How Often Should You Wash Your Clothes? A Complete Guide

Most people love the smell and feel of a freshly washed T-shirt or sweatshirt. There’s the homely scent of fabric softener, that comforting feel, and the knowledge that your favorite piece of clothing is wonderfully clean. However, in an age of climate crisis, when we are more aware of our environmental impact than ever, are we overdoing it and washing our clothes too frequently? How often is too often? Do different types of items require washing more or less regularly? To answer all these questions and more, the Polygiene team has compiled a comprehensive guide to washing your clothes.

woman outside with washed clothes line

Should we be washing clothes less frequently?

Let’s get straight to the point and deal with the big question. Should we be washing our clothes less frequently? With the obvious caveat that it depends on how regularly you personally use the washing machine, there’s good evidence to support the idea that most people tend to wash their clothes a little too often. For instance, studies show that in the UK, 71% of adults put a wash on before the machine is full and add items that aren’t actually dirty (Electrolux). 

So clothes overwashing does seem to be somewhat of an issue. Interestingly, there are discrepancies between different textiles. While we wash clothes too frequently, research indicates that we don’t clean bed linen nearly enough, with only 28% of people washing them the recommended once a week (YouGov).

The frequency of washing is also heavily influenced by lifestyle. Those who work in active jobs, regularly work out, or look after animals will probably have to wash their clothes more often to keep them clean. With this in mind, we need to use a little common sense when thinking about how regularly our clothes should end up in the machine. Nevertheless, there are numerous benefits to washing clothes less frequently.

The benefits of washing clothes less 

The principal benefits of washing clothes less often include:

  1. Saving money

Running the washing machine is surprisingly expensive. Add up the cost of energy, water, detergent and softener, and the cost soon starts to mount. Reducing the frequency of your washing can result in valuable savings.

  1. Saving time

Laundry is also one of those supremely time-consuming chores. For those doing the laundry for busy households, it can often feel like an endless cycle of washing and drying. Research from Polygiene suggests that skipping every other laundry load can actually save you four days every year (Polygiene). That’s four free days to spend however you want!

  1. Better for the environment

Like we said, washing machines are resource-intensive. They consume significant amounts of energy and water, and evidence suggests they are also responsible for releasing contaminants and microplastics into the local environment (PBS). Reducing the frequency of washing minimizes your environmental footprint, helping you live more sustainably.

  1. Longer lasting clothes

Washing machines are tough on fibers and fabric. Each wash damages items slightly, stressing fibers, causing fading and contributing to pilling. If you’re interested in keeping your clothes in good condition for as long as possible, skipping washes and ensuring you don’t clean clothes unless necessary is a great way to do so. 

Interesting stats on clothes washing

  • In the UK, the average household is responsible for 260 washing loads every year (Guardian).
  • In the US, only a third of consumers always read the washing instructions on items of clothing (Statista).
  • In Europe, 71% of people do laundry between one and three times a week (Better Living).
  • Though the average washing machine is 50% more efficient than it was in 1970, total washing machine energy consumption has increased significantly. In the UK, it increased by more than 100% between 1970 and 2012 (Energy Research & Social Science).

How often should you wash your clothes? Guidelines for different items of clothing

When it comes to determining how often you should wash your clothes, opinions are mixed. For instance, if you’re wondering how many times you can wear jeans before washing them, some experts suggest every four or five uses, while the biggest jeans brand on the planet, Levi’s recommends washing after a minimum of ten uses (Levi’s). So it’s important to note that there are no hard and fast rules, and you should generally check the manufacturer’s care guidelines to establish best practices. That said, the following list will give you a good idea of what to aim for.

A. After every wear

A. After 3 to 4 wears

A. 2 times a season

A. 2 times a season

A. After 6 to 7 wears

A. 3 to 5 times a season

A. After every wear

A. After 5 to 6 wears

A. Once a season

A. After 1 to 3 wears

A. After 3 to 4 wears

A. After 1 to 3 wears

A. After 2 to 3 wears

A. After 2 wears

A. After 5 wears

A. After every wear

A. After every wear

A. After 1 to 3 wears

A. Dry-clean after every wear

A. 1 to 2 times a season

(Source: RealSimple)

Important considerations when washing clothes 

Frequency isn’t the only consideration when washing clothes. The settings you use and how you dry items also have a significant impact on their longevity and your environmental impact. With this in mind, think about the following factors when putting on your next wash.

  1. Temperature settings

You don’t need to run a hot wash to get things clean. Lower temperatures – typically 30°C or below – are effective and usually more than sufficient to get your items clean and ready for wear. They are also much gentler on fibers and fabrics. Only use warmer temperatures when trying to wash really soiled or stained items.

  1. Eco settings

Nearly all modern washing machines have an eco setting that uses less water and energy to clean your clothes. These cycles often take a little longer than normal settings. But, with a little planning, that shouldn’t be a problem.

  1. Let clothes dry naturally

Tumble dryers are super energy intensive and cause a lot of heat damage to textiles. As such, try to minimize their use by air drying whenever possible. Hanging clothes outside to dry in the fresh air is a great way of leveraging the sun and fresh air’s natural antibacterial properties. However, if the weather’s not in your favor, using a drying rack indoors works well too.

Tips for washing clothes less

While we could all probably wash our clothes less frequently as they are and everything would be fine, there are a few things you can do to keep items fresh and minimize the number of washes you need.

  1. Make the most of antibacterial textile technologies

Antibacterial odor control solutions like Polygiene StayFresh™ tackle one of the primary causes of unpleasant odors – bacteria. Dirty clothes provide bacteria with the perfect growing conditions. These tricky microorganisms produce bad smells as a result of their metabolic processes. By preventing bacterial growth, Polygiene StayFresh keeps items fresher for longer and reduces the frequency with which you need to wash them.

  1. Hang clothes out to dry

Not all clothes need a wash after wearing. In many cases, hanging them outside and giving them a good airing works wonders. This is particularly true of materials that benefit from natural antibacterial qualities, such as merino wool. 

  1. Use a deodorizer

Hanging odor-absorbing deodorizer sachets in your wardrobe can help neutralize and eradicate bad smells, preventing you from having to wash clothes as often.

  1. Hand wash certain items

There’s an argument that you should never really machine wash delicates like lace and silk, as it causes too much damage. We recommend hand washing these items whenever possible. Not only does this extend their lifespan, but it cuts down on your washing load too. Which is good for you and good for the environment.

  1. Limit your fabric softener use

Yes, fabric softeners leave textiles with a lovely feel and scent, but they also deposit residue on the fibers that ultimately damage the fabric, reduce clothing lifespan, and leave items needing more frequent washing. If you can, cut down on the fabric softener to save your clothes!

Polygiene odor control technology means less washing

Polygiene solutions are specifically designed to tackle unpleasant odors and ensure you don’t need to wash clothes as often. This benefits you, your clothes and the environment. You can check out just how much time, money, energy and water Polygiene StayFresh can save you by taking a look at our independent Lifecycle Assessment.

To learn more about our groundbreaking antibacterial odor control technology, head to the Polygiene Freshness solutions page. Alternatively, contact our expert team if you have any questions about our products.