Clothing and personal items are essential parts of our daily lives, and maintaining their hygiene is crucial for our health and the longevity of these items. Let’s explore the optimal frequencies for laundering and cleaning our belongings in detail.
1. How Often Should We Wash Our Clothes?
Jeans
Wash after 3-6 wears
For your favorite pair of jeans, it’s best to wash them after 3-6 wears. This practice will help maintain their color and fabric quality. Washing them too frequently can lead to premature fading and wear.
Underwear
For bras, hand-wash after 3-4 wears to protect your health and maintain their shape. As for underwear, daily washing is essential to prevent infections and maintain intimate hygiene.
Sleepwear and Jackets
Ideal time to wash sleepwear and jackets
Sleepwear tends to get less dirty since we don’t move around or sweat as much during sleep. So, it’s best to wash them after 3-4 wears. Jackets, too, are less exposed to body sweat, so you can get away with washing them once every 1-2 months.
Socks
Since feet tend to sweat a lot, it’s essential to wash socks after each wear to keep them fresh and hygienic.
2. How Often Should We Clean Our Belongings?
Phone
Clean your phone daily
To maintain optimal personal hygiene, it’s recommended to clean your phone daily. A survey found over 7,000 types of bacteria on just 51 phone samples. Prolonged phone usage also generates heat, creating an ideal environment for bacterial growth. Harmful bacteria like enterococcus and pseudomonas can directly impact your health.
Bed Sheets and Pillowcases
Cleaning bed sheets and pillowcases
It’s best to wash your bed sheets once a week because we sweat and shed skin cells nightly. Dust mites can also accumulate on sheets, causing eye irritation, nasal congestion, and asthma. As for pillowcases, the filling tends to absorb sweat, creating a haven for bacteria and dust mites. So, it’s recommended to wash them every 3 months to prevent the growth of fungi and bacteria.
Towels
Since towels come into direct contact with our bodies, they can harbor bacteria and dirt. It’s best to wash bath towels after 3 uses and hand towels every 1-3 days.
Mattress
Your mattress can be a haven for bacteria like MRSA, campylobacter, and norovirus, which can trigger allergies and asthma. It’s recommended to clean your mattress every 6 months to keep it fresh and hygienic.
Handbags
Clean your handbag weekly
Handbags come into contact with various surfaces and can easily pick up bacteria like E. coli and MRSA. To maintain hygiene, it’s best to clean your handbag at least once a week.
Curtains
Curtain cleaning
Curtains can accumulate dust and bacteria over time. To keep them fresh and reduce bacterial buildup, it’s best to clean your curtains at least once a month.
We hope this guide has provided you with valuable insights into maintaining the hygiene of your clothes and belongings. Remember, keeping a clean environment contributes to your health and the longevity of your possessions.