Would you or do you wash........

purpleshoes_2

Ive actually been on the bus beside people who probably don't stink themselves, but their clothes have. Terribly, like mothballs. That would bother me far more than someone being in their own home and sleeping on a bed if they havent changed their sheets for a few weeks.

I live on my own. If I choose to wash my sheets every 3 weeks and someone washes theirs every day, who is it harming? No one as far as I can see.

In certain countries people wont have access to washing machines, tumble dryers, anti bac spray and the like.

Ben84

I'd go a bit further in my dislike of anti-bacterial stuff and say that there's decent reason to think it's actually harmful to us and the environment.

I wash the bed covers every week. I'm allergic to dust mites and it helps. If it were still fresh and I didn't have the allergy, sure I'd go a bit longer. Things need cleaning when they're dirty, not because a set amount of time has passed. I wash jumpers and coats rarely as they're always worn over a shirt and t-shirt, so stay fresh for ages. As for other items like jeans, they might last a day or a week, it just varies. I work with a woman who sometimes comments about someone else, saying things like "He was wearing that shirt yesterday!". I don't see the problem.

fiftyeighter_2

Sorry but I have to change my bedding weekly. Underwear every day, outer clothes probably 2 days unless mucky. Towels every other day. I also shower or bath every day.
Purple shoes my mum in her day actually topped and tailed sheets every week and we were a family of 15 children, though only 10 children and 2 adults at any time. I was born in 1950 and am about middle of all the kids.
But each to their own. I for one wouldn't presume to tell anyone how to run their homes.

gayleygoo

I aim to wash my bedsheets every 2 weeks, but it's often closer to 3 weeks. They get washed more in summer as it's much easier to dry them outside then. The duvet cover gets changed every other time the sheets are changed. Pillowcases I might change between sheet changes as they tend to get dirtier than the actual sheets. If the sheets get a good airing every day then it doesn't matter much if they aren't getting changed for weeks, but it is nice to get into a freshly made bed on the occasion that it happens

Same with towels, they get washed more often in summer as I just don't have space/time to dry them every couple of days. After a shower you are as clean as you're gonna get, the towel isn't going to be filthy after one use!

Bras get worn maybe 4 or 5 times between washes, but they get aired out between wears and I might rotate a couple of bras for a few days rather then wear the same one each day. Washing really does wear out bras so I see it as extending their lifetime to wash them less!

Pants and socks are fresh every day.

Tops get worn a few times before washing. Even small stains might just get rubbed with a damp cloth to avoid washing the whole garment after one wear.

Jeans rarely get washed. I read an article once that said jeans shouldn't be washed at all in their first 6 months of use! And after that, only when they actually look dirty.

Washing powder companies do try to convince you that everything is dirty and needs washed all the time. I wonder why...

OH has suffered with itchy skin and the doctor advised him not to use soap or shower gels. He said it's better to shower in plain water than use those products, and showering every day can cause problems too. I'm fine with every other day for a shower. Most of us don't do dirty jobs, and our clothes protect us from most dirt we encounter. As long as your hands and private areas are clean, the rest of you will be fine for a few days without a wash!

valk_scot

Bedding every two weeks. Towels once a week. (We each have our own towels and hang them up after use.) Clean knickers and socks every day, clean bra and PJs every three days, clean next to skin garment (camisole/t-shirt/blouse depending on season) every day, clean outer garment (cardigan, sweatshirt) every second day unless dirty. Shirts/jeans/trousers every three days. Oh, and sports gear is washed every time. Even my sports bras get rinsed every wear and put in the washing every third wear.


I think once a month is a bit long for bedding tbh. I have gone for three weeks but that was when the washing machine broke down, I made a point of airing out the duvet every day over the stair bannisters and letting the bed air too but the sheets were beginning to smell a bit by the third week, a sort of yeasty smell.


I don't iron anything though, which cuts overall laundry turnaround times a fair bit.

rufydoofyM

It's interesting to read other peoples views and ideas on what is acceptable.

I wash all bedding, towels, tea towels and dish cloths at 60 and clothing at 40 degrees. Obviously clothing that is worn next to skin is normally washed after one wear, undies after one wear, but outer garments like jumpers etc much less often. I read somewhere once that the reason fabric softener works is because it breaks down the fibres and this in turn shortens the life of the item. I am also sensitive to chemicals and synthetic perfumes which seemed to be added to so many household and beauty products these days.

I believe that so long as you practice good personal hygiene and are well presented even if a bit scruffy/casual at times that is what matters. I used to stress about cleaning and washing stuff, until a counsellor pointed out that it was me and the instilled beliefs of others that was putting unnecessay pressure upon my activities. I relaxed and followed my intuition.

This discussion has also remined me of another kind of related thing.

I rarely wash my face. :eek::eek::eek::eek: I hear you say. Well since getting soap in my eyes I stopped as a small child. Was I blessed with good skin or is it just never used soap to remove natural oils who knows, but I have never had spots. I have always prefered to drink water before anything else, but have never used anything other than make up remover pads on eyes and just reapplied foundation the following day. Now I rarely wear more than eyeliner and lippy. My face gets wet when washing my hair or is splashed with water or wiped with a cold wet flannel sometimes in the summer and thats it. Obviously the rest of my body sees soap and water daily.
Perhaps some may cringe at this confession, but my skin is fine and often people think I'm younger so maybe avoiding the chemicals and product pushers has paid off:D

purpleshoes_2

I dont wash my face often either, when Im in the shower it will get wet, again having very sensitive skin has made me very wary what I put on it. I have decent skin as well.

The odd face wipe that someone has given me a pack of and thats it. I also wash my hair every 2 days, its very long and curly, washing it every day would drive me insane, very occasionally I'll use dry shampoo if I want to stretch it out to day 3 but not often.

topsales

My Mum who is 93 never washes her face either - has always used baby lotion to cleanse it and looks great! The bra thing though - every day, I would say - I remember being told by a home care trainer to change bra every day as we were so close to clients! Jeans every 3/4 days, sheets once a week as well as towels. I do wash everything at 30 though - sorry!

thriftwizard

Hmmm - this is a bone of contention in our household! Which currently consists of two households, really; myself, OH and two daughters, plus flying visits from the two sons who mostly live away, but also DS2 and his fiancee, (aka TDiL, or Trainee-Daughter-in-Law) who have lived separately, but are back with us whilst saving up a deposit for a home of their own.

In TDil's view, and DS2's by extensions, towels MUST be washed after one use, as must all clothing; you can see her blench if you gently suggest they may not need washing quite so often. As they are gym fiends and DS2 plays football approximately 8 nights a week (OK, 6, really) that's quite a lot of washing. In my machine. And I do have a tumble dryer, which I think of as for emergency use only, but they use it all the time. Fair enough, they are paying me some rent towards their food & power usage, but nowhere near market value...

They do not hang washing out on the line - I occasionally take pity on a load that's been sitting waiting for the dryer for a day or two, and hang it out before it needs washing again, & bring it in, fold & air it for them, but I suspect when they're in a place of their own again, they'd die rather than have a washing line! And she's the youngest of 8, and her Mum is no fool when it comes to money, or hard work; just has different values, I guess, and has spent many years trying to prove that kids from big families can be clean & well-dressed & cared-for.

It's also no good pointing out that clothes need replacing sooner if you wash them too often. Clothes should be replaced frequently, apparently; I'm living in the past to suggest otherwise!

WantToBeSE

Towels weekly, bedding fortnightly, underwear daily and clothes whenever they are dirty or smelly.