Most of us have that pile of clothes in limbo—not quite dirty, not quite clean. But do we actually need to wash our clothes as often as we do? The answer might surprise you.

A rise in laundry loads in the UK has led to more water usage, higher energy bills, and more microplastic pollution. Synthetic fabrics, in particular, shed microfibres during washes. But experts say we could cut down—jeans, for example, don’t need a wash until 15 to 30 wears, and wool jumpers? Up to 15 wears. Meanwhile, underwear and socks still need a wash after every use (no surprises there!).

So how can you keep clothes fresh between washes? And does washing less really make a difference?

In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!

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A podcast written and realised by Amber Minogue.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices