When it comes to our laundry habits, it seems many of us have a dirty little secret: we wash certain pieces of clothing and household items way less often than we should. Hammonds, a U.K.-based furniture company surveyed 2,000 adults about how often they washed their clothes and fabric home goods and found that some high-use items tend to be woefully neglected in the laundry room. People reported washing these items once per year or even less—despite warnings from experts that doing so is unsanitary, or even a health risk. For instance, 36 percent of people report cleaning their bedsheets once per year or less—meaning they accumulate a year's worth of dust, bacteria, skin cells, and even fungus. Yuck.
So, which clothing item is least likely to get regularly soaked and sudsed? Read on to find out which piece of clothing people typically wash the least.
RELATED: You Should Never Clean Your Toilet With This, Experts Warn.
12 Hoodies
People who wash once a year or less: 13 percent
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11 Hats
People who wash once a year or less: 14 percent
10 Pants
People who wash once a year or less: 14 percent
9 Sweaters
People who wash once a year or less: 15 percent
8 Suits
People who wash once a year or less: 17 percent
7 Jeans
People who wash once a year or less: 18 percent
6 Gloves
People who wash once a year or less: 25 percent
5 Scarves
People who wash once a year or less: 28 percent
4 Bedsheets
People who wash once a year or less: 30 percent
RELATED: 1 in 3 People Only Wash These Once a Year, Survey Says.
3 Cushion Covers
People who wash once a year or less: 33 percent
2 Blankets
People who wash once a year or less: 36 percent
1 Coats
People who wash once a year or less: 38 percent
RELATED: Stop Washing This Every Time You Shower, Doctors Say.
Lauren Gray Lauren Gray is a New York-based writer, editor, and consultant.Read moreFiled UnderCleaning • NewsRead This NextHow Often You Should Really Wash Your Jeans
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