Are you washing your clothes too often?

Do you wash your clothes after every wear?

It's a personal and controversial question that could spark a range of answers.

Your answer could save - or cost - you money on energy and water bills as well as wear and tear on your clothing.

And why we wash our clothes so often isn't always about cleanliness. A 2024 study in Sweden found that fear of being perceived as dirty often wins out over our desire to care for the environment. The more we feel disgusted by our dirty clothes, the more we wash our clothes.

But there is another way to approach doing laundry that involves picking better fabrics, switching up the functions on our washing machines and holding off on throwing those clothes in the dirty laundry basket.

In the latest episode of RNZ podcast Thrift, Tara Strangwick - a New Zealand-based textile and product development specialist - says washing our clothes all the time isn't necessary.

"I think we do tend to wash things too much. I don't think we need to, unless there's some kind of odour or dirt build up. It's really not necessary.

"I think we have these hard and fast rules that if something's been worn for a couple of days, that it must be washed. But for me, if it doesn't smell and it's not dirty, I'm not putting it in the wash."

Follow and listen to Thrift on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart, YouTube Music or wherever you get your podcasts.

Natural vs synthetic fibres

For those inspired to wash their clothes less, natural fibres are often the better choice compared to synthetic fabrics like polyester, Strangwick says.

"Wool garments and textiles are naturally odour resistant."

Wool fibres are highly absorbent, taking in twice as much water vapour as cotton and 30 times as much as polyester. This draws moisture away from your body and reduces your body odour. Despite wool's perception as a winter-only fabric, it can also keep you cool in the summer because of its breathability.

That does not mean synthetics should be banished. A synthetic garment can last for years with less shrinking, saving you money and the discomfort of tight, ill-fitting clothing.

Some manufacturers are adding antibacterial and antimicrobial elements to synthetic fabrics to help with the stink factor, says Strangwick.

"You can wear them for longer and wash them less."

Airing and spot cleaning

Airing your clothes out is an underrated strategy for keeping garments out of the washing machine.

"Hanging them up, looking after them in the first instance, so that you can get more wear out of them is really the best thing."

This is even more crucial for damp towels and airing out duvets where bacteria can grow.

Spot-cleaning garments when a stain is centralised will kick the can down the road when it comes to washing something. Pre-treating stains before they go in the laundry can prevent them from having to go in for another wash.

Remember the apron

Another tip Strangwick lives by is not getting your clothing stained in the first place. She reduces her chances of stains by putting on clothes just before leaving the house or covering up at home.

"I'm all about the renaissance of the pinny or the apron, or even the housecoat. I think it could be a really cool fashion item."

Following the care instructions on a garment's label, washing in cold water instead of hot or warm and hanging clothes out to dry on hangers so they don't need ironing will also save on your clothing and power bills.

A front-loading washing machine is often light on your wallet - and the environment - for power and water use.

"Given the climate that we have - nice, windy, sunny days - putting your clothes on the line is a no-brainer to save money."

Jeans + freezer = NO

But what about the theory that the freezer will kill bacteria in your jeans so you don't have to wash them? Alas, this strategy does not hold up in the real world.

"What it means, and science has debunked this, that household freezers do not kill bacteria is that when you bring your genes out the freezer, they're ultimately going to start smelling again. So I'm sorry it's just not true."