Do you wash your clothes after every single wear, or do you rewear some items before washing? What’s your rule for workwear, hoodies, gym clothes?
Posted by Extreme-Banana-9@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 89 comments
Personally I always wash socks, underwear and gym clothes after one use, but I’m less strict with things like hoodies or jeans unless they smell, get sweaty or look dirty.
Shirayuri@reddit
3,2,1 rule.
3 for things like hoodies, trousers (jeans might even get longer since you’re meant to wash them rarely)
2 for items like t shirts, dresses, leggings
1 for things like underwear, socks, cami tops (or other under tops)
GlitchingGecko@reddit
Same.
ermCaz@reddit
Me too
Nervous-Lawyer-9711@reddit
Basically never wash my bras, pants every day, socks every day unless they’re my big thick slipper ones honestly I accidentally wear them for ages, jeans literally if they have a stain on them, t shirts every day cuz I’m a messy eater, jumpers also if they have a stain or I feel like I’ve worn them a lot
PurpleOctopus6789@reddit
is this a typo or did you really mean to say you never wash your bras? 🤢
ampmz@reddit
If you are shocked by this then… I don’t know what to tell you.
PurpleOctopus6789@reddit
Well, I am, I wear bras and the thought of not washing them regularly is just disgusting.
Swimming-Lie5369@reddit
When I wore bras I'd wash them every month or two
PurpleOctopus6789@reddit
I am sorry (actually I am not) but that is just vile. Dead skin, sweat, dust, it all accumulates. Even if not worn every day, a month is ridiculous and disgusting.
LentilRice@reddit
Plot twist : that commenter doesn’t wear bras
Nervous-Lawyer-9711@reddit
Honestly hardly do
Nervous-Lawyer-9711@reddit
I was being over dramatic lmao
TazTazTAZTazTaz_@reddit
Are you in reintroduction?
Nervous-Lawyer-9711@reddit
Whatever that means but no I’m a uni student and have like one pair of jeans
N4t3ski@reddit
Underwear, socks, work clothes yes.
Everything else gets the sniff test, unless its visibly dirty.
tradegreek@reddit
My sense of smell has been terrible since I got Covid aha
Fit-Obligation4962@reddit
Unfortunately you become nose blind to your own smells. I’m sure my socks reek after a day at work though I can’t smell them. I m very unlikely to smell a sweat shirt.
snavej1@reddit
Queen Victoria (UK, 1837-1901) wore gloves once only. The old ones were donated to the poor. Dozens of pairs every week.
Mrmagicdan@reddit
Jeans when they look/smell dirty.
Undies and socks every day.
T shirts case by case. If I’ve been sweating or been wearing it all day then I’ll wash but if I’ve been out for a few hours and it still smells fresh then it’ll go back for another day.
Hoodies and jumpers, same as jeans. Unless it’s a jumper that I’ve worn nothing underneath them it’s the same rule as my T-shirts.
My work trousers are once a week, I have two pairs that I wear in rotation. I work in construction so no point in a clean pair every day.
Work t shirts, a clean one every day. Work jumpers/fleeces same as the trousers.
Gym gear, everything in the wash after a work out except the trousers/shorts. I only go 2/3 times a week so I can get away with a weekly wash for them.
Bazahazano@reddit
Socks, one pair lasts a week. Pants can be upto 5 days depending on the smell or soiling.
AromaticVacation3077@reddit
If the soiling is only light do you limit it to 3 days?
Bazahazano@reddit
If only light soiling. An application of Lynx Africa can let it last the full duration.
AromaticVacation3077@reddit
Damn - I did not expect to get turned on this afternoon.
Bazahazano@reddit
You are making feel dirty. I will put on clean pants tomorrow.
Perception_4992@reddit
Underwear everyday. Most other items depending on dirt, sweat and smell. Woolly jumpers, very infrequently, but get a good airing.
jenny_quest@reddit
Yes agree with woolly jumpers especially if natural fibres, hanging them on the line for a few hours is great then I hand wash about once a month, if that.
TazTazTAZTazTaz_@reddit
If it’s touched public transport, it comes off immediately through the door and washed.
Socks/underwear one wear in most cases.
Compression/cycling shorts/thermals get one wear.
Gym tops get one wear. Sometimes a second on trackies/shorts.
Jumpers/Hoodies get a few days/week depending on how soiled.
Trousers usually one wear as they basically 100% of the time hitting some sort of public infrastructure.
AromaticVacation3077@reddit
Washing your entire outfit every time you've been on a bus could be considered a little excessive, not to mention wasteful.
PurpleOctopus6789@reddit
I am so glad I am not the only one who does this!
AromaticVacation3077@reddit
I'm disgusting - I wear clothes until they crawl into the washing machine of their own accord.
Amanensia@reddit
Jeans? Maybe every six months if they really need it.
Underwear/exercise stuff every time ofc.
SleaterK7111@reddit
Six months??
Amanensia@reddit
Yep. They won’t have been worn every day, of course, but that could easily be 20-30 wears. Obviously if there’s an actual spillage etc then sooner.
Some people swear by never washing denim, but I don’t go that far.
PanicStil@reddit
30 wears is way too high for me.
Important-Welder76@reddit
I've heard that some people put them in the freezer to "clean" them, I presume they mean kill off any bacteria.
sock_cooker@reddit
Putting stuff on the line is an excellent way of freshening clothes
johnbobk@reddit
Freezing just puts most bacteria into dormancy / stops in reproducing. Once thawed it will start to reproduce again
imtheorangeycenter@reddit
I'm in your camp for jeans. Only when actually smelly/covered in ketchup/whatever. I'll wear a pair daily for weeks just fine, so long as I don't get into any scrapes...
redseaaquamarine@reddit
I have heard that you are meant to never wash jeans
ImmediatePiano6690@reddit
Jeans really depends on condition and if I'm leaving the house, I've had some I don't wash for ages because I haven't had to go into public, or I'll use a single pair for dog walking as I'll go down muddy tracks and some like to jump up for attention.
TheShakyHandsMan@reddit
Jeans look worse the more you wash them. If you drop something on them then fair enough but they’ll survive without a wash.
92Devika@reddit
Socks underwear, top layer that touches the skin (So t-shirt, vests,) If a dress is loose fitting then I'll get two wears out of it. But I'll sniff test!
Trousers/jumpers I can get 4-5+ wears out of them, depending on us. But I have a wool jumper that I've never washed.
dwair@reddit
Outerwear if it's stained or smelly gets a wash. Underwear and socks after a single day.
I currently have a 'nice' pair of jeans I wear about once a week for a couple of hours that are maybe 6 weeks between washes.
IcyPuffin@reddit
Underwear gets washed after every use. Everything else is as needed or evety 2 or 3 wears.
DingoBingoWimbo@reddit
I stopped washing my clothes after my sister died. Can't really be asked to do most chores nowadays
BirdieStitching@reddit
I have eczema so I have to wash after every wear regardless.
Extreme-Banana-9@reddit (OP)
Same mines flared up bad, using hydrocortizone and aveeno. Wbu?
BirdieStitching@reddit
Phototherapy and topical steroids (dermovate, eumovate). Pretty much constantly flares.
I tried a few other meds, dupilumab, protopic but had a paradoxical reaction to them.
Cyclosporine was the best but had too many side effects.
SomeHSomeE@reddit
Socks, boxers, gym t shirt - 1 wear
Gym shorts 2 wears if I did weights. 1 wear if it was cardio or otherwise got sweaty.
Work shirts - 1 wear
T shirts and casual shirts - anything from 1-4 wears depending how long I wear it for, what I was doing, how hot it was, what I'm doing next (as in more likely to rewear for a day in pottering about, just nipping to shops, etc).
Jumpers, trousers - 4-5 wears (but rotate and air in between) unless I've got sweaty or it's dirty.
Prior-Boysenberry216@reddit
1 wear for everything except hoodies/jackets and jeans, yeah. Pyjama bottoms get a sniff test 😂
messedup73@reddit
My knickers ,socks and bras go in after one use Im menopausal so get hot flushes regularly. I dont work at the moment due to medical issues only go out to take the dog out so wear hoodies and leggings twice before washing.Wash my bedding twice a week or more often due to nightsweats.I love line dried washing and very rarely use my tumble dryer.
MercuryJellyfish@reddit
Shirts, boxers, socks, wash after every wear.
Trousers, just keep an eye on them, wash weekly or so.
Jackets & coats, dry clean when needed.
nsfgod@reddit
They usually crawl to the wash basket by them self when there good and ready.
cityfrm@reddit
It's actually your gf/wife that does it BTW, she also picks them off the floor and puts them away for you. Turns out they don't do it by themselves!
veritasmeritas@reddit
I've been using a steamer, mainly for things like jumpers that soak up smells but tend not to actually get 'dirty'. Works well, removes smells, doesn't actually make clothes smell 'fresh' in the same way as washing does but does help prolong clothing's life.
No_Release2180@reddit
Underwear - 1 wear. Socks - 1 wear, unless they were put on late in the day or just worn round the house. Might pop them on again the next day if I'm lazy and it feels wasteful. Bras - 2-3 wears unless I got sweaty. T-shirts - 2 wears max, 1 if I got sweaty. Sweatshirts/hoodies - 2-5 wears. Entirely dependant on what I'm doing and what it comes inti contact with. Leggings - 1 wear if exercising. 1-2 if lounging. Jeans - 3-4 wears.
JimmyBallocks@reddit
Shat pants usually get washed
sbaldrick33@reddit
Depends on what the clothes are.
Pants, socks and workout: Yes.
T-Shirt/shirt: every couple of days unless it's the height of summer.
Trousers and jumpers/hoodies: Weekly unless there's a specific reason (particularly sweaty, food spillage, the state of a public lavatory I've been forced to use, etc.) to change them sooner.
Overcoat: Use for months.
Isgortio@reddit
When I lived at my parents and my mum did my laundry, I'd get several days/weeks out of trousers, jumpers, cardigans and hoodies. Now I do my own and live alone, I'll wash it after one wear. I might get 2 days out of it, but I'll never put on worn clothes if I have had a shower. Sure, I can end up with a mountain of laundry to put away but nothing falls apart and I know it's clean.
Most of my clothing touches my skin after I've been working in a dental clinic so I don't want to carry other people's spit germs around for weeks.
Namerakable@reddit
I use undergarments to reuse certain items through the work week. I wear so much stuff from the 80s and earlier that they would start to fall apart with too much unnecessary washing.
Skirts I wear 5 times because I wear underskirts, tights and shorts underneath. Tights last 1 or 2 wears. Shorts 1-2.
I wear tops once or twice, depending if I have a vest underneath.
Dresses are 2 times before washing.
yourefunny@reddit
Underwear, socks and t-shirts or shirts will go straight in the washing basket at the end of the day. Jumpers will be worn on rotation for a couple of weeks. Jeans a couple of weeks depending if they get stains. I wear shorts to sleep in and they last a week. Gym shorts can last a few sessions depending how sweaty I get.
Wild_Region_7853@reddit
Underwear and socks, 1 wear. PJs and T-shirts, 2 wears, jumpers 3-4 wears, jeans as long as I can possibly go before they’re noticeably dirty or smelly
EscapeArtist92@reddit
I re wear things like jeans or jogging bottoms. Everything else gets washed after 1 wear.
zonked282@reddit
unless there has been a very active, messy or hot day, i cant think of any clothing outside of socks and underwear i would wash after a single wear....
rising_then_falling@reddit
Sheets and towels usually last 2 weeks. Socks and pants one day. Everything else "when it feels like it needs it". Shirts 2-3 days. T shirts generally one or two days. Trousers - unpredictable. Jumpers usually every month or so in winter when I wear them a lot.
Inevitable_Thing_270@reddit
For me, generally it’s:
- pants,socks, tights, gym clothes - after every wear
- jeans: every 2-5 wears
- other trousers: two wears
- jumpers/hoodies: 2-3 wears (unless it’s a hoodie that I only wear at home and no one will see me, then it’s 🤷♀️ whenever)
- T-shirts: 1-2 wears
- bras: ……. Eh…. We don’t talk about bras. The ladies will know what I mean
All of the above is dependent on whether I’ve actually dropped something on it, it’s been really hot and I’ve been sweaty, other things that make clothes get dirty faster
Nosworthy@reddit
Jeans and hoodies - when required
Tops, underwear, socks etc - every wear
BassIck@reddit
I rotate my t shirts and wash them all together after a couple of weeks. Of they aren't stained and don't smell I just hang them up and grab another one. Rinse and repeat until I wash them and then I will iron another 3 or 4 and do the same
Dreadheaddanski@reddit
T-shirts, socks, pants one wash Jeans when they are dirty Work trousers id wear all week unless they were absolutely filthy Hoodies and trackie bottoms I just wash when they are dirty but I don't wear trackies outside of the house
ThisIsMyRedditAcct20@reddit
Was everything after one use except jeans, outerwear. Jeans, prob 5 wears before I wash.
I also don’t have a sense of smell post covid so some of that is because I don’t know what I don’t know
imtheorangeycenter@reddit
Socks and underwear every time - heck if my socks come off, then I put a new pair on.
My jeans however can go dozens of wears. The instructions say:
"Wear 'em, wear 'em and wear 'em some more. If they stink, put them in the freezer. If they still stink, then wash them."
Obviously if caked in mud, blood or whatever they'll get a wash if a spot of localised cleaning doesn't do the job.
I do not wash items for the sake of it.
katie-kaboom@reddit
Socks, underwear, t-shirts and workout clothes get washed every wears. PJs and dresses every couple of wears. Jeans and sweaters get washed every 4-5 wears. Hoodies and jackets get washed when they smell. (I'll wash something if it gets dirty.)
ContextRules@reddit
I wouldnt even want to think about BG bills if I washed everything after wearing once. Pants, socks, gym wear sure. Jeans, jumpers, sweatshirts no unless they get soiled or its a very hot day. Or I had a curry for lunch.
PurpleOctopus6789@reddit
depends on what it is, underwear, socks, gym clothes, pjs (which is pretty much just boyshorts and tshirt) get washed after every use.
Hoodies I wear at home (I wfh) can easily last few days because I don't do anything manual. Now a hoodie worn on swweaty gym gear, that's typically washed after every use, it may last two depending on sweat levels. T-shirts usually 1-2 days. Jeans a lot longer. Anything else, it depends. Since I have separate clothes for when sitting at home and going outside, the use will be different and some clothes can easily be washed a lot less often. It's very personal but some items are non negotiable one use and wash (underwear, socks, gym stuff). Oh, and my bedding is no negotiable, it's once a week. I love nice clean sheets.
Big-Help419@reddit
Unless it’s underwear it has to either smell or be dirty to get washed.
c-e-r-y-s@reddit
I wear my work clothes for 3 days, then they get washed. Normal clothes, aside from socks and underwear obviously, get worn 2-3 times. Unless visibly dirty or I've cooked in them and the smell clings.
HatOfFlavour@reddit
Underwear, socks, t-shirts: wash after a days wear. Button up shirts: wash after wearing unless it's worn lose over another t-shirt. Hoodies/jumpers:when it's failing a sniff test or is noticeable dirty. Towels and bedsheets: weekly. Trousers:weekly but I change into a comfy pair the moment I get home. Trainers: once every few months or when noticeably grimy
rustynoodle3891@reddit
Underwear socks are single wear. T-shirts are mainly single wear unless I've just been sitting around the house then two days. Hoodies probably 3-4 wears, maybe more I don't often have them on for that long. Jeans probably 5 days, but usually rotated so not 5 days in a row. Work wear (manual labour) trousers can do a few days but t-shirts every day without question. A hoodie can do a few days.
Alarming-Tie-1892@reddit
Underwear,socks every wear, bras handwash every few days unless sweaty after activity. T shirts 2 wears, rest of outwear& trousers when dirty.
Quiet_surprise79@reddit
I will re-wear a bra if I haven't been sweaty and it smells fine, and usually trousers and hoodies. I'll wash t-shirts/tops that aren't hoodies or jumpers, socks and underwear every time.
TheGeordieGal@reddit
I’ll wear knickers once, bra a few times (provided it doesn’t smell), socks once (unless it’s the ones I’m using for running in which case they may get more wears since nobody can smell them anyway and I only have them on a short period of time!), sports stuff 1 wear and other clothes get sniff test/see if they look dirty.
Prestigious_Bat2666@reddit
Jeans and hoodies get washed when they look or smell unclean. Most other clothes are one use.
I'll wear a top to walk to work(usually something old and slightly worn out),change into work clothes. Finish work and wear the top back get changed into whatever (pjs if im done for the day, "nice" clothes if i still have things in my day). If the commute wasn't a sweaty one I'll wear that same top the next day.
Hertfordgal@reddit
Gym clothes only worn once. Hoodies and jumpers get the smell test
No_Chemist2922@reddit
Only when they become stinky or itchy to wear.
The weather can be so cold that I wouldn't even break a single sweat, hence no smell
SmokeDraw742@reddit
Socks and boxers are wear once.
T shirts might get more than one wear, depends on my activities that day.
Jeans and other legwear will be worn until they're visibly dirty normally, unless I've done something particularly strenuous and had sweaty legs.
asjonesy99@reddit
Anything that directly touches my torso, private parts or feet gets washed after every wear.
Pale_Slide_3463@reddit
Don’t wash my bra, jeans and jackets every time, jeans maybe after 4x, jackets maybe 10x and bra hrmmm every couple of weeks depending because they loose the shape and they’re expensive lol. Everything else is done after wearing like underwear and socks. Bed sheets is once a week.
Broken_Woman20@reddit
I wear all clothes twice except for underwear and gym clothes.
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