Ten years ago, in 2016, Jacamo studied the everyday underwear and hygiene habits of British men and uncovered some surprising findings.
At the time,they found that 1 in 10 UK men admitted to wearing the same pair of pants for up to a week before washing them.
A decade later, keen to see if habits have improved or stayed the same Jacamo surveyed 1,006 UK adults on how often they change their underwear and other everyday clothing items.
Carole Wilson, Quality & Fit Manager at Jacamo also provided expert guidance on how often items should be worn or washed to stay clean, fresh, and in good condition.
Brief Encounter: How often Brits swap out their underwear, and are they doing it enough?
The new research suggests many men believe they are keeping on top of their laundry. Just over half (56.2%) say they usually stay on top of washing their clothes, while 34.4% admit they sometimes let it pile up. A further 8.2% confess they avoid doing laundry for as long as possible before finally dealing with it.
See the main source to view data on average time between washing for men and women vs what is recommended.
On average men are changing their underwear and socks every three days
Despite some improvement since the last study, hygiene habits still fall short. On average, British men now change their underwear every three days, better than before, but still below the recommended daily change needed to prevent bacteria build-up and potential issues like thrush and UTIs.
Socks follow a similar pattern, with men also changing them every three days, increasing the risk of conditions like athlete’s foot.
Women showed similar habits, also changing underwear and socks every three days on average. When it comes to extremes, women said they’ve gone up to five days without changing socks, compared to seven days for men.
Men admit they’ve gone as long as 2 weeks before changing into clean pyjamas
Nightwear isn’t treated much better, with British men changing their pyjamas every six days on average, despite recommendations to wash them after 3–4 wears. Some admitted to going as long as 13 days without washing them. Dressing gowns are washed even less frequently, with men cleaning them just once every 52 days on average.
Gym wear habits also vary, with women washing items after 11 wears on average, compared to five for men, despite advice to wash them after every sweaty workout to prevent bacteria build-up. Quality expert, Carole comments,
“Ideally, gym clothes should be washed after every wear, but that does not mean using a hot or intensive cycle. A 30°C wash is usually enough to keep them fresh. It is also best to avoid fabric softener with activewear, as it can affect how breathable and moisture-wicking the fabric is.
“Likewise, air drying makes a real difference, as high heat can damage stretch fabrics and cause them to lose shape more quickly. Making small changes like this helps your kit last longer and reduces overall energy use.”
Jeans are washed every 15 days on average, but experts warn this could be a big mistake
When it comes to everyday clothing, gaps between washes stretch even further. Men wear jeans for around 15 days on average before washing them, with some going as long as 30 days. Trousers last about 11 days between washes. According to Carole, when it comes to washing jeans, less is often best. Unless there is visible dirt, Carole suggests washing around every 5-10 wears.
In addition, letting them air out between wears can help keep them fresh without needing a full wash, but it’s best to avoid spot cleaning as this can cause uneven fading. Where possible, skip tumble drying too, as line drying helps denim maintain its shape.
When you do wash your jeans, Carole recommends turning them inside out and using a cold cycle to help protect the colour and fabric, to keep your jeans in good condition.
T-shirts also stay in rotation longer than expected, with men washing them every six wears on average, compared to four for women. Jumpers and hoodies are washed roughly every nine days, while vests are often overlooked, being cleaned just every 17 days.
Some of the longest gaps are seen in formalwear, with men admitting they wash their suits only once every 97 days on average.
Carole comments, “Suits don’t need frequent cleaning, as over-cleaning can actually shorten their lifespan. Dry cleaning is best kept occasional, for example after several wears or when there is a visible mark. In between, simply airing your suit and brushing it down will help keep it looking smart. Using a steamer is an effective way to refresh the fabric and remove creases without relying on dry cleaning, while storing suits properly on good hangers and in suit bags helps them maintain their shape and last longer.”
Coats and jackets go even longer between washes, with British men cleaning them every 121 days on average, around four months of wear.
How do commonly used household items compare?
The survey also asked men to reveal how often they wash some of the most commonly used household items, including towels and bedding.
Bedding is changed on average every 2 weeks, but some wait as long as a month
Men change their towels around once a week on average, compared to every five days for women. Bedding is washed less frequently, with most men changing their sheets every two weeks.
Carole says to keep your bedding fresh you should ideally be washing it every one to two weeks, depending on your personal preference, to help it stay fresh. Likewise, towels can be used around three to four times before they need washing.
Carole comments, “Avoid overloading the washing machine when washing bedding and towels, as this can prevent them from being washed properly and cause the fabrics to wear out more quickly. Using too much detergent or softener may also leave residue on fibres and reduce their softness over time, while air drying where possible is gentler on fabrics and helps to cut down on energy use.”
While this aligns with general guidance, some habits go much further, men reported going up to 31 days without washing bedding, and 7.5% admitted leaving it as long as three to five months.
Experts recommend washing bedding every one to two weeks and towels after three to four uses to keep them fresh and hygienic.
Men admit they’ve gone nearly two months without changing their bath mat
Bath mats are cleaned less frequently still, with men washing them around once every 34 days on average, meaning they can go over a month between washes. Women reported a slightly shorter cycle at around 30 days.
When asked about extremes, men admitted they had gone as long as 57 days without washing a bath mat, nearly two months.
One in five (21.5%) men said the laundry is strictly their partners job
Almost three-quarters of men (73.5%) said they handle the laundry themselves, while 21.5% said it was their partner’s job and 3% said their mum did it. For women, 89.3% take care of their own laundry, with just 4.8% leaving it to a partner. Overall, over a quarter of men (26.3%) rely on someone else for laundry, compared to just one in ten (10.7%) women.
Rinse and Repeat: When do Brits decide it’s time to wash their clothes?
Over one in six men (17.3%) said sweating in underwear doesn’t change how often they wear it, while 9.6% said it actually makes them change underwear or socks less frequently.
What do men rely on to decide whether it’s time to wash an item of clothing? | Percentage of men |
Visible dirt or stains | 54.6% |
Routine or habit | 59% |
How sweaty they feel | 53.6% |
The smell test | 45.9% |
Running out of clean clothes | 19.4% |
They wash everything after one use | 11.9% |
Someone else comments on it | 9.1% |
They throw it away instead of washing it | 1.4% |
Over two-fifths (45.9%) of men admit they rely on the “smell test” to know when it’s time to freshen up their clothes
When deciding when to wash clothes, 59% said they rely on routine, 54.6% wait for visible dirt or stains, and 53.6% consider how sweaty they feel. Meanwhile, 45.9% use the “smell test,” despite it not always being a reliable indicator of cleanliness.
Around 19.4% said they only do laundry when they run out of clean clothes, 9.1% wait until someone comments on what they’re wearing, and 1.4% admit they would throw clothes away instead of washing them.
Despite this, 14.3% often worry others will notice they’re wearing unwashed clothes, with a further 30.4% saying they sometimes worry about it.
Britain’s bedtime hygiene habits
A closer look at the nation’s bedtime habits has revealed some eye-opening attitudes towards nighttime cleanliness.
Over a fifth of men (23.2%) said they always sleep in the same underwear and socks they’ve worn that day
When it comes to sleepwear, over one in five men (23.2%) say they regularly sleep in the same underwear or socks they wore during the day, while a further 20.1% do so a few times a week.
Women are less likely to do this, with 53.4% saying they never sleep in day-worn underwear or socks, compared with 43.6% of men.Bathing habits are more evenly split, with 35.4% of people preferring to shower in the morning and 32.4% always washing in the evening before bed.
However, an expert has weighed in on the common mistakes you could be making with the timing of your bathing routine.
“Keeping good hygiene isn’t just about feeling fresh; it also makes a big difference to how clean and comfy your bed feels,” says Suzanne Hayes, bedding specialist at Headboards & Interiors. “Whether you shower in the morning or at night really depends on your day and your routine.”
“Morning showers can help wake you up and get you ready for the day, especially if you exercise or need a bit of a boost. But showering at night can be even better for your bed because it washes away sweat, dirt, pollen, and all the stuff you pick up during the day before it ends up in your sheets. Otherwise, you’re basically taking all that grime straight to bed with you.”
“Even little things matter,” Hayes adds. “Dust, pollen, and sweat can irritate your skin, trigger allergies, or make it harder to sleep comfortably. A night shower keeps your bedding cleaner and fresher, which makes getting into bed feel so much nicer. If you want to protect your skin and make your bed a healthier, more relaxing place, an evening shower is usually the way to go.”
“To keep your bed as clean as possible, there are a few easy things you can do,” she continues.
“Washing your sheets and pillowcases regularly, ideally once a week, makes a huge difference. Using a mattress protector can help stop sweat, dust, and allergens from soaking in. And it’s also worth swapping or washing your pyjamas often, especially if you’ve been active or sweating during the day.”
