The nights are drawing in, and with that comes cooler, damper weather and the need to get some warmer items out of our wardrobes. 

Folded jumpers in a basket

It’s fair to think that all that layering up would naturally lead to a larger washing pile. However, over-washing is a common behaviour that not only has an impact on the lifespan of your clothes, but can also impact your water and energy bills. 

What is over-washing?

Over-washing  means washing clothes more often than needed.

It can cause fabric damage, fading, and unnecessary wear.

As well as causing unnecessary wear and tear on your favourite wardrobe items, over-washing could be using excessive amounts of detergent, or washing clothes at high temperatures, especially when they don’t need to be. Doing this will also use extra energy to heat the water.

Clothes like denim jeans or wool jumpers are the most common items that we all wash too frequently.

Jeans are made from durable fabrics, and frequent washing can break down the material and cause them to fade, whilst wool is a better fabric at resisting dirt and odour.

How often should you wash different clothing items?

Undergarments – Every wear

Underwear should be washed after every use. Items like these can build up with sweat and bacteria, which can cause odour and irritation and could lead to diseases.

T-shirts – Every 1-2 wears

T-shirts make direct contact with your skin, so these should be washed between uses, especially if they are made with synthetic materials.

Jeans – Every 5-10 wears

Denim is a thick fabric, and over-washing jeans can cause them to fade and wear out quickly.

Tip – If you have any minor stains and marks on clothes like jeans or jumpers, do a spot clean using a damp cloth, some warm water and mild soap.  

Pyjamas – Every 2-3 wears

Whilst we sweat a lot at night, pyjamas will take the brunt of that. Pyjamas can be washed less frequently when it's cooler.

Coats and jackets - 1-2 times per season

As top layers, coats and jackets do not need frequent washing; however, it is necessary that they are washed, as continued exposure to rainwater can encourage musty smells. Dirt can also be transferred where we’ve leaned or sat down in our coats from day to day. These should be washed in the machine on the delicate cycle with cold water and non-bio detergent if the care label allows.

How much water could this actually save?

A typical washing machine uses 50 litres of water per cycle. That’s about a third of the water the average person uses in a day.

Over a year, this adds up. If you did seven loads of washing per week, this would equate to 350 litres and 18,200 litres over a year – the same as 101 bathtubs.

By making a small change, like reducing the number of loads per week by just one, you would save 2,600 litres of water.

Could reducing my washing save on my water bill?

Based on our current charges, if you were a metered customer and you put on five loads of washing per week, for the whole year, this would cost approximately £22.10 on your water bill.

By reducing your laundry habits by one load per week, the cost of your washing would come down to approximately £17.70 over the year – a saving of just under £5 off your water bill.  

Not only would you save on your water bill, but you would save on your energy bill, too.

According to the Energy Saving Trust, a 7kg washing machine used 220 times a year costs typically between £25 – £35 a year to run.

10% of a typical household’s energy bills is accounted for by wet appliances (washing machines, dishwashers, fridges).

Why is saving water important?

Although 71% of the planet is made up of water, only 1% of it is usable for drinking. A lot of the earth’s water is stored in the sea (which is very costly to treat), in ice caps, or in the atmosphere.  

The water we use to provide the clean, high-quality water that comes out of your taps comes from the same source of water that feeds our rivers.

When we have years like 2025, where we see little rainfall, more pressure is put on our environment as we use the water we have available [in our reservoirs/ underground], quicker.

As well as this, when we treat and pump water to meet demand, we use more energy, and this has an impact on our carbon emissions.

By managing our water supplies and decreasing demand in peak periods, we can ensure enough is supplied to your homes, without causing a knock-on impact on the environment.

What else can I do with my clothes to help the environment?

As well as reducing the frequency of laundry loads, here are some other washing actions you can take that will help you to be more sustainable.

• Only wash full loads – Wait until you have a full load of laundry before putting on the washing machine.
• Wash your clothes at lower temperatures – Running your machine on eco-mode could save 30 litres of water each time
• Use an airer – Air drying instead of tumble drying not only saves on electricity, but it can also help extend the life of your clothes.
• Use a humidifier – When air drying your clothes, use a humidifier to extract moisture from the air, creating a dry environment that promotes quicker evaporation of water from the wet clothes. It will also help prevent dampness and related health issues in the home, plus you can recycle the captured water to water any house plants.