by this rule. Washing them once a week will suffice.
Undergarments
Underwear, socks, and undershirts should only be worn once before they’re tossed in the hamper. There should be no exception to this rule, just based on the body parts that they come into contact with. Would you really want to re-wear your socks after a long day on your feet? Just think about it for a second and the answer is fairly obvious.
Jackets and Hoodies
Hoodies usually need to be washed after every four to five wears. Other warm-weather clothing, like jackets, usually only need a wash about once a season.
Now that you know just how often your various articles of clothing really need to be washed, you can be a bit smarter about how often you wash your clothes. This can even save you on energy and water if you launder at home, or money on loads if you take your laundry to the laundromat.
FAQs
Dress pants or slacks: after 2-3 wearings. Jeans: after 4-5 wearings. Sweaters: up to 6 wearings, if worn with an undershirt; 1-2 wearings if worn without an undershirt. Suits/blazers/casual jackets: after 5-6 wearings.
How often should you wear clothes before washing? ›
Outer clothes like dress shirts and khakis can be worn a few times before washing unless it is hot out and you are sweating or they are visibly dirty or stained. Jeans can typically be worn 3 times before washing. Leggings and tights should be washed after every wear to get rid of the baggy knees.
How many times do you have to wear clothes? ›
If you want guidelines, the American Cleaning Institute says this: Wash after one wear: T-shirts, tank tops, bathing suits, leggings, tights, underwear and socks. Wash after two-to-three wears: jeans, pajamas and bras. Suits can be worn three to four times before dry cleaning.
Is it OK to wear the same clothes for 3 days? ›
There's no hard and fast rule for how many times you can wear clothing again, but experts say there are a few types that should be washed after every use: underwear, socks, tights, leggings and activewear. This advice also applies to any other clothes with stains, sweat, odor or visible dirt, Mohammed said.
How many times should you wear clothes before throwing it away? ›
Wearing clothes 30 times may be easier to do over years, but then the quality of the item becomes more important. Sadly, many fast fashion pieces are just not built to last, so you should also factor in the quality of the item when asking whether you will wear clothes 30 times.
Is it OK to wear clothes before washing them? ›
While it might be difficult to resist the perfect feel of wearing new clothes, it is recommended that any clothing worn in direct contact with your skin (especially things like underwear, t-shirts or shorts) be washed before wearing.
Is it okay to wear the same outfit twice in a week? ›
It is perfectly fine and even encouraged to wear the same outfit multiple times. In fact, many fashion experts recommend investing in quality pieces that can be worn again and again, rather than constantly buying new clothing items that will only be worn once or twice.
Why we shouldn't wear the same clothes for 2 days in a row? ›
It might lead to unpleasant body odor. If you want to push your laundry day off for as long as possible, we totally get it. But your clothes are coming into contact with less-than-fresh scents, such as armpit sweat. Germs and bacteria love sweat, and the combination of the 2 leads to unpleasant body odor.
How many days can you wear jeans in a row? ›
Wearing the same pair of pants for more than that is unnecessary. Usually about two days. Your not meant to wash jeans that often.
What is the 30 times rule? ›
Basically, the 30x Rule states that if it takes you an hour to do a skilled-based task, it will take you thirty hours to train someone else to do it to a level you'll accept. Week to week, most chose to “save” time and just do it themselves. The harsh reality is that each year we do this we waste 22 hours.
"Denim is a thick fabric (unlike your average T-shirt) so you can get away with more wears between washes. We recommend washing after 10 or so wears—or whenever jeans smell stale or unpleasant.
How often should you wash pajamas? ›
On the other hand, Ahoni — as well as the American Cleaning Institute — suggests washing pajamas every three wears. “If you sweat a lot while sleeping, you may want to increase this frequency. Simply said, our bodies produce a lot of gross, stinky stuff that ends up on our clothing, pajamas included,” she says.
How many times can I wear pants before washing? ›
Dress pants or slacks: after 2-3 wearings. Jeans: after 4-5 wearings. Sweaters: up to 6 wearings, if worn with an undershirt; 1-2 wearings if worn without an undershirt. Suits/blazers/casual jackets: after 5-6 wearings.
How long should a tshirt last? ›
A better measure is how many washings a shirt will withstand and still look good. The Dry Cleaning and Laundry Institute says says that industry experience indicates that a shirt should have a wear life of 35 to 50 washings.
What clothing items should not be donated? ›
Clothes that should not be donated to a second hand store include ripped, stained, damaged or dirty items. You should not donate used items and clothes in poor condition because these items cannot be resold. Instead, damaged or dirty clothes should be recycled, upcycled or disposed of.
How many years do clothes last? ›
Every garment will wear out after repeated wearing and washing. On average, an item of clothing lasts around five years before being thrown away. However, disposing of clothing, both used and unworn, usually carries an environmental cost.
Do you need to wash clothes after every wear? ›
Bras are also often over-laundered – Grant suggests hand-washing them after every two or three wears. Meanwhile, dresses should be washed after every one to three wears, shirts after every one to two wears, and T-shirts after every wear.
How many days can you wear the same shirt? ›
Button up shirts are usually good for 3-5 days of use before they need to be washed. T-shirts can only be worn once or twice because they lose their form. Socks and underwear generally get washed after each use, but sometimes a pair of socks will be good for a second day if I only wore them for part of a day.
How many times can you wear pajamas before washing? ›
On the other hand, Ahoni — as well as the American Cleaning Institute — suggests washing pajamas every three wears. “If you sweat a lot while sleeping, you may want to increase this frequency. Simply said, our bodies produce a lot of gross, stinky stuff that ends up on our clothing, pajamas included,” she says.
