Blog Update!
For those of you not following me on Facebook, as of the Summer of 2019 I've moved to Central WA, to a tiny mountain town of less than 1,000 people.

I will be covering my exploits here in the Cascades, as I try to further reduce my impact on the environment. With the same attitude, just at a higher altitude!

Thursday, August 9, 2007

Excuse me, do I stink?

Yes, you stink.Back when I was in college, doing laundry was a pain in the butt. I had to haul my laundry up and down several flights of stairs and running out of quarters was de riguer. So, I oftentimes wore things more than once. Oh, and the sheets and blankets got neglected too.

There, I said it. I know, sacrebleu!

Since those times, I have been spoiled with my own private washing machine and dryer and, over the years, pretty much anything went in the washer regardless of the amount of time spent on my body.

But, in the spirit of conservation, I thought I'd be more mindful and try going back to wearing things more than once before laundering them again. This is mostly to save time, money and energy washing and drying, and occasionally because I don't have enough clothes that fit me.

For the most part, this includes sweaters where I've worn a t-shirt underneath and some jeans that will get two wearings (as long as they aren't dirty with kid or dog goop). So, it's not like I'm really stretching things here. I'm sure there are multitudes out there either with my old laundry situation or that just aren't as fastidious with their desire for sparkling cleanliness. It shouldn't actually be a big deal, right? In fact, I shouldn't even be bringing this up and some of you out there probably think nothing of it.

The reason why I do bring this up is because we live in a culture where cleanliness is a high priority (next to godliness!), where everything from your body to your car to your floors need to be so clean you can eat off of them. At any time. We are constantly inundated by advertising for products that bleach the daylights out of everything -- bleach pens, chemical detergents with color-safe bleach, general purpose cleansers with bleach. And, that's not to mention the tooth bleach gels, anti-bacterial soaps and the like. And anal bleaching. I'll let you look that one up on your own.

Now, aside from the terrible environmental impacts of bleach (because that's not what I'm focusing on here), do we really need to be this "clean"? Are American's standards of cleanliness out of control?

So, now I turn things back to you. Answer anonymously if you like:

What are your personal cleaning habits?

1. How often do you shower/bathe?
2. How often do you wash your hair?
3. Do you wear your clothes more than once? Just bulky items, or are undies fair game, too?
4. How often do you wash your sheets?

67 comments:

Crunchy Chicken said...

1. Every day. Sometimes twice a day if I've exercised later in the day.
2. Usually every day. Occasionally I'll skip a day.
3. I'll wear jeans or shorts more than once and sweaters.
4. Sheets are washed once a week. We just started washing the blank or duvet cover every other week (instead of every week).

Anonymous said...

1. Generally every day. But since I have only been washing my hair twice a week and I'm not incredibly stinky (as far as I know) I sometimes get lazy.
2. twice a week
3. socks and underpants are not fair game.
4. I don't wash my sheets as often as my grandmother would probably like me to.

Anonymous said...

1. Usually daily, but I've been known to forget. Occasionally, I substitute a sponge bath for a shower, especially if my hair doesn't need washing.
2. Every 3 days. More often if sweaty and nasty from exercise.
3. Undies really need to be washed after each day of wearing, IMHO. Other clothes can be reworn, provided they pass the sniff test. With the summer heat, t-shirts often don't make it past one day due to underarm sweat/smell.
4. Gettin' a little personal here, Miss Crunchy! They get washed before they can crawl off the bed on their own, okay?! Sheesh. What are you, the laundry police? ;-)

Liz said...

Our standards of cleanliness in the US are totally out of control. I am notorious for not doing much laundry... basically I'll wear something until I start to question it. ;) I'll be the first to say that my standards may not be up to the accepted standards, but I don't ever look like a ragamuffin or have noticeable b.o. I have friends who do, though, so I would imagine they bathe/wash clothes even less than I.

1. Every day in the summer, every other in the spring & fall, and up to three days in the winter.

2. Every other day, unless I'm on the three day winter schedule.

3. I'll get a couple few days out of a tshirt (unless it's insanely hot, which luckily doesn't happen here too often), up to a week in a winter turtleneck. Sweaters get washed once a season. Jeans have to look grungy before they make it to the laundry basket. I'm blessed with dry feet, and will get several days out of a pair of socks, especially if they're wool.

4. Sheets probably don't get washed as often as they should, but since we shower in the evening, I figure we're always clean when we get into bed. The duvet gets washed once a season (it's not touching my body.) Towels get reused, probably for a week, maybe more. My theory is that if you clean yourself, then towel off, that towel is NOT dirty!

Unknown said...

1. How often do you shower/bathe?
Shower daily, less than 5 minutes.
2. How often do you wash your hair?
Almost once a week.
3. Do you wear your clothes more than once? Just bulky items, or are undies fair game, too?
I wear clothes more than once sometimes up to a week if they don't get anything on them. Underpants get changed every day.
4. How often do you wash your sheets?
We were doing them every week but have now slipped into every other week.

Malva said...

1. Every second day. I fortunately never got into the habit of showering every morning, preferring to shower at night. My husband cannot function before his morning shower and as a result, absolutely need a shower every morning.
2. Twice a week.
3. Everything but panties can be worn more than once. Especially office clothes.
4. Mostly once a week, sometimes a little longer.

Kim said...

1. How often do you shower/bathe?
Shower daily in the summer, less than 5 minutes; Every other day all the rest of the year.

2. How often do you wash your hair?
Every other day

3. Do you wear your clothes more than once? Skirts and pants after 2 wearings, sweaters only when they aren't fresh (I hand them on the line after each wearing, it extends the freshness period), unmentionables and socks are clean every morning. Like my mom said, "Put on fresh underwear in case you're in a wreck."

4. How often do you wash your sheets?
Sheets weekly (along with bath towels), blankets monthly.

Kim

Valerie Roberson said...

Neat-o post. I thought I was the only one who wondered about stuff like this!
I shower every day and rinse my hair, but only wash my hair every other day.
I often wear pants, jeans, shirts two or three times between washings, and as far as I can tell no one has noticed :P I do wear fresh undies and socks everyday.
I wash my sheets weekly and my blanket every two or so.
I agree there is way too much emphasis on sparkling, bleachy, lemon scented cleanliness in our society. It does make me laugh that people will never admit to wearing a shirt twice, but don't hesitate to go to a chain restaurant and let strangers fondle their food...Different standards I guess!

Ashley // Our Little Apartment said...

ha. i have no shame.

1. Um...3/4 times a week? I can go 3-4 days at a time without showering.
2. Every time I shower.
3. I wear jeans and shorts TONS of times. I just graduated from college, so..yeah :) And tshirts if I didn't sweat. Sweaters are washed a few times a winter.
4. Sheets. HAHA. A few times...a year....I don't have my own washer and dryer, oh KAY??

My hygiene is at least good for water waste....right?!

ST said...

1. Depends on the weather. Usually once every two days. In the summer maybe as often as twice a day.
2. Every 3 days. Or else it gets really gross.
3. Most things, 2-3 times. I have some wool sweaters that I don't think have ever been washed. Socks/Undies - one wearing only.
4. Sheets - once every few weeks. Duvet cover - once a season.
Can you tell I'm a student?? :)

Anonymous said...

1. Every other day
2. Every other day
3. If it smells good and has no spots, I wear it until it smells or is dirty. Undies are fresh EVERY DAY!
4. Usually weekly in the summer because I can hang them out. Usually monthly in winter.

Anonymous said...

1. Every other day usually
2. Every 2-3 days
3. Unless they have a stain, or are noticeably dirty they don't get washed. Undies a fresh every morning!
4. Sheets once a week. Blankets get hung on the line to freshen weekly and then washed every 2-3 wks.
Fun post!

Anonymous said...

1. I shower everyday, and sometimes a second quick one if I exercise or as needed.
2. I wash my hair every other day.
3. My clothes (except for undergarments and workout clothes) are on a 3-day cycle. I got this from my French husband. Of course, this is flexible depending on what I do in my clothes and for how many hours I wear them (during the summer, I'll wear the same sweater every morning for a while because it's only for an hour or two.)
4. Every 4 weeks. My towel every week.
Note: We live in an area with very moderate temperature year-round. It rarely gets hot enough to really sweat, and our apartment has windows in every room that get opened at least part of every day. When I lived in LA I washed sheets every week (even as a student).

Debbie said...

1. Showering before bed is the one OCD-like trait I have, I can't sleep if I haven't at least rinsed off. I try to keep it short, and unless it's really hot and sticky (like now) I only do it that one time a day.
2. Every 2-3 days, but just with baking soda/vingar, and I do it in the shower.
3. Socks and underwear get washed every time. (Exercise clothes, including socks and bras I'll wear for a week as long as they dry out in between wearings.) With the rest of my clothes, it depends on how dirty they are and how hot and sticky I've been in them. Jeans and other casual pants 2-3 times if not messy or sweaty; same with most skirts. Tops usually a couple of times. This time of year, though, most things get washed after each wearing.
4. Every week in the summer, in winter I can go a couple of weeks (but remember, I shower immediately before bed, so it's not as icky as you would think).

Crunchy Chicken said...

If any of you guys are interested in the daily hygiene habits of 18th Century London, I highly recommend Daily Life in Johnson's London.

You will be amazed at the difference in cleanliness standards over a couple hundred years.

Oldnovice said...

I've inherited my mom's sweat glands, so bathing daily isn't necessary for me even if I've exercised. It's necessary for my daughters, though, because they've inherited their dad's sweat glands. So, the whole "how often do you do" is very related to "how often do you sweat (if you EVER sweat), etc."

Now that I'm retired, I shower AND wash my hair every 3rd day unless I don't feel like it. When I was working, I showered every day but washed my hair maybe every 3rd day. I change my clothes when I shower, but might put on clean underpants every day (or NOT).

Sheets... whenever I remember to wash them, not usually once/week or more often...more likely once/month.

We've become a whole lot more lackadaisical about cleanliness since retirement, as we can go 3-4 days without even seeing others.

My folks, though, were European immigrants to the US and bathing (for them) occurred once/week (as my dad joked while alive..."whether you need it or not..."). A lot of our habits are just that...habits. I agree with Liz. The towels wipe CLEAN bodies and the blankets never even TOUCH bodies with topsheets. If you hang your towel so it doesn't mildew, a wash once/week is plenty, IMO.

Interesting topic; glad I'm old enough not to care if my personal hygiene disgusts some.

Green in the desert said...

1. Every other day
2. Every other day
3. I'll wear a pair of jeans for about 3 days before I wash them. Well, onlu if I have enough denim to fill a washer. We only seem to have 1-2 pairs per person. Underwear I change daily. :)
4. Sheets? Who has time to wash sheets? I wash them probably one a month. I have 2 sets for my bed and wait until both are dirty.

Anonymous said...

I live in the Deep South, it is very hot and humid here and we sweat all the time. I bike or walk everywhere, even to work, and you would be surprised how much of the hygeine industry's advice is bunk--failing to induldge in all of their products does not cause you to be stinky.
1. A navy shower (water off unless rinsing off) almost every day.
2. Every third day
3. Underwear is there to protect outerwear from your funk. Change your underwear often and you won't have to wash your outerwear as much. Letting clothes air out on a line or rinsing out the armpits if it's really bad will make them seem fresh the next time you wear it. I only launder when it seems irrevocably bad.
4. Whenever they get gross, maybe every other month or so?

Lissa said...

1. Every other day in cool or cold weather, with a sponge bath on alternate days. In the summer, every day. When I go to the gym regularly, I shower immediately after each visit.
2. Every other day when I'm not using product -- except for occasions when I use product for a particular 'do.
3. I wear jeans multiple times, sweaters and sweatshirts that are layered over anything else, and bras (a dusting of baby powder over the fabric and hung over a rack at night leaves them fresh and supportive for day two). Everything else gets tossed in the laundry.
4. Weekly. Blankets = every other week.

Anonymous said...

1. Every other day. Sometimes everyday or every three days. Depends if I'm actually dirty or not.
2. Every other shower, generally.
3. I wear jeans about 3 times. Pajamas many times. Sweaters t-shirts, bras. I wear everything again if it's not dirty. I wear socks twice in a pinch. Underwear is always clean when I put it on though.
4. Sheets and duvet covers every other week, generally.

Anonymous said...

I consider myself to be a clean person. I am not someone that looks "sweaty" or smells "ripe."

1. I bathe/shower every three days, and
2. that's when I wash my hair
3. I wear clothes until they need washing. I usually get several wearings out of a pair of pants/jeans.
4. I wash sheets once a month.

Anonymous said...

1. How often do you shower/bathe? Every morning, before I do anything else
2. How often do you wash your hair? Every morning, my hair gets oily when I sleep
3. Do you wear your clothes more than once? Just bulky items, or are undies fair game, too? Yes, jeans, pjs, sweaters, and sweatshirts all get worn about 3 times, sometimes more. I almost always wash my shirts, unless it was only a few hours, since I tend to sweat a lot... genetic I suppose. Underwear and socks I always wash
4. How often do you wash your sheets? every month or two? Blankets hardly ever, only if they are visibly soiled.

Christy said...

1. Every other day if I'm going somewhere. If I'm not going anywhere it may be every 3 days. I have a genetic defect that makes it so I don't sweat so that may make a difference.

2. I wash my hair whenever I shower.

3. I'll wear shorts or jeans for a week before washing them if I don't spill on them. Sweatshirts or sweaters get worn many times (3 or 4) if I wear a shirt under them, which I usually do since a t shirt takes less energy to wash and dry than a sweater or sweatshirt. If I don't shower I don't change undies.

4. Sheets every other week to once a month. Towels get washed with the sheets. Blankets never get washed unless they get bleed on or muddy (usually from dogs).

I think people in this country are way to hung up on being clean. Towels do NOT need to be washed everytime they are used but I know many people who do wash them after one use. If it isn't visibly dirty or stinky why was it?

Christy said...

That last sentence should say wash it.

Unknown said...

1. How often do you shower/bathe?
depends on if I work or not the next day... atleast everyother day
2. How often do you wash your hair? same as question 1
3. Do you wear your clothes more than once? Just bulky items, or are undies fair game, too? Everything including bras (not undies though) up to 7 days of wear before washing...
4. How often do you wash your sheets? a few times a year

Anne / Educe said...

1. shower: every other day, sometimes every three days, depending on how oily my hair gets; bath: I can't remember my last bath, they haven't appealed to me lately/fit in my schedule
2. with every showering, see above
3. yes: shirts usually twice unless pits are stinky, pants for up to two weeks unless dirty; undies and socks are changed every day, but bras can last weeks; sweaters are washed maybe once a winter, depending
4. when I think about it; probably every week and a half, three weeks at most, unless they've gotten unusually dirty; cover(s) are washed intermittently as we have a dog and the soiling time on those varies.

My mother would be abhorred to read those statements.

I think it's all dependent upon how many you have of each item.

We have an insane number of towels thanks to my mom, so we wash towels maybe once every month and a half or two months (I will use a towel only twice; my partner will use his until I put it in the basement!). Kitchen towels are washed maybe every two weeks. We need more of those.

I also have an insane number of undies and socks, and my partner an insane number of t-shirts and jeans.

Anonymous said...

I'm with Liz on this one, and Stella. I think living with a German husband made me relax.

1. I shower every other day unless it's summer and I feel sticky and gross.
2. Since I have a pixie cut, it looks dirty FAST, so I sometimes wash my hair at the kitchen sink even if I didn't shower. But sometimes I just let it go and let people see "the real me."
3. Socks are worn twice, pants can go for two months, sweaters get washed once a season, bras once a week, shirts I have to smell, and underwear--I hope nobody thinks this is gross--every day unless I have my period. With pads in there, it's not like I touched the actual undies. Allow me to note, too, that women and men may not need to change undies at the same rate... my husband can go longer than me in the same pair.
4. Sheets are washed once a month. Pillowcases more often--an old teenage acne habit, I guess. Towels are also about once a month--heck, it's not like we use 'em every day!

Anonymous said...

1. daily
2. daily
3. undergarments & socks 1 wear per wash....sweaters, sweatshirts, etc as needed
4. bed linens - every other week (usually showering now before bed so that makes a big difference)
towels - every other day or 2 days

Anonymous said...

1. Every day pretty much, skipping occassionally (usually a lazy Sunday) - I have very oily skin, so I look like I've been rubbed down in grease otherwise. I at least go for a quick soap-up/rinse down.
2. Every time I shower - for the same oily reason - I have light-colored hair that looks very greasy and gross very quickly otherwise.
3. Underwear, no, socks - maybe, but I try not to wear socks at all if it's nice out. Jeans definitely more than once, as well as anything that does get sweated in - I figured all that washing can't be good for the fabric.
4. We neglect the sheets more often than not - it's a matter of being pretty lazy.

Phelan said...

1. daily, but that is because I am covered by mud/dust/poop/or tomatoe guts
2. every other, unless there is something yucky in it.
3. yes, not undies. Uless I am leaving the farm, I wear the same jeans over and over. they will just get as dirty as the dy before anyway.
4. once a week unless the kids dump something on it.

"Country folks rarely get sick because we eat a spoonfull of dirt a day" A family inherited farm friend of 80 some odd years old.

Sweetpeas said...

1. How often do you shower/bathe? Daily, occasionally skipping a day due to time constraints
2. How often do you wash your hair?
I only use water on my hair, I rinse it as needed, maybe once a week
3. Do you wear your clothes more than once? Just bulky items, or are undies fair game, too? I wear everything but panties more than once unless it gets something on it. IMO panties need to be washed daily.
4. How often do you wash your sheets? monthly

Anonymous said...

1. How often do you shower/bathe? Every morning but with a low flow shower setting and as quick as possible
2. How often do you wash your hair?
Every morning otherwise my baby fine hair is gross - doesn't take me more than a minute more/
3. Do you wear your clothes more than once?
I wear jeans 2 or 3 times. I read a survey once that most people wear jeans several times before washing. Sweaters 2 or 3 times. Usually wear shirts once because of armpit odor. Work clothes are worn once - I am in healthcare and have to be wary of germs that I may have on my clothes.
4. How often do you wash your sheets? once a week. Sometimes they will go 2 which is kind of gross but it is due to lack of time and energy not conservation!!

Trina said...

1. Twice a week
2. Once or twice a week with baking soda and vinegar.
3. Sometimes I wear my clothes two or three times as long as my son hasn't gotten puke or poop on me. Undies and socks...only wear once before washing.
4. Twice a month.

Meghan said...

Ok, I'm flat out not a clean person, so I guess most people would be grossed out by me. And, I suppose if I lived w/ someone, my habits would change. But since it's just me & the cats...

1. Every morning. Shower & coffee=mandatory
2. Every other day - I go for the short, spiky, greasy look. very convenient.
3. I switch underwear every day. That's it. I wear everything else until it gets a stain or smells really, really bad. I have NO idea how often I launder bras - do those things really get dirty? I think I only wash them if I was at the bar & the next morning I try to put it on & want to vomit. Yep, I'm gross.
4. Ok, I have cats & I'm somewhat allergic to them. If I yank back the covers & see a film of cat hair, I find it's time to wash the sheets to prevent an overnight asthma attack. So...maybe twice a month? Sometimes more. I only wash my towels when they start to smell. Yikes! My quilt is too big to wash in my apartment laundry room, and I'm far too lazy to find somewhere else to wash it. So I vacuum it now & then. :)

~Shelia said...

1. showers are usually daily
2. hair washed daily (fine and oily make for a bad combination if not washed daily.
3. bulky sweaters, jeans, pjs and "bummy house clothes" usually get more than one wearing. Socks and undies are not fair game for repeat wear.
4. We aim for weekly sheet washing, but sometimes time gets away from us and it is longer.

jessy said...

1. i shower every day, but shower with my spouse.

2. i wash my hair every other day and just rinse it when it's not being cleaned with shampoo

3. i wear jeans about (5) times before washing, tee shirt - sometimes twice, and socks sometimes twice if they're not icky. and pajama bottoms for about a week.

4. sheets get washed about every (10) days.

Anonymous said...

1. Daily.
2. I don't. I use vinegar and baking soda on my hair once a week. It's never looked nicer.
3. I wear jeans more than once, and will re-don a t-shirt if I'm going to do something messy the next day. Socks and underwear...uh no.
4. Sheets are washed once a week. Blankets are only washed once a month or so unless there are reasons to wash them.

C said...

1. Once every two days on average - I spend a lot of time bumming around at home and if I haven't been anywhere and I'm not going anywhere, I'll skip the shower. But if I've been working up a sweat in the garden or exercising or whatever, into the shower it is. We live in a drought affected area (less than 20% water left in our main dam) so it's four minute showers though I am trying to take shorter ones.

2. I wash my hair between once a week and once every ten days on average and brush it twice a day.

3. I wear jeans, shorts, skirts and jumpers until they're dirty or sweaty (eg. if I wear them at the gym). T-shirts get worn for the equivalent of one day. So I might wear an "at home" tshirt for half the day and a "going out" tshirt for half the day and then they both get worn again the next day. If that makes sense. Undies, etc. get washed every time I wear them.

4. Sheets and pillow cases every three or four weeks depending how lazy I am. Towels once a week. Blankets and doona (duvet) cover once or twice a year.

The Chatty Housewife said...

I shower daily, but I only wash my hair twice a week, the other 5 days I just use a little conditioner.

Underwear must be washed after each wearing. Bras can go longer.

Clothing- jeans can last until they are noticeably dirty, and tops get hung back up if they are smell free.

We wash our sheets once a month.

Anonymous said...

1. every other day or so... if I feel gross... usually timing is dictated by the need to wash my hair.
2. Usually every other day... once in a while I can stretch it to every thrid.
3. Other than socks and undies, everything that's not visibly dirty or stinky gets at least a second wearing. I usually change from work clothes immediately, so they stay clean for 3+ wearings, and my "home" clothes are usually dirty anyway, what's the point when no one will see me and I'm just getting dirty anyway.
4. When they get icky. Usually every 10-14 days or even less frequent. If my MIL reads this, she'll probably freak out... she's a once or twice a week sheet changer... in addition to things like water use, energy use, detergent use, etc. I just plain don't have the spare time to change my sheets that often... it's a good half hour to 45 minute project (we have these things that help keep the sheets on our overly over stuffed mattress...)

--K

Olive said...

1. i shower every other day (4 minute shower or less) but if my son wants to take one with me we take a bath. but i then reuse that water to wash diapers or water the garden.

2. every other day

3. absolutely! rarely are things too dirty to wash after just one wear. undies and anything truly stained/soiled is exempt of course.

4. oh gesh, maybe once every 2-3 weeks? more if the baby whizzes out of her diaper onto them in the middle of the night, barfs, or my boobs explode with milk all over them. you know, normal stuff...

Lindsay said...

1. About every other day unless I feel gross.
2. Every other day and my hair is HEALTHY
3.Jeans, pants, sweaters, and skirts are re-worn. Undies are chucked in the wash.
4. Sheets?!? Uhh, Once a month maybe. Duvets are washable?!?

Unknown said...

1. Since I started working from home, I shower/bathe when I feel like sweaty and just icky...usually every other day; sometimes, twice in a day.
2. Usually every three days.
3. Yes. Workout wear, gardening clothes, and panties usually aren't fair game. Everything else is.
4. During allergy season, once a week. When it's not allergy season, I try just to wash the pillow cases weekly, and everything else, every other week.

Susanne said...

1. Every other day.
2. Every other day.
3. Definitely.I wear everything for two days unless I sweat or it gets stained. I wear jeans for a week or so and I wash cardigans only every other month or so.
4. Every two or three weeks. And towels get washed about every week.

I have heard that Americans wash everything including pants every time they wore it, and I'm amazed to find that it seems to be true. In case you wondered, I work out every other day too and I shower after workout. And no, I don't stink. Really.

Niffer said...

1. I average a shower twice a week, sometimes less.
2. When I shower. I've struggled with wanting to cut my hair shorter, but with it longer I can hide the oiliness in an updo.
3. My "home" clothes get worn until they can walk themselves to the hamper. Work and school clothes get worn at least 3 times.
4. Um, so how often do I wash the sheets, that's a good question. I do most of my laundry by hand. So the bigger stuff, sheets and towels, get washed when I make a trip to the laundromat. That usually works out to every other month or so.
I'll admit, I'm not the cleanest person, but none of my friends or family ever complain that I stink (and they would).

Anonymous said...

There's a huge benefit to not washing clothes until they stink: you don't have to buy new ones nearly as often because they don't wear out, stretch / shrink, or fade so fast. Also, I can still wear things that I bought during the season that I first stopped using a dryer, which was the fall of 2000. They just don't get beat up--only the cloth around the seams starts to get thin and I can't always sew things back up the way they used to be...

Renee said...

1. Every other day
2. Every other day
3. Underwear and socks are only worn once. Shirts are probably worn 2-3 times. Jeans probably 3-4 times. Sweaters might be 5+
4. Once a week. The cat shares the bed and it turns into a fur ball if we went longer.

Anonymous said...

1. How often do you shower/bathe? 50/50 between daily & every other day
2. How often do you wash your hair?
every other day (occasionally every third day)
3. Do you wear your clothes more than once?
Yes
Just bulky items, or are undies fair game, too? Jeans, 3 or 4 times, undies ONCE, bras, several times
4. How often do you wash your sheets?
Once a month...whether they need it or not ;-)

Anonymous said...

1. every other day, sometimes every two days. Depends on how active I'm being, how hot it is, and what my social calendar dictates.
2. weekly, if that. Curly hair-frizzy if washed too often.
3. socks sometimes go a second round, undies never, bras go a few rounds too.
4. sheets- depend on how much action they're getting. summer means kitties shed, more washing. boyfriend means weekly sheet washing. single in the winter means every two or three weeks.

Rechelle said...

Oh dear - you know it's funny, I think of myself as a clean person, but after reading your post I realize that I must be very dirty. I wear my clothes at least twice - usually three times and jeans can get worn for longer than that. I shower on days that I teach aerobics, but other than that it is sporadic at best. I always figured that washing off the oils in my skin would increase the effects of aging. I guess I may be crunchier that I ever imagined!

Unknown said...

1. How often do you shower/bathe?
Every other day, maybe every 3 depending on what I have been up to- more if I have been doing work that gets me sweaty, etc. I will often take a hot bath right before bed though since it soothes my back pain and helps me sleep.

2. How often do you wash your hair?
every 3rd day or every 4th (your hair gets used to it)

3. Do you wear your clothes more than once? Just bulky items, or are undies fair game, too? Everything but undies get worn more than once. I handwash with a "wonderclean" for most items (but towels, sheets, etc)


4. How often do you wash your sheets?

Every couple months. And that is sheet singular, I can't stand top sheets! I just get tangled in them horribly. Especially if you are wearing pajamas you aren't going to sweat that much (or maybe I just don't)

Anonymous said...

um, name the terrible environmental impacts of bleach. Non-industrial. And non-someone being insane mixing bleach with, say, ammonia.

and just to play along:
1)every third or fourth day
2)once every four to six weeks
3)an "outfit" on the farm generally gets worn for 3 or 4 days, underwear and all unless it gets really icky. Town clothes get worn to town and usually get aired out and worn again to town, except t-shirts in high summer.
4) 4 times a YEAR.

What do ya'll think peak oil will be LIKE?

Anonymous said...

1. Shower every day (except for the occaisional weekend)
2. Wash my hair (with shampoo) every other day-ish.
3. I wear everything except my undies more than once...sometimes multiple times...until they noticeably smell (after the occaisional night at the bar) or I'm going somewhere special.
4. I don't keep track...maybe twice a month...pillowcases I'll throw in more often with other clothes.

Anonymous said...

yes! i love this post.
ok
1.shower every 4 days or so
2. wash hair when i shower, but not every time
3.do i wear my clothes more than once? HA!! i wear them til i can't stand the smell anymore, or til i shower. what's underwear?
4. sheets and such: when they are gross (muddy paw prints, etc).

i live in the dirty south. i sweat my butt off just going to the mailbox. oh and i'm a bike messenger too.
i just hang my clothes outside for a while; the smell dissipates.

Anonymous said...

What in the world is going on here? There must indeed be some fetid folk out there.
1. Showering: 2 to 3 times a day, depending on activities. Sometimes I try to remove my entire epidermis with various chemical washes.
2. Hair Washing: Same. But I don't have much hair. On my head.
3. Clothes: I rarely wear clothes more than once between washings, if I can avoid doing so. In fact, it may happen that I will put on a shirt, change my mind, and then put on a different shirt. I will sometimes be compelled to wash that first shirt, simply because it had the misfortune to have been touched by me. I can't imagine wearing underwear more than once between washings. That seems to be the equivalent of using toilet paper or (certain types of) prophylactics more than once.
4. Sheets: Once or twice a week simply because it is logistically impractical to wash them more often, but I would prefer to wash them every day.

Anonymous said...

I think people in the US are obsessed with cleanliness. Growing up in a different country, cleanliness was not an issue. You had to actually be dirty/sweaty to take a shower, not do it just because you are supposed to take a shower every day.
1. Shower: as needed, which means every day or so in the summer when it's hot and sticky; after working out always; otherwise, it can be once a week in a winter. But that means I'm really lazy as I try to work out about twice a week. And I wash the 'important' parts every day.
2. Hair: I try to stick to a bit more often than once a week schedule. I have long hair, so after I wash them, I keep them down for a couple of days. And then they get put up in a ponitail and it's pretty hard to tell how clean or dirty they are. But, if I'm going out, I will wash my hair before that, but it doesn't happen often.
3. Clothes: I wear clothes until they don't pass a smell test, or they have stains on them. Jeans and sweaters get washed rarely, as I can't tell if the jeans are dirty unless I stained them. Undies - every day.
4. Sheets - about once a month, maybe 3 weeks. Can be every two weeks in the summer. Comforter gets washed maybe twice a year. Towels I wash as I remember to change them, maybe every two weeks.

My son's clothes get changed more often as he's physically active during the day. I just have a desk job. Basically, everything goes through a smell test, even my son. I have to drag him to shower, and pointing out that he smells usually works the best. And, we both rarely (maybe once or twice a year) get sick with colds and such. To me that shows that we are clean enough to stay healthy.
It's interesting to see that a lot of people who posted that their habits are not to advertized cleanliness are apologetic about it.

Anonymous said...

1) Two to three times a week - often with a friend (my kid)
2) Once or twice a week.
3) Underwear and socks are the only single use item in my house (and my husbands shirts). And we line dry everything.
4) Every week or two. I confess I prefer weekly on this one but sometimes I get a little behind.

Robj98168 said...

1- Once per day sometimestwice depending what I did at work
2- What hair????
3- I usually wear my work jeans for 3-4 days unless I got into something stinky or gross
4- Sheets once every two weeks

Anonymous said...

1. now it is winter and i TRY to remember to get my kids and me into the shower/bath once a week. summer more often, but probably not more than every 3 days. i like human smell. and i have a killer deodorant (weleda.)

2. 7 years without shampoo. your hair doesn't make as much oil if you are not stripping it away with shampoo all the time.

3. no underwear (unless diva time), all socks get washed (whether i remember to change them everyday is another question), everything else is subjected to spot/sniff test. if it passes, it get folded up and put away.

4. i actually SWEEP my sheets from time to time, wash whenever peed on by one of my kids. as a single mom, i'm not having sex on those sheets, maybe that makes a difference. i can't think of any reason to wash bath towels here in my average humidity environment.

Anonymous said...

1. Somewhere in between every day and every second day, depending on what season it is, what I'm doing (I'll wash more for school or work than for bumming around the house) and whether I've got my period.
2. Once a week with shampoo and conditioner, plus once or twice with just water.
3. I rewear bulky items. Everything else gets washed after one use, except for Friday's clothes, which are almost always reworn on the Saturday.
4. Once a week if I'm on the ball, once every two weeks if I'm being slack.

Segwyne said...

Yikes! First let me clarify that I grew up with no running water.

1. Shower 1-2x/week.
2. Wash hair at same time.
3. For a long time I only had two pairs of jeans, so I wore each for several days before washing. Same with my bras. I had to sleep in my bra because I was nursing and would wake up in a puddle of milk if I didn't sleep with bra and bra pads. Now my shirt gets dirty enough every day to change daily with a baby who likes to wipe his nose on me. Underwear gets changed daily without question. Yuck.
4. Sheets get washed when I remember. Usually that means when they are soaked in milk or baby pee, or once a month or so. Blankets only get washed a few times a year.

Trish said...

Hello, crunchy chicken - greetings from England. Interesting, lively blog, and this post really seemed to hit a rich vein when it comes to comments!
1. Shower normally once a day (occasionally having a 'day off' if not expecting to be in close company!)
2. When it was short - every day. Now it's long - once or twice a week.
3. Knicks and socks - clean every day. Other clothes I may wear more than once before washing (especially jeans and bulky clothes)
4. Sheets/pillow-cases - once a week if I remember - occasionally less frequently. I use a top sheet so that I don't have to wash the duvet cover very often. Bath towels - generally once a week; hand towels - probably change them twice a week.

Ashley said...

1. During the school term, I will shower (at most) every other day. Otherwise, I will go as long as possible (lately, 7-9 days).
2. I wash my hair every time I shower.
3. I wear everything more than once. The only things that I may use once before washing are towels. I also have a wardrobe that revolves around two different color/style pants. I have 3 black slacks (for work), and 3 pair of tan capris (for warmer months). All my tops go with either color pant, but I am able to get about 3 days out of each pair of pants before tossing them in the wash.
4. As I've given up my room to a relative... I crash on my couch. Otherwise, sheets are washed every 2 weeks (that room is used by someone with limited mobility with the habit of eating in her bed) or they may go over a month (the other rooms don't get used often)

Rose said...

I shower 3 times a day... and no, I don't have OCD... it's something influenced on me from my parents

Pat said...

Reading your blog really inspires me. I'm new to this "green living" concept.

1) I shower EVERY day.
2) I also wash my hair EVERY day. I can't get it to look right unless I wash, condition, and blow dry. So maybe I need a new hairstlye?
3) The only item I'm willing to wear more than once is jeanns and bras.
4) Bedding gets washed once a month or so. My cycle usually prompts this. Blankets and duvet cover? Every couple of months.

I really like my clothes to smell fresh from the laundry. Not sure how to get past that.

Anonymous said...

My Personal Cleaning Habits?

1. Shower...EVERYDAY...unless I don't work that day and plan on doing NOTHING I just do without.

2. Until the last 3 weeks...EVERYDAY...since I went NO POO...I use baking soda and then a vinegar rinse...every other day and then on the off da I rinse.

3. Pretty much. UNDERWEAR NO...bras can usually go a week or so..depends when i remember to throw it in the basket.

4. I live with my sister and she is a major germapobe...The sheets are change EVERY WEEK!

Chili Bean said...

Short answer, If it looks clean and smells clean I'll usually wear it again.

I'd heard of people in extreme conditions wearing underpants for a month, the story goes that they wear them for a week, take em off turn em round for the second week, 3rd week turn em inside out,4th week turn em round again. Wondering if this was an urban myth I googled it.I found out a record time for wearing underpants without washing was 86 days! Worn by a research scientist in Antarctica, when he removed them they disintegrated.
If you put 'NASA astronauts dirty laundry' into google you can find out what they do. They wear em for 3-4 days. Several months worth of dirty laudry are blasted back to Earth. One guy used his for germinating seeds.
In sharp contrast, on a UK TV documentary about waste and landfill, a man was featured who had a new pair of underpants every day, after wearing them they would be thrown away as he liked the feel of them straight from the packet.