9 Things You Overwash And 9 You Rarely Clean (But Should)
Approximately 90 percent of the garments we launder are not truly soiled, leading to a large amount of needless washing. Many items are cleaned simply for light odor, minor creases, or habit. This wastes water, energy, detergent, and time. Excess laundering drives up household costs and increases environmental strain.
Meanwhile, while we repeatedly wash a few familiar items, we neglect others that actually require routine cleaning. Neglect allows grime and odor to accumulate until stronger washing is needed. To streamline laundry, we should decide deliberately which pieces merit immediate washing and group them for efficient loads.
To address these concerns, we analyzed how often the washing machine really needs to run. By building a schedule anchored in actual wear and soil, we can limit loads to what is necessary, conserve resources, and lower environmental impact.
1. Jeans versus leggings
Overwashing jeans shortens their life, weakens fibers, fades dye, and can alter fit through shape loss or slight shrinkage. Each cycle stresses the fabric.
To preserve denim, extend intervals between full washes. Levi’s CEO Chip Bergh has famously avoided machine washing a pair for years, arguing that limited laundering maintains structure and color while saving water. Spot clean stains, air them out, and only machine wash when genuinely dirty. Turn them inside out and use cold water for minimal impact.
Leggings behave differently. Their close fit and moisture wicking nature encourage bacterial growth and odor. For casual wear, wash after two or three uses. After exercise or heavy perspiration, wash every time to maintain hygiene and freshness.
