Should You Wash Your Clothes Every Time You Wear Them?

Nov 08, 2018

According to our mothers when we were growing up, you absolutely had to wash every piece of your clothing after each use. Today, however, it seems that we not only don't have to, but, in some cases, we shouldn't wash some of our clothes after wearing them only one time.

Here's an easy guide for when to wash specific types of clothing.

Mom was right on this one. All underwear needs to be washed after each use. The fact that you wash your hands after using the restroom to stop the spread of germs should tell you that your underwear shouldn't be worn more than once. They are blocking germs from getting on your other clothes and will only make it through one use.

Maybe denim was different back in the day. But, today, washing your jeans every time you wear them will cause them to fade and wear early. Jeans will also form a better fit with your body if your wear them a few times to stretch them in the right places. You should be able to wear them five or six times before washing.

If you wear them all day, it's a good to wash them after every wear. Tops usually come into direct contact with a lot of your odor-producing sweat glands and probably won't smell that great if you try to re-wear them.

You should be able to get about three to four wears before washing. They won't last quite as long as jeans.

Ideally, you don't want to wash dresses after each use. Washing will fade the color and compromise the fabric. However, if you are wearing a dress on a humid day, you may need to wash it. You can usually get at least two uses out of a dress before washing.

Unless it's a sports bra, they can usually be worn three to four times before washing. Just hang the bra and let it air out between uses and it will last a lot longer than if you wash it every time.

Just like underwear, socks must be washed after each use. Don't even think about challenging this one. Just don't! Think about it!

Yep, you guessed it. They get washed every time. Think about all the sweat that you generate when working out that is soaking into your sportswear. Now, think about letting those clothes sit for a day or so and then putting them back on. OK, stop thinking about it. I think you get it!

You should be able to wear your PJ's at least three or four times since there is, usually, very little physical activity going on while wearing them.

Just wash them carefully with water when they are visibly dirty.

So, do you have any household chores myths that have been debunked? Let us know in the comments! Don't forget to share this article with your friends, we are sure they will find it useful too.