Should you wash your sweaters every week? 5 tips to save your clothes and the planet

The rise of fast fashion has blighted the environment. On the sun-drenched beaches of Accra, Ghana, sits a pile of discarded clothing. Beaches, once pristine, are now flooded with trashed garments that end up compressed in dirty heaps.

Lightning-speed textile manufacturing, cheaply produced clothing sold at low costs, and the quick churn of trends driven by social media have resulted in a surge in consumption and discarded clothing. Not only has fast fashion increased carbon emissions and stifled local ecosystems, but it also leads to more individual waste.

Owning more clothes also tends to mean more laundry, increasing water usage. The average household washing machine can use up to 41 gallons of clean water per load; with the average two-person home in America washing three to five loads per week, those gallons can quickly add up.

As the climate crisis manifests in extreme temperatures and severe weather events, many consumers are more willing to make sacrifices or adjustments to live more sustainably. Trying to use appliances less frequently to conserve water and limit energy consumption is just one place where behaviors may change.

Which brings us back to those heaps of clothing.

As consumers become more eco-conscious, one way to shop sustainably is to buy well and treat items with care. Clothing constructed with high standards and cut from high-quality fabrics is better not only for personal style but also for the environment. One higher-priced, well-made coat is preferable to five cheap ones, so consider it an investment.

And investments require care. At a granular level, how you shop and care for your clothing and bedding can be a sustainable solution. Buying well and caring well means clothes last longer, reducing the need to purchase more.

HeySunday reviewed news articles and industry best practices for washing fabrics to explore how correct garment and linen care can also be more sustainable.

Visit thestacker.com for similar lists and stories.

Sweaters

Sweaters are perhaps the most tedious garments to clean due to their construction. Their knit weave is less stable than items with a tighter weave. Knits are also sensitive to water temperature and stress from cleaning and drying, so laundering wrong will show.

As a best practice, wash your sweaters as infrequently as possible—some even advocate for one wash a season. But will your sweaters start to stink? Most likely, and in that case, use vodka (flavorless, the cheaper the better) mixed with water in a spray bottle and spritz over your garment. The alcohol in the vodka will disinfect any bacteria. A good substitute is rubbing alcohol if vodka isn't available.

Should you need a deeper cleaning, fill a tub with cold water and add some detergent—you usually need less than you think, but follow the rules of the cleaning agent. For natural fibers like wool, add a bit of hair conditioner. It will give the fibers (once hair for an animal) a beautiful patina. Then rinse well with fresh water.

If you need to use the washing machine, cold wash on the gentlest cycle, then lay flat on the towel to dry and roll the towel up like a burrito with a bit of pressure to transfer moisture to the towel. Do not pull on your garment. Unfurl the "burrito" and lay your sweater flat to complete drying.

Once dry, pass over with a medium-hot iron or steamer. Then fold and store in a drawer. No hangers—gravity eventually pulls on the garment and will misshape the shoulders and stretch out the length of the knit.

Denim

Again, experts suggest only washing your denim when you absolutely need to. A vodka or alcohol spritz works. Others suggest the freezer method, the thinking being that the chill will freeze and kill the bacteria on the jeans that cause the stench. (Levi's CEO Chip Bergh debunked the method as "an old wives' tale," suggesting to wash them less often instead.)

If using the washing machine, ensure all zippers are zipped, each button is buttoned, and that the jeans are inside out to protect the fabric. This will extend their life and avoid damaging your washer. Wash cold, gentle cycle; air dry only. This helps protect the denim fibers' breakdown and maintains their color and treatment.

Once dry, use a hot iron to press out any creases from the drying process. Fold and store as flat as possible.

Tops

For tops, pretreat any stains using fresh water and a clean cloth, repeatedly dabbing at the stain until it lifts off or is greatly diminished.

For tough stains, rub away the stain with a soft bristle toothbrush and Ivory soap, then dab the area with a clean cloth wetted with fresh water. For white or sleeveless shirts prone to discoloration around the underarm area, pretreat by spreading a paste of hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, and water over the yellowed areas. Let the paste air dry, and then wash.

Wash cold or warm for heavily soiled items, and air dry as much as possible. Use the gentle cycle for machine drying, and invest in dryer balls to help reduce electricity. When added to your load of clothes, they create room between the garments for increased airflow and quicker drying times.

Bras and intimates

Because intimates, or supporting garments, sit closest to our bodies, getting the care right is important. For bras, add 1 tablespoon of detergent to a basin of warm water. Soak for five to 10 minutes. Rinse with fresh water.

If you do use the washing machine, use the gentle cycle with warm water, and place the bras and intimates in a mesh bag to keep delicate closures in place. This will also keep them from loosening or damaging your washer. Then, reshape any cups and store them flat in a drawer. Do not fold, just lay the bras flat and dry them on a towel. (Hanging adds stress to the elastic straps and shortens their lifespan.)

Bedding

Sheets, pillowcases, duvets, and comforters are some of the most intimate fabrics that caress our bodies. These materials are exposed in the most private of ways: They hold onto smells, bodily fluids, dead skin cells, dust, and food particles.

Still, there are ways to keep your bedding fresh and long-lasting. Experts suggest washing your bedding every one to two weeks and err on the more frequent side if you sweat, sleep in the nude, have allergies, or have had companions (human or pet) in bed with you. Wash with hot water and dry on low heat.

For duvet covers and other bulky bedding like comforters and quilts, experts suggest going to a laundromat, where bigger industrial washers and dryers are available. Make sure to use an extra rinse cycle in the wash to ensure all of the duvet is cleansed.

Dry warm. Don't forget your dryer balls. And remember those beaches in West Africa.

Story editing by Alizah Salario. Additional editing by Kelly Glass. Copy editing by Paris Close. Photo selection by Ania Antecka.

This story originally appeared on HeySunday and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio.