For some people, the Sniff Test is a daily part of our lives. For others, it's a complete mystery.
What is the Sniff Test? Simply put, hold your clothes up to yourself. Do it smell rank? Pop it in the wash. Does it smell OK? You'll get another wear out of it.
In 2011, a college student performed a simple experiment. He wore the same pair of jeans for FIFTEEN MONTHS without washing them. He then swabbed the jeans for bacteria, dumped them in the wash and then wore them for thirteen more days and swabbed them again.
The experiment was pretty cut and dry - there was a negligible amount of difference in the bacteria between the two samples, meaning that washing jeans repeatedly is a waste of water and energy.
Don't get us wrong. We're not saying that it's a case of NEVER wash your jeans or clothes. Obviously not. However, if you have a spot or a stain or there's a particular smell that you're keen to get rid off, a run in the wash might help.
If, however, you're to follow the advice of Chip Bergh, the CEO of Levi Strauss, the answer for jeans is more simple. You should NEVER wash them. Ever. Why?
It's a bit odd, but it's a lot to do with the longevity of the denim itself. Moreover, he suggests that for stains and the like, spot cleaning is better than washing the jeans entirely. Plus, you're helping the environment.
An other belief is that one should freeze said jeans to kill off any bacteria. This will also help the jeans to keep their shape, which is also a bit odd.
