Just after finishing running a cycle, you realize that the clothes have a certain smell that you don’t like. Or perhaps, you feel that they are not clean enough as per what you expected. Maybe they have been in the closet for too long, and you feel that you cannot wear them as they are. You want to put them back into the washer and wash again.

So, can you wash clothes twice in a row? Ideally, yes you can wash your clothes twice in a row if you are not satisfied with the first outcome, or if you feel they have been sitting in the closet for too long. However, you should not make this a habit because too much washing may cause some fabrics to wear and tear fast.

Keep reading this article to learn how often to wash different kinds of clothes, mistakes to avoid when doing your laundry, and other related questions.

Does Washing Clothes Twice In a Row Make Them Cleaner?

Different people may want to wash clothes twice in a row for varying reasons. One, maybe you feel that the clothes have been in store for too long. Two, you may feel that after washing, the clothes still have some irritating smell. Or, you may not be satisfied with the results of the first wash.

Whatever, your reason is, you will achieve your desired results. With proper washing, the smell will disappear, and they will come out cleaner compared to the results of the first washing cycle.

Washing Clothes the Right Way

I believe that each piece of clothing that you own is precious to you, and you would want to keep it in good condition. Below is a detailed guide for washing clothes to ensure they remain brand new.

1. Checking the labels

The first thing to do before tossing any piece of clothing into the washer is checking the label. Some clothes are machine washable while others are not.

Once you know that the piece can be machine-washed, check out for other factors such as the bleach symbol, the tumble-dry symbol, and the dry clean symbol. These symbols indicate the use of chlorine, drying methods, the option of dry-cleaning respectively.

Once you have confirmed this, then you know how the different clothes should be handled.

2. Separation

The second step is to separate the clothes based on the colors. Here, we can have four piles consisting of lights, whites, darks, and delicates. To reduce the number of loads, you can do whites and lights together.

3. Check Out Every Detail

This is step is very important where you empty the pockets, turn embellished pieces and denim inside out, put lingerie, tights, and any laced clothing in a mesh bag. Also, ensure to pretreat any stains at this point.

4. Washing

Now you are ready to begin the washing cycle. You must get the water temperature right.

Use cold water for fine fabrics, sweaters, denim, and clothes prone to shrinking. For whites and lights, it is best to use warm water. Hot water is best for heavily stained clothes, dish and bath towels, as well as washcloths.

5. Washing Detergents

The most commonly used detergents include chlorine bleach, color-safe bleach, and fabric softener.

The chlorine bleach brightens the whites, but you should never use it colors. Color-safe bleach is safe to use on all colors; however, it does not contain a disinfectant like chlorine.

The fabric softener keeps fabrics fluffy, and it minimizes static cling.

See Also: 5 Best Dishwasher Detergents For Coffee Stains

How Often Should You Wash Your Clothes?

To put it simply, how often you should wash clothes depends on the material. Below, we have compiled a list of types of clothes and the washing intervals.

• Underwears- with the exception of bras, which can be washed after 3-4 wears, socks, boxers, lingerie, etc., should be washed after every wear.
•  Dress pants or slacks- after 2 to 3 wearings.
• Sweaters- if you wear it with an undershirt, you can wash it after up to six wearings. If worn minus an undershirt, 1 to 2 wearings is enough.
• Blazer/suit/casual jacket- wash it after 5-6 wearings
• Shirts and blouses- 1-2 wearings.
• Jeans-4 to 5 wearings.
• Sleepwear-2 to 3 wearings.
• Workout clothes- 1 wearing.
• Sheets and towels- sheets can be washed once a week while towels should not exceed 3 uses.

The above washing intervals are generally acceptable, but really, some factors must be considered. For example, if the temperatures are too high, you are bound to sweat more, and you may not want to put on that piece of garment without washing.

What Happens If You Don’t Wash Clothes Regularly?

At one point, we have taken up already worn clothes, smelled them, and decided that we could wear them one more time. Now, you may do that. However, do not exceed the intervals discussed above, otherwise, you will start noticing the following:

• The clothes will develop a not-so-pleasing permanent smell.
• Bodily oils will build up \on the clothes, which may even affect your skin
• The stain might become permanent

Best Practices for Doing Laundry

Some laundry mistakes may ruin your clothes. Compiled below are some laundry best practices to help protect your clothes.

• Do not use bleach too often
• Ensure all zippers are done to the top to avoid snagging other clothes.
• Do not rub stain vigorously; bloat them slowly.
• Too much detergent makes clothes grimier, leaves a residue that causes fading and even attracts more dirt.
• Always remember to sort in terms of color and levels of dirt.

Related Questions

Can you wash all your clothes together?

If you are doing a full house laundry, it is not advisable to wash everything together. However, if you only have a handful that is not enough to have a full load for each pile, then you can toss the little that you have together. However, for this, use cold water and the correct washer cycle.

Can you wear clothes more than once without washing?

Yes, you can wear clothes more than once, as long as they are not dirty or they don’t smell sweat. This way you will even be cutting costs on money, energy, and water.

See Also: Can You Wash Shoes With Clothes