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[MSE Lawrence]

Poll between 04-12 Feb 2008: How often do you wash? Results


Don’t worry we’re talking clothes. By washing less you cut your electricity bill and for those with a water meter your water bill too.

We’re specifically talking trousers/jeans/skirts here – as they’re washed less. How many wears before a wash on average?

A. One - 8% (984 votes)
B. Two - 19% (2402 votes)
C. Three - 22% (2689 votes)
D. Four - 13% (1645 votes)
E. Five - 11% (1338 votes)
F. Six - 3% (427 votes)
G. Seven - 5% (640 votes)
H. One to two weeks worth - 11% (1331 votes)
I. Two to four weeks worth - 5% (586 votes)
J. Only after a months worth of wearing - 3% (361 votes)
K. Never - 0% (36 votes)
L. Once they're too dirty I throw them out - 0% (54 votes)


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[Mozette]

But I do wash me (shower) twice most days, and at least once a day!

[ariba10]

Every month. (whether I need to or not)

[sleepymy]

I voted 3 wears but that's because when I'm at home I'm in a slacksuit so don't wear outdoor clothes for the whole day. I wash slacksuits and pjs every second day.

[Ophie]

erm... I only ever wear things once before I throw 'em in to the wash. Same with DD's clothes.

[justruth]

I have to wash my work clothes between every shift as I work in care and it is an important part of infection control. I wouldn't want to re-wear my uniform and I am quite certain that none of the people I care for would appreciate me turning up in clothes contaminated with various nasties!

[POSSETTE]

i work in a dusty factory..1 pr jeans do me all week..tops i wear 2 days then change..39 hours of wear before i wash em..dont think too bad..washer goes on twice week for 2 adults.third time if i do bedding..which gets swapped after 2 weeks...yes im on water meter!

[scottishterrier]

As another has said I wash me daily and also change underwear daily and tops. I would be concerned to wear out trousers/skirts with too frequent washing and they are expensive to keep replacing. Machines nowadays seem to spin holes into the clothes very quickly, moan!! I always have to use slow spin and they are soggy to drip round the flat (no place to dry outside).

[toadhall]

trousers, jeans, skirts, jumpers maybe 3/4 wearings, t-shirts once before washing.
I have 3 children if we wore one thing once I'd be washing constantly, bad enough as it is.

[Primrose]

I wonder what the results of this poll would have been if we all lived in the days before washing machines and tumble driers had been invented ??
I suspect it might have been rather different !

[jackieb]

I wear jeans for 2-3 days - everything else gets washed daily - sometimes a blouse or t-shirt i'll wear for a couple of days. No more than that though.

My mum said that when we were at school, our school clothes did us all week - and she said she never put us out dirty. We'd change clothes as soon as we came home. I have to wash my children's school clothes everyday - they're just mucky pups.

[teddyco]

My wife and I have the washer going every night washing items of clothing and why shouldn't we?

I am not going to walk around stinking for three days in soiled clothing just to 'save the planet' or use less electricity, and I'm sure there are others who'll thank me too. There are some things I simply will not do.

The other day I was telling my wife how thankful I am that we have a washing machine, automobile and modern conveniences. What would I do without me broadband?

Now when I am tempted to moan about something, I think of how much worse things could be and that keeps me straight. Lest I forget how hard my ancestors had it living without a washing machine, indoor toilets, automobiles, planes to take me on vacation, and industry to produce the things that I enjoy.

[jhobhouse]

I can't quite believe what i am reading! I only wear t shirts for 2 days but jeans i wear for two weeks, every day before washing. And why not? I'm shocked that people have their machine on every night. My girlfriend and i maybe do 2 washes a week...

[oldagetraveller]

With regards outerwear usually a couple of times depending on activity, then only once.
Underwear - I treat differently, about a week then a dry rub and turn inside out for another week and have a bath/shower at the same time.
It's amazing how my water and electricity bills have fallen.

[Mark Beech]

As is usually the case with these surveys there isn't a category that suitably (sorry!) describes my situation.
I'm amazed that there are people out there who wash trousers after one wearing. I shower every day (sometimes twice) and change underwear, socks and T-shirts at least once a day. The whole point of underwear is to protect your outerwear. I could understand it if people were going commando.
The other aspect of this is how many pairs of trousers you have. I have dozens ... so I alternate the wearing of them. I only really wash them or have them cleaned when they are visibly soiled.

[Parallel_Universe]

With jeans etc I would say they get worn 5-10 times, depending how grubby they get (they never look dirty). If you wear clean underwear and shower everyday how can outerwear possibly need cleaning any more often? I run every day and only ever wear running clothes once.

[rozzid]

Originally Posted by Mark Beech

As is usually the case with these surveys there isn't a category that suitably (sorry!) describes my situation.
I'm amazed that there are people out there who wash trousers after one wearing. I shower every day (sometimes twice) and change underwear, socks and T-shirts at least once a day. The whole point of underwear is to protect your outerwear. I could understand it if people were going commando.
The other aspect of this is how many pairs of trousers you have. I have dozens ... so I alternate the wearing of them. I only really wash them or have them cleaned when they are visibly soiled.

I'm with you there Mark, I wash Jeans, Jumpers etc probably only after a week or so of wear and I wear jeans every day more or less. I do shower at least once a day and obviously undies, socks and t-shirts get slung in the washing basket daily. Although in the summer I tend to wash everything more often when it's hotter. I rarely use the tumble dryer and have clothes drying on a rack for a couple of days before ironing. I think, and could be wrong, that it's tumble dryers that cost more to run than washing machines, so only use it for bedding (every couple of weeks) - nobody yet has told me I smell and I'm sure they would if they thought I did!!

[NafUk]

Unless I get very sweaty I shower every other day. Wash armpits every day. Underarm smells are caused by bacteria - wash arm pits and no smell for the rest of the day (saves lots of water/energy over that used for a shower). The more you wash, the more you expose yourself to cleaning chemicals (soaps, shampoo etc.) and the higher the probability of developing allergies etc. The UK has a high rate of allergies. We bath/shower the young ones once or twice a week - parents who wash their kids every night should think about it and the chemicals they use on them.
I doubt it would be substainable for all 6 million of us to own a shower (i.e. build one) let alone use it every day.
We wash cloths when they are visibly dirty or start to smell. Saves on energy, pollution, and the cloths themselves which are degraded and damaged by washing.
It is the companies that are out to get our money, as Martin keeps reminding us, that want us to wash ourselves and cloths every day, rather than common sense or logic. They make more money: more washing powder, water, soap, washing machines, driers, more worn/faded cloths, mire irons, ironing boards, pegs, etc, etc,

[antbarson]

If you have a gym membership, abandon the home shower. It's cheaper to have one at the gym...and you get a work out.
Trouble is, do you spend £20+ on showers/baths and if so, why?

[MrsE]

Once!!!!!

You're all minging, LOL.

If things are dryclean it depends on what it is. If its a dress that has contact with armpits then one wear, but if its a suit with a top under then more than once.

But normal clothes, ONCE

I shower at least once a day often twice.