We wash some items of clothing far too often. This harms the environment and the material. You can read here which things you can wash less frequently.
Hand on heart: How often do your clothes end up in the laundry even though they are actually completely okay? Way too often, right? We all know that. But in doing so, we are not only harming the environment, but also our favorite items, which become worn out, faded or become more porous more quickly through constant washing.
Here are three items of clothing that we could actually wear a lot more before throwing them in the wash.
#1 Jeans
Jeans don't have to (and shouldn't!) be washed after every wear. If the good piece is cleaned too often, the fabric will wear out and the color will fade.
Opinions differ as to exactly how often jeans should be cleaned. However, there is a helpful rule of thumb: wash your jeans about once a month, or after you've worn them about ten times.
There is a small exception for models with a high proportion of elastane. As you probably know from your own experience, these jeans wear out after just 1-2 wears. Only the washing machine can help here to get it back in top shape.
Otherwise, instead of washing them, you can simply hang your jeans out in the fresh air if they smell a bit smelly. Another trick: put the jeans in the freezer every now and then. This should also kill odors, but also bacteria and germs. A small stain? This can usually be removed selectively by hand washing.
#2 Pullover
If they are dirty and still smell bad even after airing them out, put them in the machine. But most of the time they don't do it at all. That's why you can wear sweaters three to four times before washing them.
This is because sweaters usually do not lie directly on the skin, especially not in the armpit area. On the one hand, because many models have a loose or even oversized cut. On the other hand, because it is not uncommon to wear a shirt or blouse under a sweater. That's why not that much sweat accumulates in the fabric of the textile. The same also applies to hoodies, sweatshirts, cardigans or sweaters.
Tipp:Instead of investing in polyester sweaters, invest your money in a high-quality wool sweater. Because wool has self-cleaning properties and hardly absorbs odors and dirt.
Shopping-Tipp:If you don't have a terrace or balcony where you can hang your clothes to air out, a textile freshener will help (Shop here on Amazon*).
#3 Sportswear
Sportswear usually goes straight into the machine. And that's completely true - at least if you sweat a lot during your workout and your clothes are really wet.
However, things look different if you haven't sweated much or at all. Then you can wear the outfit again. Important: As soon as the clothes smell unpleasant, they should be put in the washing machine.
Tipp:Don't leave your sportswear crumpled up in your sports bag after training, but rather unpack it as soon as possible and hang it on a clothes horse to dry and air out. Otherwise bacteria could multiply quickly.
Something important at the end:The information and tips in this article should be viewed as a recommendation. But: Each of us is individual. If you feel like you have to wash your jeans etc. because you just don't feel comfortable otherwise, then of course you can do that.
