Laundry: frugality vs hygiene

[toys]

Ok, I searched, but I failed to find a thread with this precise topic. Please, shoot me if I missed it.

When doing household laundry, what's the line between frugality and hygiene?


I know washing less often can save money, but how infrequent is too much (or too little)?


I've known some people who have to launder towels, wash cloths, and dish rags daily (after only one use)... and yet others bi-weekly. Then, there's curtains and blankets. Do they wait until once every spring to get cleaned, or is it a monthly task? How about sheets on the bed, is that a weekly ritual or rather just when you get around to it, monthly maybe? What about pet owners, do we have to clean more often? Twice as often? Which brings to mind pet bedding, is that weekly, monthly, seasonal, ever? Couch covers? Shams? Table cloths? Cloth shower curtains? What else?

Do you have a timeline you tend to follow, or do you wash these things when they look/smell dirty, when you find time, or what? Just when you have company? What's your ritual, and why?

[PrincessPerky]

I vote for hygene, but I find that comfort of hygene level is rather different from person to person.

I can tell you what we do at my house, but it is not likely to be any more right than what you currently do.
(but in case you cared)

sheets: weekly, though if I miss a week I am not to mad
towels,: daily, bathroom or kitchen, I am a daily fan...
bedspread: seasonal, or if I see a problem..kids bedding is done more than seasonal, but then I never seem tomake 3 months without getting puke, medicine, food, or something smeared on it!
livingroom stuff when I have time and/or a visible need.
pets don't go in my house
curtains err I havn't really gotten around to that yet..sorry..I would like seasonal..

[dshep]

I dont use a particular time line, but

Curtains, normally twice a year, spring and fall... esp the spring, when we have opened all the windows after being shut up all winter. ( I live in Maine)
Quilts and bedspreads, I tend to wash those twice a year too.... but in the spring,summer and fall I will just hang them outside without washing for a few hours, to get that "clean smell" back into them.
Towels are weekly....I have enough to keep us going for a week, with one or two to spare.
I do have pets, so I vaccum ever couple of days.. this applies to the couch ect...I also tend to shampoo the rugs everycouple of months, due to the pets.
Tablecloths are when they get dirty...
Pillow Shams... in two years I have never washed them, no one sleeps on them, they go on the bed, and come off the bed... I do however throw them on the deck every so often to again get that clean smell..

[scrava]

I do all bath towels daily, all sheets weekly, all comforters every 3 months (unless they ned it sooner). We have a big dog, so, if he gets into our bed we sometimes ahve to clean it sooner. I do curtains when they need it. I do (small) area rugs when they need it.I do kitchen towels pretty much after they look gross (after I prepare something) or daily. I do a lot of laundry for 2 people. But, I also find that with the dog, I can no longer wear my lounge about clothes 2x b/c he gets them all slobber-ey.

[getforfree]

I wash my bedding about once in 10 days, or when it starts smell bad. Dh sweats a lot, plus, it's hot in the summer, so I change often mine bedsheets. Comforter--about every 2 weeks, sooner if spill something, the kids are jumping on my bed sometimes. The kids bedding--about once in 2 weeks. In the winter it last longer, I guess, because we sweat less and sleep in warm pj's. So in the winter time, I wash pilowcases more often than the sheets.

I have only 1 set for every bed. A few days ago, I had to replace my bedding because the sheet had noticeable holes in it, but still use the same comforter.

I washed my sheet more often than comforter, and it's gone now, lasted me almost 4 yrs, but comforter wll still be good for another 1-2 yrs.

Towels-- I try to reuse it after bath 2 or 3 times, so 1 towel would last a week sometimes. Hand towel--I change it when it starts smell, or if someone would stain it.
Kitchen towel--about once a week, because I use it only for drying the hands after washing. The small one, washcloth size is for dirty hands and stuff, so it's replaced daily.
Curtans--just dist it with duster, and it's ok, unles the kids would stain it, than I take a baby wipe and wash the stain. It's too much work to take it off and put it back.

I wash my shower curtains and bath rugs when I notice that it's dirty.

I noticed that those things that you don't wash often, will last longer.

[PrincessPerky]

your sheets only lasted 4 years? I still use the ones I had most of my childhood..they are on my sons bed now..ok just the top sheet, but I found a bottom to mathc on ebay..or rather my mom did


My bed is now a queen, but for four years we had a full sized, we used the same sheets my husband had when he was a kid... (he got a full sized bed in is younger years..not a twin, so we just ekt using em.)

[pearlieq]

I never really thought about money when deciding when to wash things. It was just more a matter of when things needed to be washed. Shirts, socks, and drawers are worn once, PJs and pants usually 2-3 times, towels are washed after 2-3 uses, sheets are changed every 3-4 weeks (we usually sleep on both the fitted and topsheet, then take off the topsheet at the halfway point) blankets, shower curtains, and throw rugs are done about quarterly.

It works well enough for us...

[PrincessPerky]

but the top sheet is to prtect the top of you..or rather to protect the bedspread form the top of you....

[cicy33]

Towels are used usually 2 or 3 times. depends on if they get smelly even after just once, then they get washed anyways.
Sheets are usually every week or so. We don't use a top sheet can't stand it.
Jeans 2 or 3 wearings, depends on activity.
Jamas, well, I only wear them for a brief while before bed so they last all week usually.
Underclothes, worn once.

[Saving in So Cal]

We wash items on roughly the same schedule as Princess Perky. We could go a bit longer on towels before we had our daughter, but things definitely get dirtier, faster with her around. Ironically, our old washer and dryer broke the week before she was born and we replaced them with models that use hardly any water or energy. Consequently, I don't see this as a big cost-saving area for us.

[lrjohnson]

Originally Posted by pearlieq

I never really thought about money when deciding when to wash things. It was just more a matter of when things needed to be washed.

That's me too. Undies and socks (except sleep socks) worn once, everything else as needed; a towel lasts as long as it smells good, whether that's a day or a week. I never make something iffy go extra to save money, myself; laundry has never cost me enough to worry about it. I suppose if I had to go to the laundromat, I might be more concerned.

[getforfree]

Originally Posted by PrincessPerky

your sheets only lasted 4 years? I still use the ones I had most of my childhood..they are on my sons bed now..ok just the top sheet, but I found a bottom to mathc on ebay..or rather my mom did


My bed is now a queen, but for four years we had a full sized, we used the same sheets my husband had when he was a kid... (he got a full sized bed in is younger years..not a twin, so we just ekt using em.)

Yes, they lasted only 4 years, because we were using them every day. We have only one set. The pillowcases are still ok, but the fitted sheet got thinner some places, untill it eventually got holes there. I replaced only the sheet, I chose white, it matches with everything. The pillowcases are the same even tho they are made from exactly same material, so I don't know why only the sheet got holes. I have 2 new spare pillowcases, in case those will wear out. I can't beleive, your sheets last you decades. That's awsome.

[Bluezy]

I wash my kitchen rags daily in the dishwasher. The rags never have the chance to gather odor and are cleaned well in the hot water.

Bathroom towels are washed about once a week. Washrags and sheets as well. Pillows are washed after we have a bout with the flu or cold, just to make sure the virus is not spread.

Undergarments are washed after one wearing, as well as our jeans and sweatpants.

[PrincessPerky]

Originally Posted by getforfree

Yes, they lasted only 4 years, because we were using them every day. We have only one set. The pillowcases are still ok, but the fitted sheet got thinner some places, untill it eventually got holes there. I replaced only the sheet, I chose white, it matches with everything. The pillowcases are the same even tho they are made from exactly same material, so I don't know why only the sheet got holes. I have 2 new spare pillowcases, in case those will wear out. I can't beleive, your sheets last you decades. That's awsome.

I would like to know why..cause I bought DD a princess set for her bed and in two washes it is 'pilling' I bought DS a black set for his bed and in one year there is only a slight greying..I want to know what I should have looked for to get the lasting set....I think they are all cotton...

[Thrifty Ray]

I do our laundry and my parents laundry...boy, what a difference...

For a week with my family (3 people):
1 towel per person, a couple of washrags, a pair or two of pjs...a week of undies and socks...and maybe 2-3 outfits...all hung on the line

for my parents (2 people):
10+ towels and washrags
14 shirts, pants, pr socks, t-shirts...
1 set of sheets...
etc....and she prefers all dried in dryer, unless hung indoors.

I believe in re-wearing/using unless its dirty/stained....

my mom believes if its worn, it gets washed.

[mom-from-missouri]

Towels-each person has their own and we usually use them 2-3 times (unless its tick season, then more often incase one got in the towel-had that happen a couple times)
sheets-weekly on my bed-DH works nights, so bed is in use 2 times a day
sheets on DD's bed usually weekly, but sometimes more often if they snuck a snack in bed, or less often if one of them got in the mood to sleep in a sleeping bag (to avoid making her bed) or a sister
sleeping bags--about every 2 months or more often if used on the ground for scouts (they get used a lot)
curtains-none during the winter, but since we are on a gravel road, can be 2 -3 times each spring if the windows are open
pets are outside for the most part-no bedding in the house
rugs-as needed--often I beat them outside
carpet & upolistry--spot cleaned as needed, shampoo about 2 times a year
we use quilts on the beds, and each gets washed maybe 2 times a year--I change them out though every couple of weeks because I collect them. Many are handmade and old, so I don't want to wash them too often.
Its not bedding, but I do wash my light fixture globes at least once a month. I can't stand bugs in them!!

[jodi]

Umm...when they smell. For everything!

Seriously, clothes are worn until they are dirty - usually at least twice, sometimes 3-4 times for items like work pants (I work at a desk). Undergarments - always one wear only, except an occasional pair of socks that I might wear for an hour or two before bed.
Sheets - no time schedule. I guess I get around to it when I feel like it, or when something happens, like the cat making a mess (let's just say she has a delicate stomach). Sorry if TMI! We have a duvet cover on our down comforter and that gets washed about once per month (or more, depending on aforementioned cat).
Towels - I can use for a week or more. When they start to smell mildewy, they get washed. We only have two colors - blue for me and white for DH - so there's never any confusion about whose is whose (which used to happen to our family when I was growing up because my parents would always make us use the towel more than once, but you could never remember which one was yours).
Kitchen towels and dishclothes are used for a day or two, then thrown in the laundry with whatever else we are washing, unless they are paticularly dirty - then we save them for a bleach load. I also use baby washclothes for my kids rather than paper towels. They are one use only, then thrown directly in the washer for whatever load is done next.
We have two dogs, but they are not allowed on the furniture. We shampoo the carpets about every 3-4 months.

[boefixepa]

jodi, eagle pack brand hairball formula cat food as done wonders for my cat with a 'sensitive stomach.'

http://www.eaglepack.com/pages/ep_hairball.html

Check out the site and see what you think. It's helped loads at my house. I had one cat that would throw up at least twice a day before I found this!

[abowers]

The only clothes I rewear before washing are jeans, which I may wear 3 times if they still look ok. Otherwise I wash everything after I wear it once (with the exception of coats).

Towels are changed weekly, Sheets biweekly to every 3 weeks -- more out of laziness. I hate making the bed.

[tabbycat31]

Towels are washed about once a week
Washcloths-- I go through 2 a day (I wash my face morning and night). They're washed after each use.
Sheets- Once a week or every other week depending on how lazy I am.
Comforter, once a season (I have to go to the laundrymat for it).
Underwear, bras, socks--- after each use
Shirts, pants, etc--- I wear about twice. I wash them more often if there's a stain or they smell.
I wear PJs about 2-3 times before washing them.
Tabby's bed gets washed about once every season. He gets really mad at me when I wash it because it takes his smell out of it.

ETA many clothes that I wear over my regular clothes (ie sweaters, etc) I only wash when they smell or appear dingy. ALl seasons, I always dress in layers. The innermost layer is the one that gets washed the most.