Beauty & Style
How often you really need to wash your clothes
Jeans, coats and bras, we’ve all got those items in our wardrobes that we wear again (and again and again) before tossing in the laundry basket. But how long is too long between washes? Certain items of clothing can be safely and happily re-worn numerous times before seeing the washing machine while others really should only be wear-and-wash. We reveal what you should be washing and what you can recycle below.
- Delicate items (i.e. those made of silk) – After every wear
- Bras – Every three to four wears
- Trousers and “formal” skirts – After five to seven wears
- Parkas and heavy coats – Two times per season
- Fleece jackets and jumpers – After six to seven wears
- Stockings – After every wear
- Jackets and blazers – After five to six wears
- Jeans – After four to five wears
- Leather and suede – one to two times per year
- Leggings – After every wear
- PJs and nighties – After three to four wears
- Shapewear – After one to two wears
- Shorts – After two to three wears
- Cotton jumpers – After two wears
- Wool/synthetic blend jumpers – After five wears
- Swimmers – After every wear
- T-shirts and singlet tops/camisoles – After every wear
- Dresses and formal tops – After one to three wears. Formal dresses should be dry-cleaned after every wear
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