Should I wash his T-shirt or not? At the same time, it's not dirty. Yes, but he might have sweated? In a time when the trend is towards energy savings, one might wonder how often to change a child's clothing.
Introduction
How often should you change and wash your clothes? Can you wear the same garment two days in a row?
This question sparked a real debate in the editorial office, and we all realized that we have a chair in our bedroom and even in our children's rooms to place clothes that, once worn, are no longer clean enough to be stored in the closet but not dirty enough for the laundry (you have one too, right?).
What about children's clothes?
Can they wear the same ones for several days in a row, considering they frequent places where microbes and bacteria proliferate, like school or the park...
The days of sniffing your baby's chubby cheeks are long gone. Now, you find yourself smelling their (pre-teen) clothes to determine if they can wear them again. Let's take a closer look at each type of clothing.
How often to wash children's underwear?
If the answer seems obvious to you (as it does to us) and changing underwear daily is something you consider a given, that's a good thing because, yes, it's not the case for everyone! A 2020 IFOP study on the evolution of French body and domestic hygiene behaviors from the 1950s to today revealed that 94% of women change their underwear every day, while 3 out of 4 men are willing to keep the same briefs or boxers for several days in a row...
So, from a hygiene perspective, undershirts, panties, briefs, boxers, not to mention children's socks, should obviously be changed daily, regardless of their age, to prevent the proliferation of bacteria (which love places where skin flakes, sweat, fecal matter, and other delights accumulate).
Should you wash children's T-shirts every day?
Undergarments should be changed daily because they come into direct contact with the skin.
This also applies to T-shirts: the area under the armpits is particularly conducive to the growth of bacteria. It's best to change your child's T-shirt every day, and especially remember to wash it before having them wear it again, especially in the summer when they are more likely to feel hot and perspire.
Can a child put on a dress or pants several times?
Dresses and pants, if they are not stained or soiled, can be worn for several days, two, three, sometimes four times, as they are generally not in direct contact with the skin.
Do sweaters and sweatshirts need to be washed every day?
Similarly to bottoms, sweaters, sweatshirts, cardigans, typically worn over another garment, can be worn for several days. Children can keep them for up to 3 or 4 days, provided, of course, they don't have stains from chocolate, milk, ice cream, or other treats!
How often should children's sports clothes be washed?
Even if your child's sports session is weekly, it's best to have washed their equipment or outfit before the next class, preferably on the same day of use.
There's a good chance your child will sweat during their sports activities, and sweat and bacteria can leave a musty odor (remember the smell of musty jerseys...) that sometimes lingers, even after a trip through the washing machine (to avoid this, it's recommended to soak them in a mixture of water and vinegar for about fifteen minutes before putting them in the laundry).
Tip: if you realize on Sunday night that you haven't washed the soccer gear for Monday, put shorts and jerseys in a plastic bag and place it directly in the freezer for several hours, as extreme cold eliminates bacteria and odors, then let them air dry. Outdoor sports, with risks of falling in dirt, mud, or sand, should obviously also be changed after each use. Swimsuits should also be washed after every trip to the pool or the beach.
Should children's coats be washed?
Generally, coats can last the season. But we know our children who love to roll on the ground and engage in rough play. Hats, scarves, gloves, which come into more direct contact with the skin, hair (and lice) can be washed 3 to 4 times per season, depending on stains and odors.
Should you wash children's shoes?
They should be changed as soon as they are no longer usable, have holes, or are too small, and they should be washed as soon as they get dirty or smell bad.
3 tips for changing clothes less frequently
Air out the clothes before putting them back in the closet to give them a little freshening up. Brush the clothes to remove dust and small dirt particles before wearing them again. If the garment is stained, try to remove the stain with a dry stain remover or with a damp cloth and mild soap.
Read also:
