Which came first – the chicken or the egg? Why do pizzas come in round but square boxes? What is the last number in existence? How often should you change or renew your underwear? These are just some of the cyclical and endless questions we should ask ourselves every day. Of all of them, only one has an expert-based answer – underwear.
Here, the underwear brand Tommy John conducted a survey of 2 000 men and women to find out what people’s hygiene habits are in relation to the use of these garments, as well as the recommended times for changing and updating underwear.
What the Tommy John Underwear Study revealed
The recommendation of the same brand and other manufacturers is to change underwear daily, i.e. to wear it only once and throw it away in the dirty clothes bin. In terms of seasonality and longevity, it is ideal to renew them every six to 12 months, depending on use and the type of underwear you wear. This advice is not taken into account by the 45% of respondents who use their clothes for at least two consecutive days.
In addition, surveys have shown that men are 2.5 times more likely than women to stay in the same underwear for a week. In addition, 38% of respondents revealed that they have no idea how old their underwear is and are therefore unlikely to follow the brands’ own recommendations.
The main problem with poor hygiene of people’s underwear is that these fabrics come into contact with intimate areas that are sensitive and can be exposed to various bacteria and infections. The main problems include urinary tract infections, fungal infections, skin irritation, rashes, itching and even bad breath.
How to wash underwear correctly
After this research, we cannot just stick to the question “how often should I wash my underwear?”, but we should also look at what the experts advise. The most important thing to remember is that you should separate this type of garment from others, as you can accidentally combine underwear stains with other types of clothing and even cause infections. So, the main recommendations are:
- Wash in hot water at a temperature of at least 60 °C to remove bacteria and mites, especially in underwear. This is because hot water is more effective in killing harmful micro-organisms.
- Do not allow dirty underwear to accumulate, and it is best to wash it as soon as possible to avoid the growth of bacteria such as E. coli.
- To avoid irritating sensitive skin, it is best to use hypoallergenic detergents without strong fragrances. Fabric softeners are also not recommended.
- Air-dry your underwear whenever possible, as natural sunlight has disinfectant properties.
- Do not share your underwear with others to avoid infection and fungus.
- Always read care labels and follow specific instructions for hand or machine washing.
