Swimsuits
->Beach or pool, we rinse thoroughly after every use. I wash DH's in the washer whenever he puts it in the sorter, which is probably every 3-4 wearings. I wash DD's in a lingerie bag in the washer after 2-3 POOL uses (due to chlorine). I don't worry about multiple beach uses. I wash my own swimsuits in a lingerie bag in the washer as sparingly as possible, pretty much only if rinsing doesn't get out the sand or chlorine smell (or there is visible dirt/grime/whatever). I always hang dry all swimsuits.
Jeans (or capris or shorts)
->We all go as long as possible for bottoms between washings. They simply last longer that way. DD is 9 and has known the visibly dirty or it smells criteria since she started Kindergarten. We all use hooks to hang our clothes that have been worn, but are not ready to be washed again. DD has a set of hooks in her closet at a low height and another set higher for our height. (She can almost reach the higher set now.) DH & I have four hooks each and the over-the-door contraption is situated on the
front of our master bathroom door for easy-access no matter what. Jeans, specifically, get worn 3-5 times before washing as long as those jeans haven't been out in the garden or out hiking or some other such use. We purposely wear jeans the LAST time for those types of activities before washing. For us adults, all "bottoms" last longer in cooler weather and shorter in warm/hot weather. On the hottest days of summer, nothing of mine or DH's lasts more than one wearing. Weather doesn't impact DD as much as activity does.
Towel--assuming they get used by one person and don't end up on the floor or anything.
->All the towels in our master bathroom get washed every time I use my sixth washcloth.
I have six rolled washcloths in a neat pyramid on a shelf next to the shower. I use a fresh one each time I shower. After my sixth shower, I toss all the towels in the bathroom on the bath mat (thick towel) and cart the perfect size load to the washer. I shower based on need versus routine, so it isn't a neat once a week activity - on average, probably once every 10 days. DD's towels get washed more sporadically. I specifically swap out her hand towel twice a week, but don't always wash it right away. I grab her bath towel whenever I have room in a load that is appropriate, which is probably once every other week. She has very dry skin and only showers/bathes twice a week in the cool months and three times a week in the warm months. All towels get hung up immediately after use in our house to dry and we live in a dry climate, so they dry quickly.
Shirts. (for me in the summer...um, possible underarm sweat-smell issue...needs to be in the washer with the soap and all )
->Same as pants above. In our cool months, my hooks are fuller than in our warmer months due to layering. I only wash the dirty or smelly items.
*I* grew up an only child, DH is one of 7, he says I wash stuff too much, if I 'spot-cleaned' more clothes would last longer, etc.
->You may or may not wash things too often. Spot-cleaning always results in a regular washing for me, but it does reduce the staining and use of products for me. I douse any stain ASAP with cold water, even so much as using my water bottle to do so in the car when I used to work in an office and had nice work clothes on!
I taught DH & DD to also use cold water ASAP on any stain. We rarely have any stains and therefore clothes last until DD grows out of it or they wear out (for us adults).
->Aside from spot-cleaning, though, washing and drying clothes less often does keep clothes looking nicer for a longer period of time. I wash all laundry on the gentlest cycle possible for the level of clean required balanced against the type of item it is. Our mattress cover, for example, needs the handwash cycle due to the full elastic sides. I balance that super low agitation with extra soak time and line-drying in the sun for cleanliness. I dry non-clothing for about 5-10 minutes in the dryer and then line-dry outside. I dry clothing in the dryer for 15-30 minutes on the lowest heat and then hang-dry inside. We have a very small and VERY SUNNY backyard, so this is what works best space-wise and sun-wise. We have veggies growing out there, too, and they need the sun.
I have a desk job too so I sit all day in an air conditioned office. I do walk to/from the train though, so depending on the weather it may get a little sweaty or it may not. In summer/hot weather I wash about every 2 wears, in cool weather it's probably more like 3-4. I do layer my outfits so a blouse that's a top layer will always stay cleaner than the camisole underneath. Along the same lines cardigans/sweaters don't get washed nearly as often.
