The study also found nearly one in five will keep the same socks on for three wears – and a quarter say they’ve never washed items like gloves, slippers and trainers
Grubby Brits confess to re-wearing their underwear for days, according to a new poll. Research of 2,000 adults found 11% will wear the same pair of pants three times or more before changing them. And it’s not just underwear – 18% said they’ll wear the same socks three times or more too.
But the items most likely to survive the highest number of wears were coats, jackets and scarves. What’s more, a quarter of those polled said they have never washed gloves, bags, slippers or trainers.
Some items split opinion. While 35% clean their T-shirts after every use, 33% think they can be worn three or more times before being chucked in the laundry basket.
There was more agreement on household items, with the nation saying bedding should be washed every fortnight and towels should be washed after five showers.
A spokesperson from Utilita, which commissioned the research as part of its award-winning High5 campaign , said: “While some are staunchly one-wear-washers, others take a more ad hoc approach and are happy to continue wearing clothes until they definitely can’t get away with it.
“No matter where you fall in this debate, as long as you’re mindful of the amount of energy and water you use to keep your fabrics fresh, that’s all that really matters.”
The poll found 35% wear clothes for a set number of days before cleaning them. But when it comes to T-shirts, 25% take a ‘sniff-and-see’ approach, happy to keep wearing them until there’s an obvious pong.
Regardless of their approach, 42% said they try to be eco- and energy-friendly by only putting the washing on with a full load. A third said they do the same unless there’s been an “emergency” and something is badly stained.
In between washes, people said they’ll mask smells with perfume or cologne (24%), hand-wash to remove specific stains (46%), or rinse clothes in the sink to freshen them up (20%).
One key tip from Utilita’s High5 campaign is washing at 30C – which 50% said they do regularly. But 35% still default to a hotter setting.
Asked what might persuade them to turn the temperature down, 37% said saving money on energy bills would do it. Others said they would switch if it gave the same results as a hotter wash, or if it helped protect colours and preserve clothes for longer.
The Utilita spokesperson added: “It’s great to see most of the nation are already following best practice when it comes to their trusty washing machines.
“Keeping this cooler when you’re putting a load on not only protects the quality of your clothes and household items, but can also save you money in the long run.
“We know how important it is to keep energy bills down wherever possible, and this is just one small way of staying on top of them.”