How Often Should You Wash Your Hoodie? (Solved!)

Hoodies are my go-to piece for the fall season. They are comfortable, stylish, and the definition of cozy streetwear. If given the choice, I would gladly wear hoodies year-round. But that would be a problem because the hoodie will start to smell.

Which brings us to an important question – How often should you wash your hoodie?

Hoodies should be washed after every five wears or so. Unlike t-shirts and gym clothes, hoodies can go a long time between washes without experiencing any major issues such as pit stains or odor.

That is not all though. There are still tons of questions that need to be answered about washing a hoodie. Let’s cover them one by one.

How many times should you wear a hoodie before washing it?

A hoodie can be worn five to ten times before it needs to go in the washing machine. This is because a hoodie is usually worn over another layer of clothing – it does not touch the skin directly.

This buffer layer makes sure that sweat cannot travel from the surface of your skin to the fabric of your hoodie.

However, after 5-10 wears, especially if you’re wearing your hoodie outside the house, it is bound to get dirty. The fabric may not seem overly filthy, but by this point, the hoodie will develop a mild odor. You should wash your hoodie when it starts to smell.

As a great man once said, not all hoodies are the same.

Pullover hoodies generally fall on the lower end of this range, just by virtue of the fact that they cover your entire body and can get dirty more easily.

Zip-up hoodies are like jackets. You rarely, if ever, need to wash them (after a customary wash at the beginning of each season).

Should you wash hoodies everyday?

Hoodies should not be washed every time you wear them. Doing this will just make the fabric deteriorate faster. If your hoodie is a cheap poly-cotton blend, then excessive washing can also lead to pilling.

There is just no reason to wash your hoodies this often.

Does washing damage the hoodie?

Washing does not damage a hoodie… but excessive washing does. It can lead to pilling of the fabric, shrinkage, loss of shape, and fading of color.

So how much is too much?

The answer really depends upon the quality of your hoodie. If the construction on it is exquisite and the materials are also great, then no amount of washing is going to harm your hoodie.

However, cheap oversized sweatshirts from H&M and Zara are the first ones to lose their shape.

There is no need to hold your breath every time you wash your sweatshirts though. In most cases, if you follow my recommendation of wearing your hoodie a few times between every wash, you can be sure that no damage is going to happen to it.

Is washing hoodies necessary?

Yes, washing a hoodie is necessary. It will help in keeping the garment clean and making sure that it smells fresh.

All this talk may get you thinking that you can get away with not washing your hoodie at all, but that’s not the case. If you want to look presentable, it is imperative that your sweatshirt is looking clean.

But the beauty of loungewear is that you can afford to be lazy and go a few wears before really washing it.

Should you wash your hoodie inside out?

Hoodies and sweatshirts should be turned inside out before they are put in the washing machine. This protects the visible outer layer from the agitation that occurs during the washing process.

Should you zip up hoodies before washing?

A hoodie should always be zipped up before washing. This prevents the zipper from cutting or damaging the other clothes in the wash. It also makes the sweatshirt take less space in the machine.

Final Remarks

Sweatshirts are pieces of outerwear that do not need a lot of washing. You can easily go 5-10 wears before actually needing to wash them.

That’s the great thing about hoodies. They make it extremely easy to look good (especially if they are tailored to fit you perfectly), which is great for lazy folks for me.

If you’re also a lazy dude like me, go ahead and get a comfortable hoodie that can help you survive the winter season.