How often do you really need to do laundry?

If you reflexively throw your clothes in the trash after every use, it might be time to rethink your laundry habits.

There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to how often to wash or rewear an item of clothing—it’s really a personal choice, said Carolyn Forte, executive director of the Good Housekeeping Institute’s Home Care and Cleaning Lab. .

“But I suspect that most people wash, or even dry, their clothes more often than necessary,” she told HuffPost. “Americans do a lot of laundry and tend to wash a lot of things after a wear or two.”

Not only can washing clothes too often reduce their longevity, but it also has a significant impact on the environment.

The average American family does about 300 loads of laundry per year. A single load can use anywhere from 7 to 25 gallons of water, depending on the machine (older models use even more). Washing clothes in hot water increases energy consumption, and using a dryer instead of air drying also uses a lot of energy. And don’t get us started on the dryer sheets.

At the same time, it is important not to wait Also long between washes as this can lead to some potential skin problems, yeast infections and odor problems.

″Sweat, sebum, dead skin cells and microorganisms such as bacteria or fungi can be transferred to clothes,” dermatologist Dr. Joshua Zeichner, associate professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, told HuffPost. “As the soiled garment settles, it gives micro-organisms time to grow and multiply. These microorganisms can grow on the clothing and be transferred back to your body if you wear it again.

One example: Wearing sweaty socks again can cause athlete’s foot or worsen an existing case, Zeichner said.

Dr. Aanand Geria, a dermatologist at Geria Dermatology in Verona, New Jersey, said not washing clothes often enough can also lead to folliculitis and
acne breakouts.

“Dirty clothes can trap oil, dead skin cells and other debris on the skin, leading to clogged pores and acne breakouts,” she told HuffPost. “Bacteria and sweat that accumulate on unwashed clothes can also cause an unpleasant odor that can be difficult to remove, even after washing.”

But some clothes don’t need to be washed as often as others. We spoke to experts to find out which garments should be washed every time, which can be worn again, and what other factors to consider.

A Zeichner rule of thumb: “In general, the closer a garment is to your skin, the more often it needs to be washed,” she said. “Underwear exposed to heavy perspiration or potential body dirt should be washed daily. ”

That includes things like underwear, socks, tank tops and workout clothes, Forte said. But if you haven’t sweated it in your gym clothes, you can probably get away with re-wearing: let the pieces air out in between.

And anything else that’s visibly dirty, stained or has an odor can be tossed in the laundry, housekeeping expert Becky Rapinchuk, the woman behind Clean Mama, told HuffPost.

Clothing that comes into contact with the skin but is not sweaty or dirty can be worn a second time without washing, Zeichner said.

Pants, sweaters, blouses, bras and pajamas can “usually be worn a few times before washing,” Forte said. “Especially if they’ve been worn for a short period of time without sweat or dirt.”

If you just stay indoors or work from home and don’t sweat a lot, you can probably wear your clothes three or four times before washing them, Miami dermatologist Dr. Annie Gonzalez previously told Brightly.

Also, the jeans can be worn at least a few times before washing. In fact, “they’ll last longer and generally look better when softened by wear and tear,” Rapinchuk said. And some experts say you can expect 10 or more wears between washes.

One caveat: If you’re someone who doesn’t wear underwear, you should wash your pants or leggings before wearing them again because of the direct contact with your genitals, New York dermatologist Anthony Rossi previously told CNN.

Clothing that does not come into close and prolonged contact with the body should not be washed as often.

“Outer clothing like coats, jackets and items worn over other clothing like bathrobes and sweaters can last longer between washes because they tend to be worn for shorter periods of time,” Forte said.

The same goes for dressier items in your closet that you might only wear occasionally.

Things like “suits, evening gowns and cocktail dresses are usually made from delicate fabrics that require special care,” Geria said. “They can often be worn several times before cleaning, especially if they are not heavily soiled or stained.”

But if you’re really sweaty, like when you’re dancing the night away at an outdoor wedding, you may choose to hand wash or dry clean the garment before wearing it again.

Will you wear the clothes a few times before throwing them in the wash? Here are some expert tips and tricks to keep in mind.

Between uses, don’t just put the garment in a drawer or in the back of the closet. Hang it in a more open place or even outdoors if you have the space for it. You can also use a steamer or spray the item with a product like Febreze Clothing Odor Eliminator, suggested by Forte.

Rapinchuk recommends briefly tossing an outfit that needs a little freshening into a hot dryer with a damp cloth or towel.

“Give it about 15 minutes to collapse and put it back up to wear again!” she said.

To extend the time between washes, you can also try spot-cleaning or hanging a garment in the bathroom while you shower as another way to steam it, sustainable fashion expert Orsola de Castro previously told The Guardian.

For denim that needs a refresh, some people swear by putting their jeans in the freezer overnight. It won’t kill most bacteria as some have claimed, but if it does the jeans sense cleaner for you, then we won’t stop you.