How Often Should Laundry Be Done?

Doing the laundry is an unavoidable chore in any household and one that many of us are constantly putting off. But it turns out that avoiding this popularly dreaded household task is actually good for the environment, as washing clothes less often means that you’re reducing the number of textiles which are contributing to microplastic pollution in our oceans.

How Often Should Laundry Be Done?

While a standard weekly wash of clothes, sheets, towels and undergarments is a good rule of thumb, there are a lot of variables that come into play when it comes to how frequently you should be doing laundry. This is largely due to the fact that some clothing items should be washed more frequently than others wash and fold. For instance, items worn close to the skin, such as underwear, socks and bras should be washed after every wear, while sweaters can be worn two to five times between washes because they aren’t being worn against your skin.

It’s also a good idea to wash certain garments seasonally, depending on how often they are worn and the climate in which you live. Additionally, providing each member of your family with a “high priority” laundry basket where they can store their most dirty or soiled clothes will help to ensure that these items get washed first, so that they can be worn again before needing another wash.

Finally, sorting your laundry by color and fabric type is a great way to make sure that your clothes are being washed properly. This will also ensure that your light colored items aren’t ruined by the darker colors that are being washed alongside them, and that fabrics with short, weak or fuzzy fibers, like towels and sweatshirts, are not rubbed against smoother fabrics, such as linen, which could cause pilling.