How often do you run the following items through the washer? - Page 2

[Dar]

Swimsuits - rarely. Rinse in clean water and hang to dry.

Jeans - every 3-5 wears, usually

Towels - every couple of weeks?

Shirts - if the pits don't smell I'll wear it again...

I generally sniff stuff and go by that, and I spot-clean small spills and messes. Clothes last longer if they're washed less, plus you use less detergent, water, electricity... I think the Americans wash their clothes more often than people in many other countries.

[mum4boys]

Originally Posted by peaceful_mama

Swimsuits everytime

Jeans (or capris or shorts) the kids pretty much wash after each wear because they are dirty. Me I might wear it a couple of times

Towel--assuming they get used by one person and don't end up on the floor or anything. we only use a towel once in our house. I am grossed out by reuse of towels, ick ick ick

Shirts. (for me in the summer...um, possible underarm sweat-smell issue...needs to be in the washer with the soap and all ) wear once for everyone

(underwear of course is a one-time use item)

*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.

I am into clean. If you need to spot clean in my book the whole thing needs washed. Oh I am 1 of 5 kids.

[mum4boys]

Originally Posted by Dar

Clothes last longer if they're washed less, plus you use less detergent, water, electricity... I think the Americans wash their clothes more often than people in many other countries.

I do not know if that is really the truth. I think people like saying if you wash your clothes less they will last longer. It has been proven stains will cause clothes to wear out faster because the stain damages the fiber.

We buy 90% of our clothing used, of the clothing that we buy used the majority of it is passed down to mulitple children. It is very rare for our clothing to wear out. I cannot even remember the last time something just fell apart.

[ParisApril]

Originally Posted by mum4boys

I do not know if that is really the truth. I think people like saying if you wash your clothes less they will last longer. It has been proven stains will cause clothes to wear out faster because the stain damages the fiber.

We buy 90% of our clothing used, of the clothing that we buy used the majority of it is passed down to mulitple children. It is very rare for our clothing to wear out. I cannot even remember the last time something just fell apart.

It's totally true. Washing your clothes less does make them last longer.

Don't you have an old t shirt in the closet that you've had for years? The elasticity's going, it's faded and stretched. How did it get like that? Wearing and washing. Heck a few of my favorite jammy t shirt I can almost see through.

Haven't you ever washed a sweater one to many times? I have lost a lot of wool sweaters too soon because I wash them too many times.

[cristeen]

Swimsuits - don't know that I even own one.

Jeans - They get worn until they're stinky, the baby pukes on them or they get otherwise yucked up.

Shirts - The baby's shirts and DH's work shirts are once only. His after-work clothes though get worn until the baby grosses them up, and my "lounging" clothes (that aren't suitable for wear outside the house) may get worn 3 or 4 times before washing - I might go through 3 shirts a week between spit-up, poo, food and cleaning.

Towels - if you mean bath towels, those go until they're stinky. During the winter they might get washed every other week because they don't dry in our cold damp house. During the summer they might get washed every 6 weeks, since they dry within an hour. Kitchen towels go until they're either grossed up or until I stop and think "this towel's been here a while, better grab a new one" - so maybe once a week.

And yes, washing clothes is very tough on them. But drying them is even tougher. To get your clothes to last longer you want to wash them as rarely as possible, in as gentle a cycle as possible, in as cold of water as possible with the mildest soaps possible, and hang them to dry. They'll last a lot longer that way.

[JamieCatheryn]

All of those but towels are one day use for us, though jeans maybe more if they are not dirty. I dunno, it's been ages since I wore pants of any sort. Towels get washed weekly. When DH wears things for a couple hours then changes (an annoying habit of his) and they don't get dirty I'll wait for him to wear it again, but since it's not in the drawer he won't wear it, then it ends up in the wash load anyhow.

[Jaxinator]

We very rarely use swimwuits, so they generally get washed every time, because it's only like once a year.

Jeans: By the end of the week I figure I've worn them 2-4 times, and wash them.

Towels: I'm really bad about remembering when I last used a towel and how many times, so sometimes it's after every use. I really should figure out a system for that.

Shirts: If it's not layered, or layered on the bottom after every wear. Sweaters and hoodies, when they start to get bleh.

Undies: After every wear.

[hteb83]

Swimsuits - get rinsed thoroughly in cold water after swimming, washed in the machine after every 3-4 times

Jeans - after 3 - 4 uses, or earlier if needed!

Towels - baths towels probably once a week, the one in the kitchen every few days

Shirts - after every use, unless I get changed into a new outfit in the evening after work, then maybe after 2 uses

[mamadelbosque]

Swimsuits get washed as they get gross..

This time of year, most stuff only gets worn once and then it needs washed (we don't have a/c and you tend to be sweating in the summer, plus its muddy outside so stuff tends to get mud all over it too...), in the winter, jeans/pants can often be worn 2 or 3x before they need washed (which is a good thing cause' I only have 3 pairs of pants;p). Everything else is definetly only worn once - between drool, food, sweat, mud, etc shirts & the like just need washed after a single use

Oh and towels get washed sporadicly as I have extra space in the washer... sometimes that may be after only a couple uses, sometimes it might be after 2 or 3 wks, just depends

[mirlee]

Swimsuits---after each wear. Each of us has two suits.

Jeans (or capris or shorts)--depends on the wearer. Ds--every wear (10 year old boy!) Dad/Me 2-3 times then wash. Sometimes it's one and done. It can depend on the activity and where we were.

Towel-- twice a week. I always look at them and give them a whiff. In the summer I might change towels three times a week because they get stinky.

Shirts---one and done

[jumpmama]

Swimsuits hand washed and hung to dry for every use

Jeans (or capris or shorts) once they look dirty or feel stretched out :P

Towel--assuming they get used by one person and don't end up on the floor or anything.
usually once a week

Shirts. (for me in the summer...um, possible underarm sweat-smell issue...needs to be in the washer with the soap and all ) we wear shirts once, except DP can get away with a couple times

(underwear of course is a one-time use item)

we get dirty here!!! we quad/dirtbike. let our kids play in the dirt etc. etc. so i do about 2 loads of laundry a day

[jeninejessica]

Swimsuits -- depends on where they were worn. We have a hot tub, so I rinse in the shower while I rinse off, and then hang to dry. It only gets washed if I forget to hang it up. I'd say on average every 10 uses? If we're out somewhere else, it gets washed every time we come home.

Jeans/Pants -- I wear them until there's yuck or smell on them. Probably 5ish times each? I often change as soon as I come home, so the items have only been worn for around 4 hours or so.

Towels -- Trying to get DH on board more about this, but I iwll use mine as long as it was hung to dry, and therefore isn't mildew smelling. Probably 6-7 times? DH is very vad for not hanging his, and thus is gets washed every time. Hand towels in the bathroom will last maybe 2 weeks? I'm in agreement with the logic that if you're only using it when you're clean... it really shouldn't get all that dirty!

Shirts -- I wear tank tops under almost everything, and those get washed every 1-2 uses. Sweaters/Hoodies will usually go 3-4 uses. Tshirts at home probably 2 uses. Any of my more 'dressy' out-type tops I will hang back up unless they smell like sweat/deodorant. Actually this is true I suppose for a lot of things, I may have worn a shit 4 times, but if it still smells clean, or neutral, then I'll hang it up again.

DH wears everything once only. It drives me nuts. He gets dusty at work (works in a warehouse), and also his clothes are all heavy weight, cotton/canvas shorts and pants etc... but instead of using logic that 'hey- it's going to get dirty the second I step into work again', he just throws it in the basket and starts fresh. So annoying. I do about 3x as much laundry for him as I do for myself.

[phathui5]

Swimsuits- Only if they're visibly dirty.

Jeans (or capris or shorts)- After a couple of uses.

Towel- After a couple uses, or if dh leaves it somewhere.

Shirts.- Adults, one wear. Kids, a couple uses.

[BetsyS]

I wash pretty often. My kids are messy, nad they like to rub their messes on me.

Also, in the summer, I find that I have to wash towels/bath mats probably 2-3 times a week. They just never get dry, and they start to smell. In the winter, I can easily go a week, sometimes stretching it to 10 days. I think that might have something to do with the humidity, though.

[Llyra]

Swimsuits- The kids' I just rinse in the sink and hang, unless they are visibly soiled, like with food or because of a potty-learning child. My own, I wash every time, because they get vaginal discharge stains on the crotch of them.

Jeans (or capris or shorts)- Um, you're supposed to WASH those? I wash mine when they are visibly dirty, or if the crotch starts to smell. That's mine. My kids have theirs washed every time they wear them, but that's because my kids are still little and can't get through the day without getting grubby.

Towel- after about a week for bath towels, and every few days for hand towels; with kitchen towels, when they're soiled

Shirts.- the kids again get theirs washed each time, by necessity. For my own, I look at it and sniff the armpits and make a judgment call. Stained or marked or sweat-smelling, and they go in the hamper. So usually every third or fourth wear in the winter, and each wear in hot weather.

[Purple*Lotus]

Swimsuits: I don't swim, so that one doesn't apply.

Jeans/Carpris/Shorts: I don't wear jeans, so n/a to that as well I generally wear capris once. I am a teacher so I have paint, food stains, plus going outside in the sandbox, etc happening daily. So they tend to get really dirty.

Towels: For some reason I can never get it to last past two uses. They stink after that.

Shits: Again, once, for the same reason as the capris.

Underwear: Only once.

I was raised as an only child.

[RiverSky]

Everything, every time they are used, in the washing machine, with detergent.