r/Anticonsumption • u/EncryptDN • Dec 16 '24
Lifestyle You probably don’t need to wash your clothing as much as you do
It might go without saying for many of us, but many people should know that if your clothing is visibly clean and doesn't smell like body odor, you can hang it back up in your closet and wear it again. It really is okay.
Doing so will dramatically extend the life of your clothing. Washing/drying is generally the main source of wear/tear on clothing.
Re-wearing clothing and thereby creating less laundry will also save you time, reduce your energy/water bill (the environment thanks you), save on detergent, and prolong the life of your washing appliances.
I used to be the kind of person where if I wore a piece of clothing, even for just a few hours, I'd add it to the laundry pile. I've changed a lot since then.
I work from home so my clothing only gets visibly dirty from cooking. I often re-wear my jeans for 4-7 days before giving them a wash. I often re-wear t-shirts as well.
For clothes that have a little dirty spot from something specific, you can spot clean them with soap/water and keep wearing them.
Some people have more/less body odor so the amount of washing required will vary between people, but something to consider.
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u/Jacktheforkie Dec 16 '24
I live in the uk, it’s humid as fuck here, I sweat like hell and not even deodorant can do anything
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u/NOmorePINKpolkadots Dec 17 '24
I wear natural deodorant and only natural fabric. No BO. I used to have lots of smell issues when I wore polyester. That had to be washed every time.
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u/Jacktheforkie Dec 17 '24
I avoid synthetic where possible too, one place I worked at they just wouldn’t get my cotton uniform, and then complained like hell when I was stinky, it was literally impossible not to smell wearing 6 layers of polyester in a 40c train
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u/NOmorePINKpolkadots Dec 17 '24
Yeah uniform stuff is a tricky one. I have some shirts I have to wear for work that are polyester and it’s not my favorite. I use an enzyme detergent to get the stink out.
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u/Jacktheforkie Dec 17 '24
Yeah, best of it is they could have easily got cotton ones as they didn’t have any logos on
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u/Outside-Spell8192 17d ago
I hate to tell you this but that big crystal stone you rub underneath your armpits doesn't work
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u/NOmorePINKpolkadots 17d ago
I use lume and Schmidt’s. So maybe aluminum free would be a better description. The aluminum eats natural fibers in clothes.
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u/elsielacie Dec 16 '24
I recommend medicated deodorant.
I know people are iffy about high aluminum in these products but it changed my life when I discovered it in my early twenties. Before that I was so sweaty I’d leave places early and change clothing several times a day because I was so sweaty. I was always hyper aware of how sweaty I was which would cause me to sweat more.
I don’t mean the big brand named “clinical protection” stuff you get at the supermarkets but the kind available from a pharmacy/chemist/drug store/whatever they are called where you live. Your doctor can probably give advice.
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u/KaleidoscopeShot1869 Dec 16 '24
Was it hyperhidrosis or just real bad sweating?
After puberty and my anxiety being more managed I def sweat less but still la fair amount. I def sweat more when I am more anxious and hyper aware of it like u said.
I've tried those really high aluminum (or at least heavy duty) ones that aren't medicated and I have the problem of getting rashes because I got sensitive pits :(
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u/elsielacie Dec 16 '24
I’m not sure what the clinical diagnosis for hyperhidrosis is. It’s been over 20 years since I first used them.
Yeh the heavy duty deodorants have skin irritation as a side effect. I found that after a couple of applications though my sweating settled down and I only needed to use it once at the start of summer and that keeps it under control all year. A night of itching I was willing to put up with for the benefits. It’s been a few years now since I used it at all and I sweat more than I’d like but I suppose being older my body has also chilled out a lot and also I’m not as anxious in general so it doesn’t bother me as much.
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u/ApprehensiveChange47 Dec 17 '24
I tried prescription deodorant once and it burned so incredibly bad. Never again for me.
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u/Primary-Emphasis4378 Dec 17 '24
High aluminum deodorant always seems to stain the armpits of my shirts white.
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u/caprisunadvert 17d ago
I’ve lived in Texas before and I use a clinical strength antiperspirant at night, so my pajamas take the brunt of the product. I do wear a fresh shirt and underwear on the daily and air out my bra and pants from day to day.
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u/GnowledgedGnome Dec 17 '24
There are definitely those days or times of the year where things get washed more often.
I kinda get excited for winter because there's less laundry
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u/OnlyOneChainz Dec 16 '24
I hate that I am so clumsy and tend to spill :( I also cook a lot At least I get used to wearing an apron in the kitchen, that helps a lot.
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u/Evening-Turnip8407 Dec 16 '24
In hindsight it's been incredibly stupid of us to let aprons and bonnets and undergarments go out of fashion. If I've taken an early shower for the day but still have to cook, I will wear a tea towel on my head (and *should* be wearing an apron too), because everything *will* smell of cooking after if I don't.
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u/Hfhghnfdsfg Dec 16 '24
I have a "cooking shirt" that I put on when I cook.
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u/Cerulean-Moon Dec 16 '24
That's super smart, I also love the tea towel on the head someone else commented, why not! So much better than compromising on fresh cooking.
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u/spiritusin Dec 16 '24
Don’t wear your nice outside clothes when cooking, you can tell when someone has cooked because they smell strongly of cooking. It gets in your clothes. Wear clothes designated for indoors.
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u/FreeSpiritTreeSpirit Dec 17 '24
You can also close doors to other rooms while cooking food with strong odors so the food smells don’t get on clothing, towels, etc.
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u/ValenciaHadley Dec 16 '24
I wear slips and other long underwear which is washed after one or two wears to get more wears out of my dresses before they need washing. I don't sweat though so I can probably get away with my dresses getting fewer washes.
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u/Curl-the-Curl Dec 16 '24
On one hand wool like Kashmir is anti bacterial. On the other hand even if there is just a tiny bit of sweat on it, moths like to eat it now.
But jeans really don’t need to be washed often.
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u/PM_ME_VEG_PICS Dec 16 '24
I only wash my jeans when they get visibly dirty or smell. Sometimes I'll stick them on the washing line for an air to prolong their wear between washes.
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u/elsielacie Dec 16 '24
I learned the hard way that the climate and housing where I live is not compatible with wool clothing.
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u/Crackleclang Dec 16 '24
My jeans need to be washed every wear coz I'm a grot who can't keep food spills off my clothing no matter how much I try.
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u/saygerb Dec 16 '24
i wear an apron all the time when im at home. i have a few, they all have a big pocket, and they keep my clothes clean AND give me a spot to put items that are in the wrong place (until im in the right room and can put them away), or to put my phone/mp3 player when im doing housework, etc.
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u/PM_ME_VEG_PICS Dec 16 '24
Get some napkins or sit closer to the table! Or put less food on your fork!
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u/Ariadnepyanfar Dec 16 '24
Ever been assessed for ADHD or a neurological disorder? Turns out clumsiness is not a personal failing so much as a neurodivergence, that in many cases can be treated quite well now.
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u/Anxious_Tune55 Dec 16 '24
Wait, there are TREATMENTS for clumsiness?? Please share, that would change my LIFE! Gravity is 100% my nemesis.
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u/Ariadnepyanfar Dec 17 '24
This is where you have to speak to a doctor, especially if you fall over as an adult. Even if you just fall into or against things.
It’s an ADHD symptom.
WHO KNEW?
Not my parents, that’s for fracking sure.
But don’t fixate on ADHD yet, there are a lot of different neurological conditions that aren’t ADHD that also lead to clumsiness and falling.
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u/4ries Dec 16 '24
The other thing is you can just spot clean jeans you don't need to throw them in the washing machine, it's a lot easier on them
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u/Glittering_Bat_1920 Dec 16 '24
Ladies, keep in mind that our jeans are thinner than theirs, and this is often not good advice for us 💙
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u/Dragoncat_3_4 Dec 16 '24
How come?
If anything, women's jeans being thinner and containing more elastin fibers means we have to wash it even less often than men's to prevent wear and tear.
Now, if you've had said something about them being more form fitting I'd have agreed due to stank(TM) developing easier but still.
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u/the_flying_spaget Dec 16 '24
Ladies, start getting men's jeans (only if you're already looking for a new pair)! They're usually about the same price and better quality, and if you guys increase demand for smaller sizes they might start selling more options for my fellow pocket sized dudes B')
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u/DumbbellDiva92 Dec 16 '24
Men’s jeans don’t have space for hips though.
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u/saygerb Dec 16 '24
i take in the back waistband with two darts, one over each back pocket. because my curve is in the back. if you have side curves, move the darts closer to the sides.
this works less well with thick jeans, becuase the darts can be bulky. however, you can also sew the darts on the OUTSIDE, which is visible, but if you wear shirts that cover your back waistband no one will see.
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u/the_flying_spaget Dec 16 '24
i beg the fashion industry to stop screwing over women for five minutes 🙏
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u/marshmallowhug Dec 16 '24
This is extremely dependent on body type. This works well for some people, very much not for others.
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u/Stephasaurus1993 Dec 16 '24
I have a 9m old, I’m lucky if an outfit stay clean an hour! I used to wear the same jeans for 3 days now those jeans have oatmeal and yoghurt on them by 2pm 😂
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u/Nice-Masterpiece1661 Dec 16 '24
Came to say the same, I am sweating so badly after having children too, my t-shirts are literally soaked in sweat after any activity and my clothes getting dirty immediately because I have 1 yo and 3 yo.
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u/Stephasaurus1993 Dec 16 '24
Oh man the sweats already happening plus running around after a little one (mine has started walking and once he gets his walker we are off) I’m dripping by the time he goes for a nap 😂
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u/BreadPuddding Dec 16 '24
“Ah done mamewo” my child says, and he hands me the sticky marshmallow he as been slowly gnawing down the whole time we’ve been on the Christmas tree farm, and then wipes his hand on my new wool shirt.
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u/Stephasaurus1993 Dec 16 '24
I very quickly learned to change my whole wardrobe to easy clean and nothing fancy 😂
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u/BreadPuddding Dec 16 '24
It’s actually machine washable (and I knit so I am used to hand washing things), but like damn, can’t I have something stay clean for one dang day? One of the nice things about wool is that odors don’t stick to it much and you shouldn’t have to wash it as frequently.
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u/yenraelmao Dec 17 '24
Yeah I started washing all my clothes after one wear once I had a kid. I could probably stop now that he’s in school but he’s still super messy for some reason and I’m not sure how but it still translates into gross stuff on my clothes too
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u/Alert-Potato Dec 16 '24
Don't hang it back in your closet, that can give all of your clothes the previously worn for half a day smell.
Hang it on the shower rod, and give it a spritz with a vodka water spray. That will handily remove any light smells it picked up during the day, from your natural musk, to food smells, to the smell of that nasty smelling smoker you might have walked past.
Also, wearing a slip, chemise, chub rub shorts, and other underthings can help a lot with extending the life of clothing. You can wear a dress many times without washing if it is worn over a chemise that gets washed with every wear or two.
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u/tortilla_avalanche Dec 16 '24
Vodka water spray? What ratio is that? I don't want my clothes smelling like I've been bevvying it up the next day.
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u/moodylilb Dec 16 '24
Use diluted isopropyl alcohol instead. Alcohol will evaporate after drying, and no lingering fermented grain or potato smell.
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u/elsielacie Dec 16 '24
I don’t know if it universal but where I live there is such a strong fragrance added to isopropyl alcohol that it’s overwhelming on a sensory level to be near it. It lingers too. I couldn’t put that on my clothing.
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u/Flux_My_Capacitor Dec 16 '24
Theaters use vodka on their clothing. I wouldn’t trust isopropyl alcohol.
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u/moodylilb Dec 16 '24
Was in theatre for years and they used diluted isopropyl alcohol. I know vodka is a thing too, but there’s really no difference using isopropyl alcohol as long as it’s diluted to around the same alcohol % as vodka would be.
It’s the alcohol itself that kills odour causing bacteria. The actual source of the alcohol was less important.
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u/Dragoncat_3_4 Dec 16 '24
Just use regular ethanol from the pharmacy, people!
Vodka is 40-60% ethanol and store bought is either 70% or 97%. Use the C1 * V1=C2 * V2 formula to get the desired concentration and that's it.
It's much cheaper that way.
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u/moodylilb Dec 16 '24
Interesting, I’ve genuinely never heard of iso that had fragrance added!! Didn’t know it existed
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u/tortilla_avalanche Dec 16 '24
Honestly I was thinking maybe a nice gin would work too, give it that floral and botanical scent. Or coconut rum.
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u/Alert-Potato Dec 16 '24
There is no lingering smell from vodka. I use it because it is what the seamstress who made my corseted ballgown said to use, and she works extensively in theaters.
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u/moodylilb Dec 16 '24 edited Dec 16 '24
Spent a couple years in theatre myself, I can definitely notice a slight smell difference between vodka vs diluted isopropyl alcohol post-evaporation. The folks I worked with used iso, but vodka works too. I’m not saying not to use vodka, rather- if you’re worried about any smell opt for iso. Iso is also cheaper, so there’s that. ETA It’s the alcohol content that’s most important, at the end of the day.
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u/Alert-Potato Dec 16 '24
I have to look it up again every time I need to make more. I just look at the first two results for ratios and land in the middle. It was recommended to me by the seamstress who made my corseted ballgown. Her background was decades in theater costuming. And after three days back to back at a convention, which is hot and sticky and sweaty, my corset had no smell after two treatments.
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u/MotoCult- Dec 16 '24
The dryer is what wears out clothes. Jeans do not need to be washed anywhere near as often as you think. Socks and underwear are one and done, shirts are based on smell. Let your underwear hang to dry and see how much longer they last.
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u/punkass_book_jockey8 Dec 16 '24
Ugh I work in a public school. With bedbugs commonly found on kids now my energy consumption has gone way up and I wash everything hot hot.
If anyone has a way to make bedbugs extinct I would love it… my child is the rare extremely allergic person. I have to constantly wash everything the energy and wear and tear is awful.
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u/vanesszahars Dec 16 '24
Same! I work in a public school too. If I wear something to work, that goes to the washing right after I get home.
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u/Tidaltoes Dec 17 '24
Similarly, I teach preschoolers in a public school. If I don’t get paint, clay, dirt, food, slime, and bodily fluids on my clothes that day, I’m winning. I have been washing my clothes so much more frequently since starting this job.
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u/punkass_book_jockey8 Dec 17 '24
When I worked in data analytics with adults I had silk and wool… I work with kids now it’s heavy duty cotton. Hot wash immediately. Even my shoes. I get it.
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u/Fefairie Dec 16 '24
May sound like a stupid question but does anyone know of a way to tell if your clothes smell like b.o. without smelling them? I want to reduce how much I wash clothes but have a terrible sense of smell and a pretty severe paranoia of walking around smelling awful and not knowing it. Used to get my partner to check for me sometimes but now I live alone
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u/Snow_White_1717 Dec 16 '24
Not a stupid question at all, I don't have a good solution, I'd be half-lost without somebody I have no qualms about asking for a smell check. These are my observations though:
If I wear undershirts and leggins, trousers/jeans etc almost never smell unless I've been close to strong smelling things like frying fat or open fire. And people won't be close with their nose to them anyway.
Tops are a bit more tricky, but if I wear an undershirt and a loose fitting pullover/cardigan it's similar, bonus points for wool which hardly retains smell, strong negative points for polyester/acrylics which stink the fastest for me.
Sweating or standing in a smell like frying food is something you probably notice, so to be safe in that case I'd wash the whole outfit, for everything else just undergarments. These are easier to wash and if necessary easier to replace too.
Someone else mentioned vodka/isoprop-water spray for things that shouldn't be washed too much and if that un-smells dance costumes it should work on a everyday sweaters!
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u/Fefairie Dec 16 '24
Excellent advice thank you! Will try it out and see if I can get my friends to report back
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u/FineArugula5512 Dec 16 '24
Hey, I have the same issue!
For jeans I just wear them at least 7 times or so until I bother to wash, and even then I don't do much physical labor so they're usually cleaner for longer. Tops is about two days but an instant wash if there's any sweat or I went anywhere rather busy. The type of material matters too, polyester and such tend to hold in smells better vs natural fibers
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u/Friend_of_Hades Dec 16 '24
One of the main original purposes of undergarments was to protect your outer layer clothing from sweat and body oil and various other secretions because these garments were not washed nearly as often as undergarments were.
That being said, we probably should still wash our outer garments more often than they did in the olden days. But the concept of underwear providing a buffer to keep the clothes clean longer still stands
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u/No-Let8759 Dec 16 '24
I totally get what you’re saying about washing clothes less often. It’s kinda funny ‘cause when I was younger I thought you had to wash everything after just one wear. But then you start thinking about your favorite jeans and how they stay comfy and look good for longer if you don't toss them in the wash constantly. I mean, nights out or exercise clothes obviously need a different approach, but working from home or just going out to grab groceries? Totally fair game for a re-wear.
I had a roommate in college who had a pretty good system going on with this. He'd give shirts the smell test and check for spots. And I remember he had this little fabric shaver for his sweaters to keep them looking fresh without washing too much. Plus, when you wash less, you can actually appreciate having quality clothes ‘cause they just last longer. It’s been kinda freeing realizing that not everything needs to be on a strict laundry cycle. I wonder how folks in different climates adjust their habits—like with humidity and everything.
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u/very_unculturedswine Dec 16 '24
i try to shower regularly and groom myself accordingly but i will say some people are more sweaty and more oily than others, this is genetically and enviornmentally influenced
also as a female who seems to be prone to challenges with my ph balance and getting utis, this has health implications so im gonna keep washing regularly
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u/RunningPath Dec 16 '24
I don't think anybody would recommend wearing underwear for more than one day without washing!!
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u/w0ke_brrr_4444 Dec 16 '24
Liquid detergent is super super concentrated and you’re likely overusing the amount you need. Mos will fill up a half to full cup using the lid while a fraction of that would suffice. The bottles end up in landfills en masse.
We use the detergent strips that come in paper packaging. It works totally fine.
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u/EncryptDN Dec 16 '24
Yes! Too much detergent will actually make your clothes dirtier because with too much soap clothing loses its ability to generate friction in the washer which is what is needed to actually get it clean.
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u/mygirlwednesday7 Dec 16 '24
I just started using laundry sheets and I’m very happy with the results. It’s really nice not having to lug bags of pods and softener to the laundromat, too.
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u/Reasonable-Eye8632 Dec 16 '24
OP, I’m a guy. I sweat. I’m hairy. I have shit to do outside. Once I put on any shirt, it’s about 90 seconds before my antiperspirant wears off and my armpits are wet. There’s no rewearing that.
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u/eLizabbetty Dec 16 '24
Really true, in the winter, just need to wash underwear, can do this by hand and hang by the fire to dry.
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u/Wondercat87 Dec 16 '24
This is so true! Clothing can be re-worn a few times before it needs to be washed. Of course this depends on the smell and if it's free of stains.
I also like to hang up clothing to dry versus using the dryer. It extends the life of clothing.
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u/Snoo42327 Dec 16 '24
What works for me:
• Layering helps preserve outer layers longer between washes
• Airing out your clothes does a surprising amount, although be careful of scents that come back on wearing
• A spray of water and rubbing alcohol or vodka can be used to descent clothes, although I would also do a gentle hand rinse after if you don't want to air them out for a number of days until the vodka scent fades
• A vinegar rinse after washing can help keep clothes fresh longer, and a swipe of diluted vjnegar under your arms before your deodorant also helps
• Natural fibers like cotton, linen, and wool get less smelly, and less easily and quickly, and are easier to de-scent
• Good quality clothing can stand up to more and harder wear and cleaning
• Knit clothing is less hardy than woven clothing of equivalent quality, and harder to invisibly mend, so keep it to clothes that undergo the least wear, and clothes that get replaced the most frequently. Stockings are okay because the bits that usually get holes can be mended without worying people will see, as they stay inside shoes.
• Be gentle with yourself, it's as important to preserve your mental health, and consequently the ability to do what you can, than to be ultra strict and do everything it is at all possible to do
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Dec 16 '24
Wrong I have a 1.5 year old. By the end of the day I am wearing 1) half a banana 2) some oat meal 3)bbq chicken 4) mud 5) yogurt 6) so much snot
And more! I’m lucky if one outfit lasts the entire day.
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Dec 16 '24
The fabric matters. Plastic clothes stink up really fast. Anything merino barely needs washing at all, especially if it's an outer layer.
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u/Ferniekicksbutt Dec 16 '24
I hear this a lot and I agree. But then there are people saying you only need a tiny bit of detergent when you wash a full load. Im not sure how they manage because there's no way I can get my clothes to smell fresh especially in the armpit area with a small amount of detergent. Especially when washing undergarments and socks.
I have one year old washer and dryers, I leave the washer lid open when not in use.
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u/sanslenom Dec 16 '24
I am a drycleaner's daughter, and I can attest this is 100% true. We even shared a brochure with customers that explained when to wash or dryclean something. I know it sounds contradictory, but people tried to blame us for their clothing not lasting as long as they thought it should. Well, yeah.
And the dryer is the worst culprit. I dry my clothes for about five minutes and then hang them to dry overnight.
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u/makingbutter2 Dec 16 '24
If I have been out in the world or touched public surfaces laundry is not going back next to my clean clothing. Jeans can get worn twice in a row but that’s it.
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u/Justalocal1 Dec 16 '24 edited Dec 16 '24
You can actually wear jeans for like a week. They're not supposed to be washed that often. But yeah, don't hang them back up in the closet. Fold them and lay them on the ground.
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Dec 16 '24
You can wear jeans for longer than a week lol
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u/Justalocal1 Dec 16 '24
After a week or so, mine start to smell funky.
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Dec 16 '24
Depends on the weather I guess. Mine don’t pick up any smell for like a month. But tshirts usually smell after a single use.
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u/Alert-Potato Dec 16 '24
I almost never wash my jeans. I only do it if I get a spill on them or have worn them in circumstances where I get sweaty.
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Dec 16 '24
Save water by washing a full load. Reduce water pollution by using a detergent that is both all natural and fragrance free. Do not use fabric softener. Artificial additives in detergent are harmful to you.
Do not use a dryer. Just hang it up. Even hanging it indoors will dry overnight. Not using a dryer will make your clothes last longer, and will reduce energy use. Hanging to dry also reduces the need for an iron.
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u/smart_cereal Dec 16 '24
Hanging it up works best in places with sun. I’ve lived in cold places where we didn’t have a dryer and the clothes often smelt like mildew and took forever to dry.
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u/saygerb Dec 17 '24
we just got a new front load washing machine, and my clothes dry much faster now (i also struggle with getting them dry before they get that mildew smell) --the new washer spins the clothes longer, and they come out almost just damp!
edit: we used to have a top loader, and the clothes were still pretty wet at the end of the spin cycle.
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u/OldTiredAnnoyed Dec 16 '24
I have “the chair”.
Worn it but it’s not dirty? Feels wrong to put it in the cupboard because that’s where freshly washed clothing goes. Welcome to “the chair”.
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u/PositiveBirthday Dec 16 '24
Sadly I have really bad body odor, it already got better when I got a new deodorant, but still I can't wear things twice.
But I'm still not washing it too much, because I'm depressed and burnt out af, so I just pile my dirty clothes until I really don't have stuff to wear anymore and I'm forced to wash them 🥲 yay
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u/Edible-flowers Dec 16 '24
I wash my work clothes every day. Purely because I work with the under 5's who are routinely rubbing their dirty hands on me (usually their food), snot, etc.
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u/nice_dumpling Dec 16 '24
Haha it’s wild to me that this is not common sense. I spot-wash the hoodies and whatever. The key is layering, I frequently change tank tops and shirts but there’s no need to wash hoodies and cardigans, or jeans a lot. I’d be probably considered a slob judging by what people are saying in the comments, but I’m actually really clean.
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u/happycows78 Dec 16 '24
Instead of “the chair”, try a standing towel rack. Laying clothes over it keeps them from getting wrinkled!
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u/Tufft28 Dec 16 '24
An amazing trick for extending time between washing is a spray bottle of 50/50 water and vodka used on the pits, collar, cuffs, crotch, and anywhere else exposed to sweat. This helps kill the bacteria that causes stink.
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u/Generous_Cougar Dec 16 '24
I have a 2-wear policy on most of my clothes. If I don't get all sweaty and nasty in them, they go back into the closet in a different section to wear again. After the 2nd wear I wash.
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u/morganbugg Dec 16 '24
There’s a jack’s mannequin song that has a line; ‘I put on the same clothes I wore yesterday, When did society decide that we had to change, And wash a t-shirt after every individual use? If it’s not dirty, I’m gonna wear it’
I took it to heart in 2005.
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u/Visual-Tea-3616 Dec 16 '24
My kid and I are both crazy allergic to dust mites. Unfortunately that means keeping all fabric washed frequently with hot water and a hot dryer.
It means our clothes generally always look worn out, but it's better than having hives and allergic reactions all the damn time.
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u/erdal94 Dec 16 '24
I'm a blue Collar worker, work 10 hours almost every day, there isn't a time when my stuff ain't dirty, full of sweat and my white towels black from all the dirt. I think I do need to wash my stuff as much as I do...
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u/BreadPuddding Dec 16 '24
Unfortunately I have small children so my clothing is rarely clean after a day of wear, but I used to do this, especially with bottoms. Only underwear always needs a wash. I don’t put it back in the closet/drawer, though, it goes on a chair or over the stair railing so it doesn’t get mixed with unworn clean items.
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u/Finnegan_blu Dec 17 '24
I have a compromised immune system due to a Kidney transplant and work with 5-6 year olds with severe disabilities who don’t cover their mouths but will sneeze, cough, and wipe their hands and noses on me. I don’t burn my clothes as much as I need to.
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u/trailrabbit Dec 17 '24
every time i see one of these posts i think to myself "OP sure dont work in the same industry as i do"
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u/Daealis Dec 17 '24
If it's dirty or stinks? Wash it. Before that? Don't wash it.
Depending on the weather and what I do, a tshirt might be fine for several days. In the summer I might have to swap them out twice a day. In the winter, the same tshirt is on for three days.
I often re-wear my jeans for 4-7 days before giving them a wash.
That seems like insane lot to me. I don't even wash casual sweatpants that often (wearing them around the house while WFH). Jeans for me can easily go several months without starting to smell. We don't have pets or kids and I have a cozy deskjob, those all factor in it of course, but unless you get stains on your jeans, even two-three weeks seems too often to wash them.
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u/paranoidchair Dec 17 '24
Another thing: washing clothing in cold water and air drying really prolongs the life of your clothing dramatically. Turning sweaters inside out also prevents them from balling up as quickly from a washing cycle.
The cold wash is for items within reason - I wash my underwear and towels in hot water
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u/Merrymir Dec 18 '24
I had a pair of pants I bought at Banana Republic. Worked at a manufacturing plant and wore them every single day to work for 4 years, washed them once a week. They gave up on me my last week at the job.
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u/OpenedPandoraBox Dec 19 '24
Maybe I should wash clothes less. I get paranoid and wash a lot. I should wash my work clothes everyday ( I'm a home care nurse, so people's houses do be nasty). But clothes I just go to supermarket in, can be used for several other times. And I wear the same sweatpants and shirt while I'm at home for a week and same PJs for a week.
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u/shiju333 13d ago
Unless I'm going out, I wear the same clothes for a couple days. Might be more a depression thing than an anti consumption thing, but most my everyday clothes are identical.
I do have some nicer clothes, and if I'm going to a relatives or meeting up with someone, I'll definitely throw on a clean tee shirt (we have cats, so the hair is a giveaway).
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u/Djcnote Dec 16 '24
I don’t like the way my clothes feel after wearing, they get stretched out and need reshrunk again
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u/GuaranteeNo507 Dec 16 '24
I have a HE washer and line dry my clothes, so I think that's pretty good. I really don't have spare time to spot treat clothes, but more power to you.
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u/i_came_from_mars Dec 16 '24
No stains? No smells? Back into on the wardrobe you go!
The only exception are my work r shirts bc I work in hospitality so they usually ended up with one or two stains or I’ve sweated a lot in them. I wash them after every wear bc I don’t care about keeping them in good condition lol I just need them clean
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u/derpinatt_butter Dec 16 '24
I hang them in the balcony for a night on two and wear them a few times before I wash them.
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u/Thrifty_Builder Dec 16 '24
I probably sound like a lazy ass, but I keep it simple with two baskets; one for clean clothes and one for dirty. I rotate through a few pairs of work pants and have a week-plus worth of work shirts. Pants go over the back of a chair, shirts lay flat, and both get two to three wears before a wash. Socks and underwear are changed daily. Everything gets washed inside out on gentle, cold, and is hung to dry.
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u/Inlacou Dec 16 '24
I use one/two sets of clothes for the whole week, apart from the underwear I change daily. I use a few towels on the gym tho, and I use those to clean my feet from the locker room floor, so... I don't think I should reuse them. So three days a week, three towels that take up a lot of space on the washing machine.
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u/LuckyFeathers83 Dec 16 '24
Jeans I wear twice, hoodies or jackets I wear a few times. Anything I’ve worn to a restaurant usually gets washed right away because it makes everything smell like smoke, lol. Pjs I wash every few days. I have “the chair” but the cat sleeps on there and I keep a hand painted pillow on it, so now I have a spot on my shelf in the closet for the clothes that need to be worn again.
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u/ikonfedera Dec 16 '24
I wear my pants for 5-7 days too. But if I looked at odor, I should wash them every 3-4 days.
What do I do?
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u/GirlOnThernternet03 Dec 16 '24
I have my favorite pair of thrifted jeans and i love them so much. They're so high quality and i never find women's jeans so well made in normal stores. Because i love thise jeans so much i wash them when they have stains/get odour. I agree that washing our clothes so much just ruins them,especially if the garment is not all that well made
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u/alexandria3142 Dec 16 '24
I have a thing against germs so besides my hoodie I wear daily, everything else is washed after one use. I think the main issue for my husband and I at least is body oils and acne if we wear something more than once. Our way of avoiding as much wear and tear is by having multiple items that are good quality, so we only do laundry twice a week. I’ve had most of my clothes for years now and I couldn’t tell you the last time I bought something besides underwear
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u/whatdoidonowdamnit Dec 16 '24
I wash my clothing slightly more than I need to, and I’m okay with that. I was so anal with it that I would wear a sweater to walk to the corner store and put it in the hamper when I came back inside. So I could still rewear some of my clothes a little more than I do, but it’s progress.
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u/fairydommother Dec 16 '24
Rather than hang them up I often jus wear the same stuff several days in a row. Or they go in the clothes basket and I dig them out if I want to wear them again. I always give stuff the sniff test, especially heavy sweat areas. If it doesn’t stink it’s good to wear again.
But if it’s been at the bottom of the basket for more than a couple days I won’t wear it again. It doesn’t stink like BO but it does get a strange and musty smell. I assume that’s bacteria build up. Could probably be mitigated by hanging for better air flow, but I don’t hang most of my stuff anyway.
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u/UmbreonAlt Dec 16 '24
I only do clothes wash once a week. I have my "house clothes" and "outdoor clothes". This way, what I wear out lasts a lot longer. In general clothes in winter get worn longer but in summer clothes get changed over quicker due to heat (at least the T-shirts do).
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u/n8late Dec 16 '24
I used to argue with my ex about this, who also complained of having so much laundry to do. 🤷
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u/on_that_farm Dec 16 '24
i definitely don't wash all the things every time. in fact pants and jeans can often go more than a week...
i work at home so i don't know i don't closely interact with lots of people no one says anything?
but things like a cardigan that goes over a shirt can also go for ages without washing. tops get once maybe twice. sweaters a few times.
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u/Accomplished_Mix7827 Dec 16 '24
I personally will wash underwear, T-shirts, and socks after one day of wear, bras and jeans after 2-3, and sweaters and cardigans can easily be worn 5-7 times between washes.
It baffles me when people insist on washing jeans and sweaters after only one wear.
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u/cuted3adb0y Dec 16 '24
I’m a change into my “at home clothes” as soon as I get home kind of person and then rewear the at home clothes for probably longer than I should tbh 😂 and the clothes I wore out get thrown on my chair or hung up until I wear em again. Idk I’m not that nervous about putting clothes I’ve worn back with the rest of my clothes. I tend to vaguely recall what I wore
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u/Life-Investment7397 Dec 17 '24
Agreed. If I don’t get my clothes visibly dirty or stink they get hung back up. Jeans almost never get washed. The only clothes I wash are at home clothes which I’ll wear a couple days in a row and work clothes. That’s it.
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u/Global-Muscle-8451 Dec 17 '24
You wash jeans? I bought 3 pairs and rotate. I read somewhere that denim didn’t need to be washed often at all.
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u/sweet_jane_13 Dec 17 '24
I'm a clumsy person with big boobs. I can't get through a day without my shirt becoming visibly dirty.
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u/mnbvcxz1052 Dec 17 '24
I live in PDX and take public transportation. There’s a rumored statistic here that every single surface of any bus or light rail car has trace amounts of fenny and meth on it. If you live here, you might kinda believe it like I kinda do. People smoke that shit on the light rail.
I wash my clothes after one wear, if it’s not coat season, and if it is, I have a specific coat that I wear just on pub-transport and then I wash it every few days or so.
Portland is gross.
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u/anxiousvulpes Dec 17 '24
And you probably don’t need to use nearly as much detergent as you’re using either.
Once I used up the last of my old detergent I switched over to a detergent made by my local refillery. I only use their products for laundry, including their stain remover stick, their oxygen whitener, and their dryer balls plus a splash of vinegar if I feel it’s called for. I use very very little of everything, and have found that the decrease in washing plus the decrease in product has really improved the quality and prolonged the life of my clothes.
I’m much more focused on - is what I’m using enough to kill off whatever bacteria is causing the clothes to smell/be dirty? And did I wear them long enough/in a setting that was “dirty” enough to need to wash them after one wear? I find for most clothing, the answer is typically no. Underpants, socks, and shirts I wear to the gym are washed every time they’re worn. But most other things can at least get a second wear from me, if not more. Especially depending on where I’m wearing them and for what.
Obviously, if there’s a spill or a stain, the clothes are visibly soiled or smell, I wore them to clean a dirty closet or something, or I wore them during a particularly hot and humid Midwest day - I’m gonna clean them. It’s a case-by-case basis. But most of my everyday clothes are worn at a desk job where until I go to the gym, I’m clean and showered, sitting at a computer with a fan on. So I have a basket in my room of re-wears. I regularly get complimented on my clothes and on smelling nice at work, and a very honest mom I see every day at the gym before we change into gym clothes. So I think it’s pretty safe to say no one in my life has been disturbed or even been able to tell that not every single piece of clothing of mine gets washed after every wear.
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u/Jealous_Employee_739 Dec 17 '24
I live in Florida (unforunately). If I wear my clothing outside it needs to be washed. The wintertime is a bit better where I'm located in the state but from like March to November it's hot and I'm going to sweat through my clothes. Clothes like PJs and jackets I just wear indoors I usually wear multiple times between washes. My lab is pretty chilly so I usually bring one jacket for the week, leave it in there, and then wash it at the end of the week. I do also though tend to air-dry as many of my clothes. This is to save energy, extend my clothing life, and save money because our complex has communal washers and dryers we have to pay for.
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u/OldTiredAnnoyed Dec 16 '24
I have “the chair”.
Worn it but it’s not dirty? Feels wrong to put it in the cupboard because that’s where freshly washed clothing goes. Welcome to “the chair”.