Talk to 100 different people, and you’ll likely encounter 100 different standards of cleanliness. One person’s clutter is another person’s squalor. Some people will go green in the face at the idea of not showering twice a day, and others shrug it off and do it every other day.
This, of course, carries over to laundry, too. Some people say clothing is dirty after a single wear, and others give a garment two or three. But according to science, there is one article of clothing that absolutely must be washed immediately after a single use, and it’s likely you’re unaware of why.
Science says you should never wear socks more than once.
Now I am not a fastidious person by any means, but the idea of rewearing socks is, uh, disgusting? No offense! But socks stink! Why are you rewearing them?! Am I alone here?
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Apparently so, because science has actually weighed in on the matter, and y’all really need to stop rewearing your socks immediately. Because it’s not just that musty locker room odor you have to worry about. It turns out our socks, and the feet we put in them, for that matter, are positively teeming with creepy-crawlies.
Our feet have more than 1,000 bacterial and fungal species that seep into our socks all day.
BRB just gonna go barf real quick! But it’s true: As microbiologist Primrose Freestone put it in an article for research site The Conversation, our feet are home to a “microscopic rainforest of bacteria and fungi.”
In fact, our feet have a more diverse range of fungi than any other part or system of our bodies. They also contain a higher number of sweat glands than any other body part. And it is this combination that makes our feet stink.
All those microbes are feasting on our dead skin and sweat, and they give off waste products that smell like onions, cheese, and, even weirder, goats. Roll it all together, and our feet are downright rank.
And our socks aid and abet this process. Because the fabric traps the moisture that our feet are constantly giving off, they become a sort of feeding system to these bacteria, making it even easier for them to reproduce.
Bacteria can survive in our socks for up to 90 days. Stop rewearing your socks!
Not only are these bacteria numerous, but they’re hardy little buggers. Some bacteria can survive on cotton for up to 90 days, and it’s important to note that the bacteria in your socks don’t just include the naturally occurring ones from your feet, but anything your feet have contacted on the floors of your environment.
And to compare to the rest of your laundry: In a study that evaluated the bacteria found in different types of clothing after being worn once, socks beat out every other garment out there. Yes, even your underwear and those stinky t-shirts of yours. The study found that a t-shirt contained an average of 83,000 bacteria after a single wear. Socks? 8-9 million!
So what’s the solution? Well, washing your socks after a single wear, for starters, and doing so with hot water. Scientists say you can get away with a warm water wash if your feet aren’t that smelly, but complete sanitization of your socks requires enzymatic detergent and water of at least 60 degrees Celsius, or 140 Fahrenheit.
Just as important is not to wear the same shoes every day, so that they have plenty of time to air out between wearings. Because what’s on your feet, making them stink, is also colonizing in your shoes, making them stink even more. So there you have it, sock-rewearing weirdos: Knock it off, and go wash your dang socks! And your feet, while you’re at it.
John Sundholm is a writer, editor, and video personality with 20 years of experience in media and entertainment. He covers culture, mental health, and human interest topics.
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