FYI: You Don't Need To Wash These Clothing Items After Every Single Wear

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If you're someone who washes every item of clothing you have after you've worn it even once, we have a very important message: slow your roll. While it's important to wash your clothes regularly and with proper detergent, some articles of clothing don't need to be washed after each wear. In fact, there is such a thing as over-washing certain items — when you do this, you won't get the most mileage out of every garment in your wardrobe. Instead, you can cut their shelf life pretty quickly.

"Over-washed clothing can get stiff, scratchy, and lose its soft feel," president of Heritage Park Laundry Essentials, Tom Ceconi, exclusively tells Women. He explains that, while this may seem a bit counterintuitive, there are two big reasons why this might happen. "[It's caused by] detergent that does not rinse thoroughly and mineral build-up from hard water," says Ceconi. Some of the most obvious signs that you're over-washing your clothes are fading colors, fraying seams, weakening of the structure — like destroying the shape and elasticity of lingerie and shape wear — and even shrinking.

Because over-washing can destroy the integrity of your favorite pieces, reconsider exactly what needs to be washed after each wear and what you can wear more than a few times. Not only will you extend the life of your clothing, but you'll save money on detergent and fabric softener. It's also better for the environment to limit your water usage, so you can stop putting your sustainability efforts to shame.

If you don't wash your jeans after every wear, keep it up. Denim is at the top of the list of things that don't need to be washed all the time. In fact, according to Tom Ceconi, some believe jeans should never be washed unless they're officially dirty, as in you've rolled around in mud or encountered a biohazard. "We're not going to go quite that hard, but you can absolutely stretch out washing denim for four to five wears," says Ceconi. But Ceconi stresses that when you do wash them, turning them inside out can preserve the color, as will washing them in warm water.

Bras and shapewear also don't need to be washed after each wear — unless it's a sports bra, of course. Each washing does a number on the elasticity, and if you have boning or underwire in your bra, that can be warped by over-washing, too. As Ceconi explains, shapewear, as long as you're wearing undergarments with them, can go two to three wears before being washed, and you can get away with three to four wears with bras. "A rule of thumb we use for bras is to have one in the wash, one that you're wearing, and one in the drawer ready to go at all times," says Ceconi, explaining that bra rotation is key to making them last.

He also explains that sweatshirts and sweaters, if worn with something underneath, can also be worn a few times. This is especially the case when it comes to keeping cashmere items in peak condition. Pajamas and nightshirts can be worn twice before needing to be cleaned.

Because these things will eventually need to be washed, preserving your garments requires cleaning them correctly. While reading the label is paramount, using the right detergent is also key. "For fabrics like cotton, linen, synthetics, rayon, and blends, use a mild pH-neutral detergent," Tom Ceconi exclusively tells Women, explaining it's gentle on fabrics and skin. Ceconi recommends Heritage Park All-Purpose Laundry Detergent because it cleans properly with a proprietary enzyme blend that breaks down odors and stains.

You should also consider what should and shouldn't go in the dryer. For example, bras and shape wear should always be hung or laid flat to dry. Clothing with graphics and/or embellishments lasts longer if you skip the dryer, and if they're machine washable, turning them inside out helps to preserve them. If you opt for the dryer for some pieces, skip dryer sheets and fabric softeners, especially when it comes to flame-retardant pajamas, which many kids' PJs are. "Regular laundering won't remove the flame retardant treatment, but using bleach, fabric softener, and dryer sheets definitely will," says Ceconi. In fact, Ceconi says to skip bleach altogether, no matter what you're washing; use oxygen bleach instead.

Should you notice that, despite taking extra care of these items, signs of build-up are obvious, there's an easy solution. "Run a load in warm to hot water with a cup of distilled white vinegar," says Ceconi, adding that after that, do another load, but with a half-cup of baking soda instead. "This process breaks down and removes build-up; minimizes odors and restores softness to fabric," says Ceconi.