How Often Should Clothes Be Washed, According to Science
Most often, to wash clothes, you just need to look at them (or smell them) and make a decision. However, it’s not just the obvious things, Brit Lab studies all the gross substances your body produces that you can’t just use the odor test for.
The most obvious things to do here are socks, underwear, and T-shirts. These are all clothes that are closest to your body’s major sweat glands, which secrete skin cells and sebum. They should be washed regularly, preferably after each use. Towels that collect tons of skin flakes and bacteria are recommended to be washed after three uses. Jeans? As long as they don’t sweat or get dirty, they don’t need to be washed at all. It’s the same with any other piece of clothing that is far from your sweat glands.
Of course, everyone’s washing rules are a little different , but if you’re just worried about bacterial build-up, it’s best to regularly wash anything near your genital area, breasts, or underarms.
How often should I wash my clothes? | YouTube via BBC Future