08/08/2018

What Happens When You Don't Wash Your Clothes Often Enough?

We’ve talked in the past about how often you should wash garments and bedding, but we’ve never really said why.  Stop and think about it – if stuff builds up on your sheets, it would make sense that it would build up on unwashed clothing too.  We’ll start out with the mild stuff and progressively get more gross.  Buckle your seatbelt and hold on.

1. Stains could become permanent.  If a spill or stain is left untreated for a long period of time, it reacts with the fabric causing the fabric to change colors, so even if the stain is removed, the fabric is now a different color.
2. Dead skin cells and body oils build up.  Your body sheds about a million dead skin cells per day, and when it’s a hot day, your body will start to sweat to help cool you down.  Plus, don’t forget about the oils your body naturally secretes.  All that stuff goes somewhere – and that somewhere is into the clothes that are rubbing next to your skin.  Hang that shirt and pair of jeans back in the closet to put on another day, and when you do, all that stuff that accumulated goes right next to your skin.
3. Body odor.  All that stuff building up contains bacteria and microorganisms which can lead to a smelly situation.
4. Skin infections or break outs.  With oils and microorganisms rubbing all over your skin all day, it leaves you susceptible to all kinds of skin irritations.

The simple solution is to wash, dry clean, or professionally wet clean your clothes regularly, always remembering to follow the directions on the care label for best results.  Above is a handy little guide to print out and post in your laundry room so that you avoid any of the above-mentioned side effects of failing to clean your clothes often enough.  And of course, A Cleaner World is always here to help you with your garment care needs.