How often do you really need to wash clothes?

by Jen (November 11, 2008)

If you think you need to wash your clothes every time you wear them, you’re wasting water, energy and money, and shortening the life of your clothes.

Here’s the rule: if you sweat in it, go ahead and wash it. If you get something on it that can’t be lifted with a spot cleaning (those detergent pens for quick stain removal/prevention are awesome, by the way), wash it. Otherwise, hang it back up in the closet. Depending how long you wear an outfit at a time, many of us can get at least two wearings out of most clothing items before needing to launder them. (I wear nice clothes when I go out, for as many hours as I stay out, then immediately change into t-shirts and sweatpants - one set of which I will often wear for at least 7 evenings before changing them out.)

The way to tell it’s time to launder something is when it starts to smell. After a while, clothes get that not-so-fresh scent that comes from body oils and soaps and lotions getting trapped in the fabric. This smell is not filth - it’s not disgusting. If you think of it that way, just keep telling yourself it’s brainwashing from detergent companies. If you really have trouble adjusting to this concept - if you find yourself worrying all day that you stink - get a perfume or air freshener that smells like fresh laundry and spritz your clothes with it. Smelling that all day will help you retrain your brain to think your clothes are perfectly presentable even though you didn’t just launder them.

If you sweat a lot - which is actually not a bad thing, and it’s a pity we think of it that way - there are a few tricks to keeping sweat and antiperspirant from dirtying your clothes. Note: it’s not actually sweat that stains your clothes, it’s anti-perspirant, which is not great for your body anyway. And while stinky sweat will make your clothes stink, a deoderant can prevent stink. Surprising as it sounds, even if you think you’re a terrible sweater, deoderant might be your best solution.

Another way to help preserve your clothes longer and save a bit on your energy bills: wash in cold water. There is nothing warm water can do for your clothes that cold can’t, and my clothes have lasted longer since I’ve been doing this (for many years now).

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Posted in Frugal, Going Green
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