It's time to come clean...

We’ve been washing clothes too much, even stinky gym gear at least that’s what ecological experts say. Katie Rosseinsky delves into nitty-gritty facts to find out if they have a point

- Katie Rosseinsky

If you want to kick up a real stink, tell people how often they should be washing their clothes. A French government-backed organisation has learned this the hard way after releasing a guide outlining exactly how frequently certain garments need to be cleaned. According to the Agency for Ecological Transition, the dirty truth is that many of us are probably doing far more laundry than we actually need to. T-shirts, they say, can be worn five times before being consigned to the wash basket. Jeans can last for 30 days (that means about a month of use).

Most controversial, though, is the verdict on gym clothes. If you assumed that sweaty exercise gear would be granted immunity from these rewearing recommendations, you’re wrong. Instead, the guidance suggests that workout attire can in fact be worn three times before being thrown in the washing machine, advice that might raise a few eyebrows (and prompt a few disgruntled sniffs). These new rules haven’t gone down particularly well in France, partly thanks to concerns that they play into oldfashioned stereotypes about the nation’s attitude to hygiene. Right-wing politicians have also jumped at the chance to slam the guidance as the epitome of resource-draining, nanny state bureaucracy.

But it might actually be time to hold our noses and admit that the agency does have a point. Even those of us who try to swerve plastic bottles and always remember to cart around a reusable coffee cup probably don’t think too deeply before loading up the machine and sticking it on a hot cycle. We’re too busy breathing a sigh of relief that we’ll no longer be haunted by the spectre of outfits past, piling up in the corner of the bedroom. Yet the environmental impact of our laundry habit is truly shocking.