Perhaps no household chore sits so naggingly on the periphery of our brains quite like laundry. It has a habit of reminding us that, yes, that pile of stale, smelly and stained clothes is still there and needs to be thrown into the wash. You also have to remember to transfer it to the dryer, then immediately fold it if you don’t want to look like a rumpled mess. And usually, before you even finish the load or two you’re working on, more has shown up in the hamper. If just the thought of all that is stressing you out — or if you’re the type who gets down to that last pair of hideous underwear before tossing in a load — here’ a glimmer of good news: According to experts, there are certain garments that many of us are washing too often.
Quick Overview
“Generally, if it isn’t stained, soiled with sweat or smelly, you can wear it a few times,” says Natalie D’Apolito, manager of communication and outreach for the American Cleaning Institute (ACI). “There are exceptions, but if you’re in a jam and don’t have time to wash an item like your dress pants, you can usually get away with one more wear.”
To find out which articles of clothing can go on a repeat-wear list, we reached out to two laundry aficionados. Here’s what they had to say.
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What clothes do people wash too often?
Jeans
You probably won’t be shocked to hear that jeans can “typically be worn three times or more before washing,” says D’Apolito. But why, exactly? “Denim is a sturdier fabric,” notes Melissa Pateras, who runs a popular LaundryTok account and is the author of A Dirty Guide to a Clean Home. “It’s a fabric that is designed to be washed less frequently, as frequent washing will wear it out more and the color will fade over time.”
Tees, tanks and camisoles
Both experts agree that, generally speaking, anything that touches the body should be washed after every use because it’s “the first to come in contact with sweat, dead skin and odors,” D’Apolito points out. But there is some rule-bending room here — clothes like tees and tank tops can be “given a few extra wears before washing, especially if they aren’t smelly or stained,” she adds.
Sweaters and hoodies
Pateras says most people are laundering layers like sweatshirts and knitted pullovers too often. “Outer layers can be stretched out a few wears” — up to four or five, she notes.
Sleepwear and certain intimates
You can wash your pajamas “after three or four wears, and if you shower before bed, you may get a few more wears before washing,” D’Apolito says. And if you wear a bathrobe, Pateras recommends washing it monthly. Somewhat surprisingly, both experts say bras can last two to three wears, although D’Apolito recommends giving them “a rest day in between wears to give the elastic a chance to regain its shape.” Don’t go getting any ideas about your underwear, though — those need to be laundered after each use.
Dress clothes
Work-appropriate clothes like suits, dress shirts, slacks, dresses and skirts can be worn two or three times before washing, our experts say.
Outerwear
For Pateras, jackets and coats fit into a “when the mood strikes” category, but she stresses that they should be washed at least once or twice per season.
Are there exceptions to these rules?
Clearly, any item of clothing that’s “soiled by stains, dirt or sweat,” should be laundered before being worn again, says D’Apolito. She adds: “The frequency that you wash items can change depending on things like weather, if you work out or even if you are a sweaty sleeper.” While those might seem obvious, there is another factor that becomes increasingly relevant as we head into cold and flu season.
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“If you or someone in your home is sick, you’ll want to wash clothes, bedding and even stuffed animals more frequently,” says D’Apolito. “You should also use a deeper cleaning detergent and wash and dry the items on warm.” If the sick person also experiences vomiting and diarrhea or has a weakened immune system,” add an EPA-registered laundry sanitizer or bleach to your wash cycle, and also wash and dry on hot.” Look for products with an EPA registration number on the label, like Lysol’s Laundry Sanitizer — it kills 99.9% of bacteria as well as cold, flu and COVID-19 viruses. She also recommends checking out ACI’s Levels of Laundry section for a comprehensive guide on updating your wash routine when you or a family member is ill.
Finally, “if you have seasonal or pet allergies,” she adds, “you’ll want to wash the clothing you’ve worn outside or while playing with a furry friend.”
What’s not getting washed enough?
There’s always a flip side, and of course, there are items people simply aren’t laundering as often as they should. Both Pateras and D’Apolito lump sheets into this category. Those should be tossed into the washing machine every week or two. “Blankets and bedspreads should be washed monthly,” D’Apolito says, “and bath towels should be hung to dry between uses and washed every three to five uses.”
There’s also a fabric factor at play here, especially when it comes to workout clothes. “Generally, synthetic fibers will hold on to odor-causing bacteria” more than natural fibers,” Pateras notes. Oh, and any clothing that’s sweat-wicking should be washed after each wear.
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Finally, a word of advice for the guys: “You can’t go a lifetime without washing a tie, but I’m pretty sure people do,” Pateras says. Neckties should be washed when they have “spills, soiling or visible dirt, [or] they can be spot-cleaned at the very least and then dry-cleaned.”
What to use between laundry days
If you’re still committed to avoiding laundry, we get it. It’s not the most exciting or even rewarding of tasks. There are products that can help extend the freshness of your clothing between spin cycles. Here are a few to check out.
Amazon
Amazon
Amazon
Amazon
The gadget has garnered more than 80,000 five-star ratings on Amazon. “I am in love with this thing,” noted one lazy launderer. “I hate folding clothes, so when I finally sort through my laundry, it’s always a wrinkled mess … This is such a timesaver!”
SONGMICS
Amazon
Amazon
Amazon
