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How Often Should You Wash T-Shirts?

T-Shirts need washing every 1 to 2 wears. Here is why, what to look for, and what to do between washes instead of running another cycle.

Laundry1 min readPublished Priya Nair

In short

  • T-Shirts generally need washing every 1 to 2 wears.
  • A t-shirt sits directly against skin and absorbs sweat and body oils every wear. There is no airing your way out of that.
  • Between washes: There is no between.

A t-shirt sits directly against skin and absorbs sweat and body oils every wear. There is no airing your way out of that.

The short answer

1–2 wears

How often to wash t-shirtsA t-shirt sits directly against skin and absorbs sweat and body oils every wear. There is no airing your way out of that.

When to wash sooner

Wash it now if

  • worn against bare skin
  • any warm day
  • visible marks at the collar or underarm

What to do between washes

There is no between. If it touched skin all day, it goes in the wash.

How to wash them

Cold, inside out. Turning them inside out is what preserves prints and reduces surface pilling.

Frequently asked questions

How often should you wash t-shirts?

Every 1 to 2 wears. A t-shirt sits directly against skin and absorbs sweat and body oils every wear. There is no airing your way out of that.

What should I do between washes?

There is no between. If it touched skin all day, it goes in the wash.

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