There is no magic number to the question “How often should you do laundry a week” but there is a number that works for most people. (It is probably lower than whatever you are doing right now)

For the average person, you might do laundry somewhere between one and three times per week which lines up with what most appliance manufacturers and laundry services recommend. But the actual answer depends on your individual household size, how active people are and what kind of clothes they wear. From NoScrubs years of experience here is what the data says broken down by situation.

How often should you do laundry a week - for most people

If you’re someone living alone, wearing office clothes, with no pets or kids then once a week is plenty! That is one or two loads or maybe three if bed sheets and towels go in separately.

Households with two people typically run three to five loads per week. Families of four can hit eight to ten loads and part of that comes from kids generating more dirty clothes but another part of it comes from a common misconception that everything needs washing after a single wear.

How often different clothing items actually need washing

It is important to understand the frequency of washing for different clothing items:

After every wear

Underwear, socks and undershirts collect sweat and bacteria fast and need to be washed after every use. This also goes for workout clothes, gym socks and anything worn during heavy physical activity. If it was pressed against sweaty skin then it goes in the wash immediately. Otherwise odor builds up and it can quickly develop bacteria.

Every one to three wears

T-shirts, blouses and dress shirts fall into this range so if you work at a desk in an air-conditioned office then a dress shirt might be fine for two or three wears. If you are on your feet all day in the heat then once is enough to merit a wash.

Every three to six wears

Jeans, dress pants, skirts and sweaters can all go multiple wears without washing. We recommend washing bath towels every three to four uses and washing them properly when you do so to prevent mildew. Jeans specifically can last even longer.

Denim should be washed as little as possible and once a month is often fine. Between washes airing them out and spot-treating stains does the job.

Once a week

Bed sheets and pillowcases can be washed once a week and this is fairly universal rule. Weekly washing keeps dust mites and bacteria under control especially for anyone with allergies or pets that sleep on the bed. At minimum you should be washing sheets every two weeks as a good practice

What happens when people wash clothes too often

Overwashing is a real thing and it causes problems that people can rarely connect back to their laundry habits. The friction and agitation inside a washing machine breaks down fibers over time. Eventually colours fade, elastic stretches out and seams weaken. Sometimes when your favorite shirt seems to fall apart after a year, it says less about the quality and more about how often it was washed. Another important part of this process is whether you are overloading your washing machine, using the right detergent or following good laundry habits.

How to build a laundry schedule that actually works

Rather than defaulting to a daily load or letting dirty clothes pile into a weekend mountain, most households do better with a set schedule. Here are some realistic baselines.

One person, low activity

One laundry day per week and sorted into two loads: one for clothes, one for sheets and towels.

Couple or small household

Two to three days per week and running a load every few days keeps the pile manageable and means nobody is scrambling for clean socks on a Monday morning.

Family with kids

Three to five days per week, depending on the ages. Young kids generate more soiled clothing and stained items than teenagers. Families with pets add another layer since pet hair and dander build up on fabrics.

How often should you do laundry a week?

For most people, one to three times is the sweet spot. It keeps clothes fresh, prevents that overwhelming weekend pile, and avoids the wear and tear that comes from overwashing.

The right frequency depends on how many people live in the household, how active they are and what kind of clothes they wear. But the general rule is simple: wash what needs washing and skip what does not. You can let the rest air out. If you want to skip this hassle of laundry all together, a laundry delivery service like NoScrubs is just what you’re looking for!

Create a laundry schedule with NoScrubs

Choose a laundry plan that works for you and then bag up your laundry. We handle everything from pickup, wash, dry, fold and deliver it back at your doorstep ready to put away in as little as 4 hours. You can also create your own custom laundry plan with us!