How often you should REALLY wash your clothes after 'gross girl' mother-of-two revealed she rarely showers and skips deodorant

The matter of doing one's laundry was relatively straightforward until new guidelines from a government-backed French agency sparked outrage last week. Earlier this month, the Agency for Ecological Transition (ADEME) noted that people were washing their clothes too frequently and shared a series of best practices that became controversial - while reinvigorating the debate around hygiene. 'Too-frequent laundry increases water pollution and wears out clothes more quickly,' ADEME noted, in a 16-page guide titled 'How to clean in a more environmentally friendly way'.

While underwear should be washed after one use, the ecological body recommended, washing gymwear after one to three uses, bras after seven uses, and jeans after a months' worth of wear. The advice was largely met with ridicule online but journalist and self-professed 'gross girl' Annabel Fenwick Elliott - who has doesn't use toothpaste or deodorant and rarely showers - is among the agency's supporters.

'I do agree with advice issued by the French government earlier this month that people are washing their clothes far too often,' Annabel wrote for MailOnline. So, where does that leave your own washing schedule?. Experts have varying opinions on how many times different items of clothing can be reworn before you absolutely must do a load of laundry. Experts typically recommend washing your jeans after 30 wears or as and when they start to smell 'funky' (Stock photo).

They agree that bras can be worn three-four times before they need washing but underpants should be cleaned after every wear (Stock photo). Speaking to The Times, the founder of The Clothes Doctor - a high-end clothes cleaning company - Lulu O'Connor suggested people have a tendency to 'overwash' garments because they're 'lazy'. 'People are lazy about looking after clothes and throw them in the wash every time they've worn them, because frankly it's easier than steaming or spot cleaning or hanging them up.'.

She advises washing sheets and pyjamas once a week, bras after three or four wears, and t-shirts up to five. 'We say 30 wears for jeans, 15 wears for jumpers,' she added. While Katie Mortram, the household advice editor of Good Housekeeping UK, agrees that bras don't need washing every day, she suggests throwing your jeans into the machine 'every 10 wears or so unless they're visibly dirty'. In an interview with DailyMail.com, US-based cleaning expert Caroline Solomon shared her best-kept laundry secrets, including the right way to wash your intimates.

Explaining that bras only need washing 'after three wears', she added: 'The best way to wash them is by hand with a mild detergent, but you can also machine wash them in an optional mesh bag to help them maintain their shape. 'Underpants should be washed after every use. The correct way to wash them depends on the material, but generally, it helps to toss them in a lingerie bag to help maintain their shape and elasticity,' Caroline added.

(Stock photo) The founder of The Clothes Doctor - a high-end clothes cleaning company - Lulu O'Connor (not pictured) suggested people have a tendency to 'overwash' garments because they're 'lazy'. She also advised on how often your socks should be cleaned, adding they need to be washed 'after every use' without fail. Caroline even shared her secrets to lengthening socks' lifespans when cleaning them. 'Turn socks inside out and then toss in the washing machine. To lengthen their lifespan and prevent the elastic fibers from stretching out, socks should be washed in cold water on a gentle cycle,' she recommended.

'You can air dry socks to extend their lifespan even further, or simply toss them in the dryer on low after each wash.'. When it comes to jeans, she continued, a 'good indicator' is when they start to smell 'funky' but they can usually last up to 10 wears between washes. 'As always, read the care label on your jeans, but a good rule of thumb is to turn jeans inside out and wash on cold water setting on a delicate cycle to prevent shrinkage. Hang dry jeans,' the cleaning pro advised.

There are different rules for summer and winter clothes, with woollen garments typically requiring extra TLC. Australian cleaning expert Alexis Todorovski, who works with clothing recycling company SCRgroup, said jumpers only need to be washed every two or three wears. There are different rules for summer and winter clothes, with woolen garments typically requiring extra TLC (Stock photo). To retain their shape and make sure they don't shrink, she suggests using the wool wash setting or handwashing them.

Most coats and jackets only need to be washed once per season, before they are popped away for the summer months, Alexis explained. This includes down jackets, leather jackets and woollen coats, as they don't come into direct contact with skin as often as other pieces of clothing. However, fleeces should be washed every six or seven wears, according to Alexis. Meanwhile, beanies, scarves, and gloves - that have the most direct contact - are often also the most ignored on laundry days.