Search icon

Life

27th Nov 2018

Here’s how often we should be washing our pyjamas, says one expert

Know someone who gets weeks out of theirs?

Anna O'Rourke

We’re fairly happy with this news.

Be honest – how long do you try and get out of your pjs? Four or five nights? A week? Longer?

Between having a favourite cosy set and sheer laziness, we’re divils for changing our pyjamas but thankfully we needn’t feel too guilty.

One woman started a fierce debate on Mumsnet recently by saying that you should wash your PJs after every wear and now the Good Housekeeping Institute has weighed in on this important issue.

It says wearing the same pyjamas for seven nights is fine… if you keep yourself clean.

“Pyjamas should be washed after a few good nights’ sleep,” Verity Mann, Head of Testing at the institute, told Prima.

“If you shower before you go to bed, you can wait a few extra nights between washings: I’d say once a week, so every seven days.”

But if you’re a nighttime sweater – we all know one – or are not feeling well, once a week isn’t enough.

“If someone has been ill, wash them straight away on as high a temperature as the care label allows.”

We like to think of ourselves as fairly hygienic individuals (most of the time, at least) so we’re delighted we can get the most out of our pjs.

Wonder if this applies to those us who get straight into the jammies and dressing gown the moment we get into the house…