Washing clothes: how often and at what temperature?

How often should I wash my clothes?

How often you should or can wash your clothes depends on the garment and on how often you wear it. You really don't have to wash all your clothes directly after you have worn them. That doesn't do your clothes any good. We list the rules of thumb for you:

• Underpants you wash after wearing them once. Bras you wash after wearing them three or four times. 
• You wash your socks after wearing them once. 
• It's best to wash t-shirts after wearing them once, as t-shirts absorb your perspiration. 
• Put your sportswear in the laundry after a work-out or a run. 
• Jeans can go months without having to be washed. Put your jeans in the laundry when they start to smell. 
• For jumpers and shirts, it depends on the fit. If the garment is fairly tight around the body, chances are it will start to smell sooner and need to be washed sooner. 
• Pyjamas need to be washed after one to three nights on average. 

How to wash clothes?

How you wash your clothes depends on the care label. All things being equal, every garment should have a care label with a symbol for washing. Those symbols state exactly how the garment should be washed, for example by hand, in the washing machine, the temperature, etc. Do you think about those symbols when you wash your clothes? Your clothes are guaranteed to stay beautiful for a long time.

The temperature at which you wash your clothes depends on the label of the garment in question. This is a list of the most important points of attention for washing clothes and the temperature:

• Washing clothes at 60 degrees
  It is best not to wash your clothes at 60 degrees. There are garments you can wash at 60 degrees, such as underwear or baby clothes. For tips on how to wash white clothes always check the label to be sure.
  
  
• Washing clothes cold
  Pretty much all everyday clothes can be washed cold. Washing with cold water is better for the environment and for your clothes too. 

• Washing sportswear
  It is often assumed that sportswear should be washed at a high temperature, but in fact the opposite is true. Preferably wash your sports clothes at 30 degrees. If you have permanent perspiration stains in your sports clothes, use HG perspiration stain remover. If your sports clothes continue to smell, HG laundry booster against odours in sportswear is the solution. 

• How to handwash clothes
  Some garments cannot be washed in the washing machine because of their colour, their material (wool or silk) or because they have sequins. Those types of clothes are best washed by hand.

Should I wash new clothes before wearing them?

The answer to the question whether you should wash new clothes before wearing them is ‘yes’. Wearing unwashed, recently bought clothes can even be harmful to your health. Clothes from a shop are not as hygienic as we think. That new shirt may well have been tried on dozens of times by others and is likely to have fallen on the floor on more than a few occasions. So yes, it's smart to wash new clothes first.

 

 

Alternatives to washing clothes

You're likely to use ordinary laundry detergent to wash your clothes. There are alternatives to wash your clothes. We cannot guarantee they work and you use them at your own risk.

• Washing clothes with vinegar
  Cleaning vinegar can be used for many things. Including washing your clothes. Add a dash to every cycle, so the colours are less likely to run and fade. 
  
  
• How to get stains out of white clothes with a denture cleaning tablet
  To get your white laundry extra white or to remove stains, you can add a denture cleaning tablet to your white laundry. Your laundry will be sparkling white again.

General tips for washing clothes

General tips for washing clothes
Besides various guidelines for washing clothes in terms of temperature and frequency, there are some other general tips for washing clothes:

• Turn your clothes inside out before you put them in the washing machine. It means your clothes damage less quickly.
• Sort your laundry into dark, white, coloured, and towels/underwear. Did you know that HG has special detergents, such as HG whiter than white detergent. 
• How to get stains out of clothes? You have stains but you can't get them out with a normal programme or a special stains programme? Use HG laundry pre-treat stain remover extra strong or one of our HG stain away products.
• After washing let your clothes dry in the air to prevent damage by the heat of the tumble-drier. 
• Put all socks in a wash bag to prevent losing socks. 
• Clean your washing machine once every three months with HG washing machine and dishwasher deep clean and service. That helps to prevent faults. This product also cleans the difficult to reach elements and keeps seals supple. HG washing machine cleaner and odour freshener cleans the washing machine. We recommend using this once a month.

If you use the above tips, you will prevent nasty fluff on your clothes after washing. It's worth a try!

If you have a tip for washing clothes that should not be missing from our list, please let us know.

Frequently Asked Questions about how to wash new and old clothes

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