# Washing socks. How often?



## kcduffer (Jan 29, 2013)

i was just reading a blog post referenced in today's week in review e-mail from Knitting Daily. It was about these gorgeous fair isle socks and knitting them without a gusset. A ways into it, she showed a picture of her socks and suggested they needed a washing and blocking. I got the impression that these socks had not been washed after having been worn many times. So it got me to wondering--How often do our knitted socks need to be washed? Am I overdoing it by washing them after I wear them all day? Anyway, I would love to hear how others feel about this topic.


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## Kathie (Mar 29, 2011)

I agree with you on this. I believe socks have to be clean every day too.


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## morningstar (Mar 24, 2012)

kcduffer said:


> i was just reading a blog post referenced in today's week in review e-mail from Knitting Daily. It was about these gorgeous fair isle socks and knitting them without a gusset. A ways into it, she showed a picture of her socks and suggested they needed a washing and blocking. I got the impression that these socks had not been washed after having been worn many times. So it got me to wondering--How often do our knitted socks need to be washed? Am I overdoing it by washing them after I wear them all day? Anyway, I would love to hear how others feel about this topic.


For healthy feet, wash after each wearing. Change no less than once a day.


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## knotlinda (Feb 16, 2014)

Yes, everyday that they are worn. You do not want fungus under your toe nails.


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## Chocolatechips (Jan 6, 2012)

I wash mine after each wearing.


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## Vignewood (Apr 18, 2011)

I wash mine after every wearing.


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## alvadee (Nov 21, 2013)

morningstar said:


> For healthy feet, wash after each wearing. Change no less than once a day.


Yes indeed, change every day.


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## kayrein (Aug 24, 2011)

Ewww, I would never wear socks a second day without washing! Who wants smelly feet???


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## Grand8ma (Feb 16, 2014)

Perhaps washed and blocked before wearing the first time???


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## riggy (Apr 9, 2012)

I agree too. I always wash mine after wearing them and so far so good.


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## Vignewood (Apr 18, 2011)

I would agree with that. The socks are much softer after the first washing.


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## Phee (Feb 15, 2012)

Come on ladies, would you wear your panties two days in a row ?The same goes for socks wash them after wearing.


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## kcduffer (Jan 29, 2013)

Grand8ma said:


> Perhaps washed and blocked before wearing the first time???


The socks pictured had obviously been well worn...


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## fibermcgivver (Dec 18, 2012)

I'm going out on a limb here, but I wash my wool socks usually after 3 or 4 wearings.... they don't smell (wool is breathable so I don't notice sweat) and even when I had a supressed immune system, I never developed nail or foot fungus problems. I have found that cotton socks will smell after one wearing but my wool socks are ok. Hmm..... what do other KPers think about this topic.


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## morningstar (Mar 24, 2012)

fibermcgivver said:


> I'm going out on a limb here, but I wash my wool socks usually after 3 or 4 wearings.... they don't smell (wool is breathable so I don't notice sweat) and even when I had a supressed immune system, I never developed nail or foot fungus problems. I have found that cotton socks will smell after one wearing but my wool socks are ok. Hmm..... what do other KPers think about this topic.


Not only do your feet sweat...even if you don't notice it...but human skin has other secretions. Those sock interiors are breeding grounds for all kinds of bacteria and fungus.


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## Ronie (Jan 21, 2011)

Grand8ma said:


> Perhaps washed and blocked before wearing the first time???


That is what I got from this... after all that hard work I would want them to look their best


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## WindingRoad (May 7, 2013)

morningstar said:


> Not only do your feet sweat...even if you don't notice it...but human skin has other secretions. Those sock interiors are breeding grounds for all kinds of bacteria and fungus.


I wear mine to bed. Hardly get dirty. I wash after 3-4 wearings. I don't pee out of my feet as one poster mentioned undies. OMG.

Do you wash your sheets every day after you've slept in them.


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## fibermcgivver (Dec 18, 2012)

morningstar said:


> Not only do your feet sweat...even if you don't notice it...but human skin has other secretions. Those sock interiors are breeding grounds for all kinds of bacteria and fungus.


Think about shoes and slippers.....


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## WindingRoad (May 7, 2013)

fibermcgivver said:


> Think about shoes and slippers.....


Now I wash them after every wearing. And my bathrobe every day too. God think of my nasty germs all over my body. OMG. Sorry satire.


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## fibermcgivver (Dec 18, 2012)

WindingRoad said:


> Now I wash them after every wearing. And my bathrobe every day too. God think of my nasty germs all over my body. OMG. Sorry satire.


You're funny.....


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## WindingRoad (May 7, 2013)

fibermcgivver said:


> You're funny.....


SHHHHHH don't say that out loud. Someone will complain about you and I. LOL


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## WindingRoad (May 7, 2013)

fibermcgivver said:


> Think about shoes and slippers.....


Actually, if I wear slippers barefoot I line them with either waxed paper or plastic wrap. Keeps the germs on my feet and not on the slippers. And heaven's if I walk barefoot outside I can't come back inside until I autoclave my feet.


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## bwtyer (Oct 31, 2012)

I wash my socks after wearing once as well but I am thinking a less active person who has not left the house nor even put on shoes that day may not need to as the socks do breathe. If I stay in the house all day, I don't even put on socks, I shuffle around in my comfy slippers. (without wax paper), sorry about that WindingRoad. I toss my slippers in the wash once a week.


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## WindingRoad (May 7, 2013)

bwtyer said:


> I wash my socks after wearing once as well but I am thinking a less active person who has not left the house nor even put on shoes that day may not need to as the socks do breathe. If I stay in the house all day, I don't even put on socks, I shuffle around in my comfy slippers. (without wax paper), sorry about that WindingRoad. I toss my slippers in the wash once a week.


I actually have some slippers I bought at WalMart. They are pink YUCK and like terry cloth on the toe part. They sure do get dirty and they have a plastic sole but they can be washed. As I don't eat with my feet I don't worry to much about dirty slippers. LOL

Ha it's cold here in Maine. I wear wool socks all year round.


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## RoxyCatlady (Mar 22, 2011)

kcduffer said:


> i was just reading a blog post referenced in today's week in review e-mail from Knitting Daily. It was about these gorgeous fair isle socks and knitting them without a gusset. A ways into it, she showed a picture of her socks and suggested they needed a washing and blocking. I got the impression that these socks had not been washed after having been worn many times. So it got me to wondering--How often do our knitted socks need to be washed? Am I overdoing it by washing them after I wear them all day? Anyway, I would love to hear how others feel about this topic.


I wash after one wearing. But, some of my older pairs do look rather "beaten up" even *AFTER* washing!!

Honestly, though - if I were going to share a picture of a pair of socks - I would definitely wash them first!!


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## GrumpyGramma (Oct 20, 2014)

I think I'm really strange. I let my hand knit wool socks air and alternate two or three pairs and wear each several times before washing. If they seem dirty then in the wash they go, otherwise they can be worn again. I wonder how I've survived all these years living with nasty germs all around me. I'm hoping that lining slippers with plastic wrap is a joke, that really could lead to foot problems and would feel horrid.


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## Dcsmith77 (Apr 18, 2011)

Grand8ma said:


> Perhaps washed and blocked before wearing the first time???


 :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:


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## WindingRoad (May 7, 2013)

GrumpyGramma said:


> I think I'm really strange. I let my hand knit wool socks air and alternate two or three pairs and wear each several times before washing. If they seem dirty then in the wash they go, otherwise they can be worn again. I wonder how I've survived all these years living with nasty germs all around me. I'm hoping that lining slippers with plastic wrap is a joke, that really could lead to foot problems and would feel horrid.


yes it was absurd most jokes are like that.


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## GrumpyGramma (Oct 20, 2014)

WindingRoad said:


> yes it was absurd most jokes are like that.


I thought so but sometimes... :thumbup:


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## WindingRoad (May 7, 2013)

GrumpyGramma said:


> I thought so but sometimes... :thumbup:


Remember close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.


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## dora mac (Nov 15, 2011)

Socks like panties need a clean pair every day.


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## WindingRoad (May 7, 2013)

skyequeen said:


> Socks like panties need a clean pair every day.


I'd love to say stop peeing on your feet but I won't.


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## paljoey46 (Nov 20, 2011)

Heck yeah, wash after wearing.


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## lildeb2 (Jul 14, 2013)

Kathie said:


> I agree with you on this. I believe socks have to be clean every day too.


Ditto!


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## grandmatimestwo (Mar 30, 2011)

I wash my socks every time I wear them.


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## Marge St Pete (Jul 21, 2011)

Wear one time and wash them.


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## Carole Jeanne (Nov 18, 2011)

I havent made so ks so i dont know about washing, but i have eaten raw cookie dough (as the opportunity arises)for close to 70 years and thats never made me sick. 

I do not eat sny form of raw meat, however.


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## WindingRoad (May 7, 2013)

Carole Jeanne said:


> I havent made so ks so i dont know about washing, but i have eaten raw cookie dough (as the opportunity arises)for close to 70 years and thats never made me sick.
> 
> I do not eat sny form of raw meat, however.


I ran with scissors once and lived to tell about it.


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## mkjfrj (Apr 2, 2011)

I agree, every time they're worn.


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## WindingRoad (May 7, 2013)

mkjfrj said:


> I agree, every time they're worn.


How long can you wear them? 12 hours, 15 hours, 18 hours, 24????


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## beachknit (Oct 25, 2011)

kayrein said:


> Ewww, I would never wear socks a second day without washing! Who wants smelly feet???


 :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:


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## WindingRoad (May 7, 2013)

beachknit said:


> :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:


So you wash your slippers every day when you don't have socks on. Do you wash your bathrobe every day. And what about your sheets, especially if you've had some fun the night before.


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## Crzywymyn (Dec 18, 2013)

Is the question do you wash hand-knit socks every time you wear them or wash all socks every time they are worn? And if it's the hand-knits, do you block them each time?


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## WindingRoad (May 7, 2013)

Crzywymyn said:


> Is the question do you wash hand-knit socks every time you wear them or wash all socks every time they are worn? And if it's the hand-knits, do you block them each time?


My feet are the best blockers and they don't cost me much.


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## TERIGODMOTHER (Sep 30, 2014)

This has been an interesting read. I fall into the wash after 2-3 wearings with my wool socks but after every wearing with the one pair of cotton socks I knit. I figured if you could use baby soakers and not change them after every diaper change my feet would be okay. Honestly that concept was a bit hard for me to grab hold of.


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## Irene1 (Oct 23, 2013)

I wash my socks my socks after wearing them all day. That's also why I have so many, besides loving knitting socks. A good soak in wool wash, rolled in a towel, and hung up to dry. I don't block socks. They've never needed blocking. I do not machine wash mine, as some are knit in yarns that tend to want to felt a little and some have dyes that want to run.


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## Sedona (Oct 3, 2011)

Thanks Winding Road for making this a fun topic to read this morning - I got some good laughs! 


WindingRoad said:


> My feet are the best blockers and they don't cost me much.


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## Oldesttm (Jul 4, 2012)

GrumpyGramma said:


> I think I'm really strange. I let my hand knit wool socks air and alternate two or three pairs and wear each several times before washing. If they seem dirty then in the wash they go, otherwise they can be worn again. I wonder how I've survived all these years living with nasty germs all around me. I'm hoping that lining slippers with plastic wrap is a joke, that really could lead to foot problems and would feel horrid.


I guess that I am strange too. I am now trying to switch to 100% wool socks and wash them (after several airings/wearings) by soaking in wool wash. There are socks that are hundreds of years old that never wore out on the bottom. I decided that our excess cleanliness was wearing out the socks instead of allowing them to felt slightly on the wear areas!


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## flitri (Jun 13, 2011)

I wash socks after each wearing.


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## WindingRoad (May 7, 2013)

Sedona said:


> Thanks Winding Road for making this a fun topic to read this morning - I got some good laughs!


I just never knew sock changing could be such a fertile topic. OMG I crack myself up.


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## TNS (Nov 27, 2012)

..........I wash my feet every day .....&#128513;
In case I'm going to put them in my mouth......


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## Kathie (Mar 29, 2011)

TNS said:


> ..........I wash my feet every day .....😁
> In case I'm going to put them in my mouth......


Always a good idea. :thumbup: :thumbup:


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## dianes1717 (May 24, 2013)

TNS said:


> ..........I wash my feet every day .....😁
> In case I'm going to put them in my mouth......


 :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## flitri (Jun 13, 2011)

I wash my feet everyday as well but I can't get them to my mouth


TNS said:


> ..........I wash my feet every day .....😁
> In case I'm going to put them in my mouth......


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## yanagi (Jul 7, 2013)

Due to foot health reasons, socks need to be washed every time you wear them. I have enough pairs that it's a small wash load when they're all dirty. I just put them in sweater bags, four pair to a bag and toss them into the washer with Eucalan and wash on wool cycle. I don't dry them in the dryer, even on cold. I just pat them into shape on a sheet on the floor in the guest room.


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## sumnerusa (Nov 9, 2011)

TNS said:


> ..........I wash my feet every day .....😁
> In case I'm going to put them in my mouth......


OMG!


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## henhouse2011 (Feb 20, 2011)

Carole Jeanne said:


> I havent made so ks so i dont know about washing, but i have eaten raw cookie dough (as the opportunity arises)for close to 70 years and thats never made me sick.
> 
> I do not eat sny form of raw meat, however.


All those recipes that said "makes three dozen"? Nah...never did.


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## smokinneedles (Jun 1, 2012)

EWEEEEEEEE, I never heard of that EWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE.


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## mirl56 (Dec 20, 2011)

I mostly wash after each day of wear. Occassionally I'll wear 2 times, but not 2 days in a row - let them air out before wearing a 2nd time. 

Don't block them ever. My feet are for that! Machine wash in cold in a mesh bag (so washer doesn't eat any). Hang to dry. I only use machine wash/dry sock yarn, but figure the act of hanging to dry helps with long life of socks.

LOVE raw cookie dough!!!


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## shirleyoboe (Feb 21, 2012)

Every wearing!
It just grosses me out the way some people wear bras multiple times without washing!
I guess it depends on your climate--if it's really cold, I guess it wouldn't matter that much....BUT!


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## beachknit (Oct 25, 2011)

WindingRoad said:


> So you wash your slippers every day when you don't have socks on. Do you wash your bathrobe every day. And what about your sheets, especially if you've had some fun the night before.


Not quite the same analogies. I do change my underwear every day however!  :lol:


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## quiltwiz (Dec 17, 2011)

I must admit that I usually wear twice (in winter only) and air out on between.
Then wash by hand and pat out to dry. Am enjoying this thread very much...and the humor.


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## Medieval Reenactor (Sep 3, 2013)

I'd been meaning to ask about HOW folk wash their hand knit socks. Hand wash? In the machine? Detergent?


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## JTM (Nov 18, 2012)

Socks are washed every time they are worn. 

Could it be that the post you were reading was referring to washing and blocking when finished knitting??? That is often suggested, however I never block my socks...feet do a great job of blocking.

I use a zip type mesh bag to wash my socks in the washing machine...along with other items of relative same colors, with what ever laundry detergent I happen to be using at the time. Dry Flat. 
Jane


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## sockyarn (Jan 26, 2011)

I wash mine ever time I wear them. But a rule of thumb would be if they smell stinker then the dog you gotta was them.


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## jassy (Sep 17, 2011)

Mine go in the wash after each use.


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## Marny CA (Jun 26, 2011)

Think about your own personal hygiene. If you shower every day, change your underwear daily, change bra daily, wash top/blouse daily ... why would you want to wear socks more than once.

Maybe I'm stifled on this - my ex wore his socks so many days in a row that they stood up by themselves.

But then again, he only showered once every 2-3 months.


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## gr8 (Jul 4, 2013)

I used to knit wool socks for my dad and brother. They wore them in work boots or ski boots and wore a pair of thin cotton socks as a liner. The liners got the regular washings, the wool socks not so often.


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## Pishi (Jul 15, 2013)

WindingRoad said:


> So you wash your slippers every day when you don't have socks on. Do you wash your bathrobe every day. And what about your sheets, especially if you've had some fun the night before.


 :lol:


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## rkr (Aug 15, 2012)

Much to smile about today! I guess we have 2 camps; every wearing and after several. And neither will ever change the other....
My feet are especially cold in the winter and don't sweat-per se. I wear my wool socks a few times, as bed socks, and for daytime with clogs which aren't as closed-in as normal shoes & boots, allowing more air to reach the foot.

When one is trying to artificially avoid a germ build-up, do you realize the quadrillion bazillion number of 'normal' germs on our skin, in a symbiotic relationship, between our two different systems of inside & outside our skin, living in this intimate physical association, typically to the advantage of both?


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## wordancer (May 4, 2011)

I do the same!



GrumpyGramma said:


> I think I'm really strange. I let my hand knit wool socks air and alternate two or three pairs and wear each several times before washing. If they seem dirty then in the wash they go, otherwise they can be worn again. I wonder how I've survived all these years living with nasty germs all around me.


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## zebe (Jan 2, 2013)

Wool is naturally anti bacterial. Just saying. 
So wool sometimes. But never cotton or blends.


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## Kathie (Mar 29, 2011)

Look up fun foot facts on the web. I would give you the link but then the moderator would move it to a different place. This is an interesting site and gives you something to think about when deciding how often to wash your socks. 250,000 sweat glands in your feel and half a pint of sweat generated daily. Maybe changing them twice a day would be better. lol


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## jeanne63 (Mar 14, 2014)

Kathie said:


> I agree with you on this. I believe socks have to be clean every day too.


I hand wash mine in Eucalan (sp?) after each wearing, blot dry and hang to dry. Didn't block in the beginning.


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## sumnerusa (Nov 9, 2011)

Marny CA said:


> Think about your own personal hygiene. If you shower every day, change your underwear daily, change bra daily, wash top/blouse daily ... why would you want to wear socks more than once.
> 
> Maybe I'm stifled on this - my ex wore his socks so many days in a row that they stood up by themselves.
> 
> But then again, he only showered once every 2-3 months.


YUK! And you stayed married to him for how long!


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## silkandwool (Dec 5, 2011)

""I'm going out on a limb here, but I wash my wool socks usually after 3 or 4 wearings.... they don't smell (wool is breathable so I don't notice sweat) and even when I had a supressed immune system, I never developed nail or foot fungus problems. I have found that cotton socks will smell after one wearing but my wool socks are ok. Hmm..... what do other KPers think about this topic.""

fibermcgivver

I'm with fibermcgivver. I wear my hand knit socks 2 or 3 times before washing them I have so many pairs that I can air them out for few days before I wear them for the 2nd or 3rd time.


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## Pishi (Jul 15, 2013)

shirleyoboe said:


> Every wearing!
> It just grosses me out the way some people wear bras multiple times without washing!
> I guess it depends on your climate--if it's really cold, I guess it wouldn't matter that much....BUT!


At 80 I don't really sweat. Underarm hair is gone (north to the face) so I don't NEED to wash my bras as often as I used to. At home I don't even wear one! Everyone has their own needs. As for wool socks, I think I will start wearing them more than one day, if they don't smell.


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## Elder Ellen (Mar 9, 2013)

Oldesttm said:


> I guess that I am strange too. I am now trying to switch to 100% wool socks and wash them (after several airings/wearings) by soaking in wool wash. There are socks that are hundreds of years old that never wore out on the bottom. I decided that our excess cleanliness was wearing out the socks instead of allowing them to felt slightly on the wear areas!


I'm with you except that I've always used 100% wool. I wash socks when I think they need it, not after each wearing unless something dreadful happened to them. I wear shoes over my socks, so I'm not trotting around on dirty floors, mud, driveways, etc. in my socks. For the younger members of the family who have quit wearing shoes inside, it's a different story -- their wool socks need frequent washing and lots of mending. (I'm old fashioned enough to think running around stocking footed is a dirty habit.) I do wash cotton socks daily, if and when I wear them.


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## Gabriell (Sep 13, 2011)

It's hard for me to imagine anybody wearing socks a second time. I keep a bowl in my bathroom and put socks I have worn once in that bowl. When it is full, I wash the socks with shampoo and put them over towel racks to dry.


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## Elder Ellen (Mar 9, 2013)

May I ask how often do you wash your wool sweaters? I wash cotton sweat shirts a lot more often than wool sweaters. Wool tends to ward off soil a lot better than cotton. In fact, cotton seems to absorb soil so it needs frequent washing. Same goes for socks, in my book. I lay both sweaters and wool socks flat to dry most of the time but I block them if they look like they need it. Most cotton things go up on the line, or, into the drier depending mostly on the weather.


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## MarilynKnits (Aug 30, 2011)

I wash them after they are completed before I wear them, then every time I wear them I wash them just like with the rest of my underclothes, put them on after my morning shower, take them off to put on my night clothes, drop them down the laundry chute my DH built.


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## Chainstitcher (May 6, 2011)

WindingRoad said:


> I wear mine to bed. Hardly get dirty. I wash after 3-4 wearings. I don't pee out of my feet as one poster mentioned undies. OMG.
> 
> Do you wash your sheets every day after you've slept in them.


LOL! I was beginning to feel pretty scuzzy, because I, like you, wear my socks to bed, and rise and shine in them the next day.

Yesterday, I took off my socks, washed them with shampoo in the shower with me, towel dried them, and they are dry and ready to go again.

Thankfully, I too, do not pee on my socks! Yet.

Wow! What a discussion!


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## cookie68 (May 5, 2012)

Wash after each use.


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## Lisa Jeanne (Oct 13, 2014)

If the socks are knit from wool you can go more than one wearing without washing. That being said wash more often if it ill make your feel better.


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## cah (Oct 2, 2014)

I wash my wool socks after 2 uses, lay flat to dry, no special blocking. They're usually pretty stretched out after 2 wearings anyway. I just washed socks yesterday. I've only got 4 pair so far. One pair is worsted weight house socks, one pair is summer/spring peds, one pair doesn't fit right. I'd better get the needles moving!


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## sumnerusa (Nov 9, 2011)

Oh my gosh! I'm loving this conversation. Every thread should be this friendly and funny.


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## sdftrace (Jan 10, 2013)

Socks are only worn once and then straight to the wash. 

Also re the point raised earlier about how often a wool sweater was washed. 
I recently watched the TV series "Great British Railway journeys" which re-running - this is a wonderful series if you get the chance to view it. Michael Portillo who is completing all the journeys using his Victorian Bradshaw's Guide, recently visited Filey in Yorkshire. He met with a lady who was knitting Filey Guernseys - the sweater she was knitting was a joy to behold. It takes an experience knitter something like 100 hours to complete. 
But to get to my point, sorry it's taken me so long, there was some old footage in the film showing the fisherman wearing the sweaters/ganseys and the voice over quite clearly said the sweaters were very rarely washed as the natural oil in the wool would no longer give that waterproof protection for the wearer!

Thanks for this post, it's a great discussion.


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## onegrannygoose (May 13, 2011)

I don't understand people that wear any article of clothing more than once without washing. I would never wear anything other than a coat without if going through the wash after each and every wearing.


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## Pishi (Jul 15, 2013)

onegrannygoose said:


> I don't understand people that wear any article of clothing more than once without washing. I would never wear anything other than a coat without if going through the wash after each and every wearing.


Even jeans? Wool slacks?


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## Oldesttm (Jul 4, 2012)

This is a hoot! I remember (50 years ago), when pregnant and suffering from itchy skin, my well respected OB/GYN in Chicago telling me that Americans are just crazy when it comes to cleanliness. He said there was no need to take a shower more than once a week if you washed your bottom and armpits. More laughs! (He was mainstream American, not a "foreingner"...if you were wondering...and could have competed with George Clooney for looks.)


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## DivaDee (Jan 21, 2011)

WindingRoad said:


> I'd love to say stop peeing on your feet but I won't.


I'm glad you didn't.


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## DivaDee (Jan 21, 2011)

Do you wash your jeans after every wearing?
I do have to wash my socks after every wearing. (shhh don't tell anybody, but my feet stink) But the human body was not meant to be washed every day. Especially with hot water. It removes all the natural oils and leads to dry skin. And look st all of the old ladies that go in once a week for a wash and style. So we go back to whatever floats your boat.


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## WindingRoad (May 7, 2013)

DivaDee said:


> Do you wash your jeans after every wearing?
> I do have to wash my socks after every wearing. (shhh don't tell anybody, but my feet stink) But the human body was not meant to be washed every day. Especially with hot water. It removes all the natural oils and leads to dry skin. And look st all of the old ladies that go in once a week for a wash and style. So we go back to whatever floats your boat.


AAMOF I only wear my jeans for one day. As others have said about undies my jean are close to those nasty undies.


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## WindingRoad (May 7, 2013)

Oldesttm said:


> This is a hoot! I remember (50 years ago), when pregnant and suffering from itchy skin, my well respected OB/GYN in Chicago telling me that Americans are just crazy when it comes to cleanliness. He said there was no need to take a shower more than once a week if you washed your bottom and armpits. More laughs! (He was mainstream American, not a "foreingner"...if you were wondering...and could have competed with George Clooney for looks.)


It's called the PTA bath. Pitts, T*ts, and Arse.


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## WindingRoad (May 7, 2013)

Gabriell said:


> It's hard for me to imagine anybody wearing socks a second time. I keep a bowl in my bathroom and put socks I have worn once in that bowl. When it is full, I wash the socks with shampoo and put them over towel racks to dry.


See, I can't imagine washing socks by hand if they are so nasty after one wearing. I have to put my 2-3 times worn socks in the washing machine, granted on cold, but with detergent that's made specially for cold water, and then throw them in the dryer with my jeans etc. Gotta burn up those bugs and germs.


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## janicesmith (Mar 22, 2014)

I personally wash socks after each wearing, but am remembering blogs on the wool cloth diapers covers (don't remember what they are called) but it states that there is no odors even after several days (eww) and since they are wool,they are breathable, and these would have the potential of smelling much worse than feet!


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## sbeth53 (Mar 29, 2011)

Now that's funny!!! Good thing I wash my feet every day cause they are often in my mouth....


TNS said:


> ..........I wash my feet every day .....😁
> In case I'm going to put them in my mouth......


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## Circular Knitter (Aug 15, 2013)

Well. I must admit, I wear my wool socks a couple times, but cotton socks only once. Since I have sensitivities to many different wools, I usually wear a pair of special leg energizing pantyhose during the winter to keep my legs warm and circulation in check. So the wool socks don't actually touch any skin. I usually change my socks before going to bed. It was an ongoing joke with my hubby....He never knew anyone who got dressed to go to bed! LOL 
I wash wool socks on gentle in washer, try to be careful to pick a yarn when knitting so the socks to not felt. Shape them a bit when out of washer, and air dry.


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## DivaDee (Jan 21, 2011)

sbeth53 said:


> No that's funny!!! Good thing I wash my feet every day cause they are often in my mouth....


With me it's open mouth insert foot, open mouth insert other foot.


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## Suesknits (Feb 11, 2011)

Wash and wear....just like store bought socks. They've held up great!


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## sumnerusa (Nov 9, 2011)

Oldesttm said:


> This is a hoot! I remember (50 years ago), when pregnant and suffering from itchy skin, my well respected OB/GYN in Chicago telling me that Americans are just crazy when it comes to cleanliness. He said there was no need to take a shower more than once a week if you washed your bottom and armpits. More laughs! (He was mainstream American, not a "foreingner"...if you were wondering...and could have competed with George Clooney for looks.)


I'll bet George Clooney smells better😊


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## WindingRoad (May 7, 2013)

DivaDee said:


> With me it's open mouth insert foot, open mouth insert other foot.


Big mouth or small feet???


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## GrumpyGramma (Oct 20, 2014)

DivaDee said:


> With me it's open mouth insert foot, open mouth insert other foot.


Many of are ambidextrous that way.

Cleanliness is next to godliness. Undoubtedly that's a good thing since we are developing so many super bugs in the name of cleanliness we better be godly.

Also, do people actually bake cookie dough? I've heard of it but never tried it.


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## MarilynKnits (Aug 30, 2011)

WindingRoad said:


> See, I can't imagine washing socks by hand if they are so nasty after one wearing. I have to put my 2-3 times worn socks in the washing machine, granted on cold, but with detergent that's made specially for cold water, and then throw them in the dryer with my jeans etc. Gotta burn up those bugs and germs.


I toss the socks in a lingerie bag to wash them. Don't want to risk losing one. And that way I can pull out the bag before the rest of the stuff goes in the dryer. I have a cookie rack I use to lay out the washed socks to air dry.


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## Hannelore (Oct 26, 2011)

I wash mine after wearing once.


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## chooksnpinkroses (Aug 23, 2012)

I wash my own hand knit socks every 3 wears. I usually wear them all day. I don't wear them to bed though. If they got whiffy I'd wash them more often. I don't wash most of my other clothes every wear and socks are no different!   
PS. I've never eaten raw cookie dough! I love raw meat, ever heard of 'steak tartare'? Yum! :? :? :?


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## chooksnpinkroses (Aug 23, 2012)

fibermcgivver said:


> I'm going out on a limb here, but I wash my wool socks usually after 3 or 4 wearings.... they don't smell (wool is breathable so I don't notice sweat) and even when I had a supressed immune system, I never developed nail or foot fungus problems. I have found that cotton socks will smell after one wearing but my wool socks are ok. Hmm..... what do other KPers think about this topic.


I agree, I also have never had any foot problems, nail fungus, smelly feet, etc.


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## Oldesttm (Jul 4, 2012)

chooksnpinkroses said:


> I wash my own hand knit socks every 3 wears. I usually wear them all day. If they got whiffy I'd wash them more often. I don't wash most of my other clothes every wear and socks are no different!


Amen....too much to do and too little time in life!


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## chooksnpinkroses (Aug 23, 2012)

WindingRoad said:


> I'd love to say stop peeing on your feet but I won't.


I can't help laughing !!! :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## chooksnpinkroses (Aug 23, 2012)

Medieval Reenactor said:


> I'd been meaning to ask about HOW folk wash their hand knit socks. Hand wash? In the machine? Detergent?


I always hand wash, even though the yarn is machine washable. Partly because I don't want to have to save up so many pairs before I have a machine full and also because I quite enjoy hand washing them. I use a eucalyptus wool wash, squeeze, soak, squeeze again, rinse, soak, squeeze, hang to dry out of the sun or inside. BTW, my hand knit socks last me for over 10 years, unless I get sick of them and give them away so I can have new ones.


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## yogandi (Mar 24, 2012)

Kathie said:


> I agree with you on this. I believe socks have to be clean every day too.


 :thumbup:


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## chooksnpinkroses (Aug 23, 2012)

Oldesttm said:


> This is a hoot! I remember (50 years ago), when pregnant and suffering from itchy skin, my well respected OB/GYN in Chicago telling me that Americans are just crazy when it comes to cleanliness. He said there was no need to take a shower more than once a week if you washed your bottom and armpits. More laughs! (He was mainstream American, not a "foreingner"...if you were wondering...and could have competed with George Clooney for looks.)


He was smart. We do tend to overdo the cleanliness in our modern society. If I'm not going out, just staying home pottering and doing house work, I don't shower every day. When I worked I always showered every day. If I feel the need I wash 'APC's' (armpits and crotch). In the nursing home I once worked in, we were taught by the educator that the residents did not require a shower every day, indeed, daily showering would dry the skin out too much. We were to wash residents on alternate days, face and APC's only.


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## GrumpyGramma (Oct 20, 2014)

MarilynKnits said:


> I toss the socks in a lingerie bag to wash them. Don't want to risk losing one. And that way I can pull out the bag before the rest of the stuff goes in the dryer. I have a cookie rack I use to lay out the washed socks to air dry.


Do the cookies mind sharing? ;-) 
I like that idea. I should get some just for socks. Since I don't bake cookies the socks won't have to share.


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## disgo (Mar 2, 2013)

No less than three times a day in rolling boiling water for at least an hour with tons of bleach. If you have a gas autoclave then that is even better. After a distance of fifteen feet or fifteen minutes (which ever comes first) gas them again. One does not want fungus :-o :shock: :lol: and they are the worst source of fungal infections especially if hand knit in wool.


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## carmenl (Jan 30, 2011)

This thread is a hoot. We are so worried about germs and wash so much we have no immunity to bugs anymore. The little kids that play in the dirt are healthier than those that are scrubbed clean constantly. I wear clean underwear and some times dirty socks. Actually, can they be all that dirty after two days wear. Too much washing will wear us out faster. &#128513;


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## flitri (Jun 13, 2011)

Over here we call it the APC wash ( Armpits and Crotch).
When I first started working I developed a serious skin condition on my legs and went to a dermatologist, she told me that I was washing all of the natural oils out of my skin. I used to shower in the morning and have a bath at night, I had to cut that out and only use non-scented soap for many years, now I shower once a day. 
I once had an old lady say that she didn't know whether I was clean for washing my clothes so much or dirty for making so much washing. LOL. I must wash my feet last thing before bed I can't sleep if I don't.


WindingRoad said:


> It's called the PTA bath. Pitts, T*ts, and Arse.


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## MarilynKnits (Aug 30, 2011)

GrumpyGramma said:


> Do the cookies mind sharing? ;-)
> I like that idea. I should get some just for socks. Since I don't bake cookies the socks won't have to share.


They have a dedicated cookie rack, spoiled little babies! I tied a piece of red yarn on it so nobody would use it for cookies. Not that anybody else in the house bakes, anyway. DH says he helps me cook by eating whatever I make.


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## WindingRoad (May 7, 2013)

MarilynKnits said:


> They have a dedicated cookie rack, spoiled little babies! I tied a piece of red yarn on it so nobody would use it for cookies. Not that anybody else in the house bakes, anyway. DH says he helps me cook by eating whatever I make.


Smart man....... LOL


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## dauntiekay (Jan 18, 2014)

I have heard that if you throw your socks at the wall and they stick--then it is time to wash them! Just kidding, of course, I wash my socks by hand and put them through the spin cycle and hang them to dry.


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## WindingRoad (May 7, 2013)

dauntiekay said:


> I have heard that if you throw your socks at the wall and they stick--then it is time to wash them! Just kidding, of course, I wash my socks by hand and put them through the spin cycle and hang them to dry.


I thought that was for pasta. Maybe not. LOL I just love this thread. Grown ups not knowing when to wash socks. Keeping me in stitches.


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## GrumpyGramma (Oct 20, 2014)

MarilynKnits said:


> They have a dedicated cookie rack, spoiled little babies! I tied a piece of red yarn on it so nobody would use it for cookies. Not that anybody else in the house bakes, anyway. DH says he helps me cook by eating whatever I make.


....still trying to figure out the baking cookies thing.......
Toe jam cookies?


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## kidbear (Jan 28, 2012)

Oh my I wash mine same as you after wearing all day they go into the laundry


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## quill-ws (Jul 30, 2014)

I change my socks every day, good quality Synthetic yarn, Cotton or /and Bamboo may be washed frequently. I do not buy wool.

From Quill-WS.


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## kayrein (Aug 24, 2011)

Pishi said:


> At 80 I don't really sweat. Underarm hair is gone (north to the face) so I don't NEED to wash my bras as often as I used to. At home I don't even wear one! Everyone has their own needs. As for wool socks, I think I will start wearing them more than one day, if they don't smell.


OMG I really DID laugh out loud at your post! Yeah isn't it weird how body parts re-arrange themselves at a certain age? Like, how did that end up down THERE? What's that doing up THERE? And sometimes, what the HECK IS THAT???


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## Colorado knits (Jul 6, 2011)

WindingRoad said:


> I'd love to say stop peeing on your feet but I won't.


Ah, peeing on your feet would be more likely with males.


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## maryjaye (Apr 25, 2011)

Wash after each wearing. Good quality sock yarn (usually
a wool blend) can be machine washed in lukewarm or cool
water. I do not machine dry them but put them on top of 
the dryer. They dry within a few hours.


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## misellen (Mar 8, 2013)

WindingRoad said:


> Actually, if I wear slippers barefoot I line them with either waxed paper or plastic wrap. Keeps the germs on my feet and not on the slippers. And heaven's if I walk barefoot outside I can't come back inside until I autoclave my feet.


Windi, you're on a roll tonight. LOLOL


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## WindingRoad (May 7, 2013)

misellen said:


> Windi, you're on a roll tonight. LOLOL


Ah, Misellen how are you tonight. Some days I'm better than the average bear. LOL


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## misellen (Mar 8, 2013)

WindingRoad said:


> I'd love to say stop peeing on your feet but I won't.


 :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :thumbup: :thumbup:


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## chooksnpinkroses (Aug 23, 2012)

WindingRoad said:


> I thought that was for pasta. Maybe not. LOL I just love this thread. Grown ups not knowing when to wash socks. Keeping me in stitches.


I heard it for whether pasta is cooked or not too. I don't do it though, too much mess to have to clean. :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## WindingRoad (May 7, 2013)

chooksnpinkroses said:


> I heard it for whether pasta is cooked or not too. I don't do it though, too much mess to have to clean. :lol: :lol: :lol:


Oh yeah that's how it works. Silly me.


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## chooksnpinkroses (Aug 23, 2012)

kayrein said:


> OMG I really DID laugh out loud at your post! Yeah isn't it weird how body parts re-arrange themselves at a certain age? Like, how did that end up down THERE? What's that doing up THERE? And sometimes, what the HECK IS THAT???


I had a jolly good laugh at your post! :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## misellen (Mar 8, 2013)

TNS said:


> ..........I wash my feet every day .....😁
> In case I'm going to put them in my mouth......


I'm not agile enough to get my feet into my mouth. Does that mean I don't have to wash them every day?


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## misellen (Mar 8, 2013)

quiltwiz said:


> I must admit that I usually wear twice (in winter only) and air out on between.
> Then wash by hand and pat out to dry. Am enjoying this thread very much...and the humor.


Depends on how I wore them. If I put them on just long enough to run to the store and back, I just let them air. (I don't wear shoes and socks in my house). If I wore them for an all day hike, yup they get washed.


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## chooksnpinkroses (Aug 23, 2012)

misellen said:


> I'm not agile enough to get my feet into my mouth. Does that mean I don't have to wash them every day?


I'm pretty good at putting my feet in my mouth too!! And I don't wash them every day!


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## misellen (Mar 8, 2013)

Medieval Reenactor said:


> I'd been meaning to ask about HOW folk wash their hand knit socks. Hand wash? In the machine? Detergent?


Hand wash. In fact, most of my clothes are hand washed and line dried. I find they last much longer that way.


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## misellen (Mar 8, 2013)

WindingRoad said:


> It's called the PTA bath. Pitts, T*ts, and Arse.


Never knew that. I must remember. :lol:


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## WindingRoad (May 7, 2013)

misellen said:


> Never knew that. I must remember. :lol:


That's older than I am and I'm older than dirt.


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## misellen (Mar 8, 2013)

disgo said:


> No less than three times a day in rolling boiling water for at least an hour with tons of bleach. If you have a gas autoclave then that is even better. After a distance of fifteen feet or fifteen minutes (which ever comes first) gas them again. One does not want fungus :-o :shock: :lol: and they are the worst source of fungal infections especially if hand knit in wool.


Do you know where I can buy a used autoclave. Sounds easier than washing.


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## misellen (Mar 8, 2013)

disgo said:


> No less than three times a day in rolling boiling water for at least an hour with tons of bleach. If you have a gas autoclave then that is even better. After a distance of fifteen feet or fifteen minutes (which ever comes first) gas them again. One does not want fungus :-o :shock: :lol: and they are the worst source of fungal infections especially if hand knit in wool.


Do you know where I can buy a used autoclave? Sounds easier than washing.

I'm old, I repeat myself.


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## Amysue (Apr 23, 2012)

I wear socks only one day, even a second pair if I go out in the evening,,,, I don't even have sweaty feet, never have


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## GrumpyGramma (Oct 20, 2014)

misellen said:


> Do you know where I can buy a used autoclave. Sounds easier than washing.


NO!!! :shock: It has to be new. Think of the germs on a used one.


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## WindingRoad (May 7, 2013)

misellen said:


> Do you know where I can buy a used autoclave? Sounds easier than washing.
> 
> I'm old, I repeat myself.


Dallas.


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## pj gam (Jan 17, 2012)

I wash when wear. I don`t wear for weeks.


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## WindingRoad (May 7, 2013)

pj gam said:


> I wash when wear. I don`t wear for weeks.


I noticed your moniker. Now I wear sweatpants to bed. Cold in my room and I don't like heavy blankets weighing me down. But I don't like wearing undies to bed do I have to wash my sweatpants every day. What if I sleep in the nude? Do I need to wash my sheets everyday? I like my arm between the blanket and coverlet. Do I need to wash them every day?


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## yanagi (Jul 7, 2013)

WindingRoad said:


> It's called the PTA bath. Pitts, T*ts, and Arse.


Or the PBA if you're a guy. :-D


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## WindingRoad (May 7, 2013)

yanagi said:


> Or the PBA if you're a guy. :-D


No no no.. LOL It's PDBA.... Or PPTA if you want to be PC,.. LOL.


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## Schmitz2go (Oct 22, 2011)

A local alpaca breeder told me that I should wash my ALPACA socks every two to three weeks. Not days, weeks! Something about the fiber makes the socks never smell or feel gross, as you might expect. And your feet feel good. Don't think this would work for wool, but I thought it was interesting.


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## WindingRoad (May 7, 2013)

pj gam said:


> I wash when wear. I don`t wear for weeks.


Some times I wash then wear.


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## Paula N (Jul 16, 2014)

WindingRoad said:


> I actually have some slippers I bought at WalMart. They are pink YUCK and like terry cloth on the toe part. They sure do get dirty and they have a plastic sole but they can be washed. As I don't eat with my feet I don't worry to much about dirty slippers. LOL
> 
> Ha it's cold here in Maine. I wear wool socks all year round.


LOL :lol:


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## Paula N (Jul 16, 2014)

Sedona said:


> Thanks Winding Road for making this a fun topic to read this morning - I got some good laughs!


She gives lots of good laughs :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:


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## Paula N (Jul 16, 2014)

sumnerusa said:


> Oh my gosh! I'm loving this conversation. Every thread should be this friendly and funny.


Thats the thing tho its friendly & funny. No one taking offense or complaining.


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## ummirain (Feb 1, 2013)

I do not wash my hand knitted socks after each wearing.
No smell,no foot odor.
I live in Florida,so I do not have them on all day,just slip into them when in air conditioned stores, movie theatres,etc.,then when I arrive home, it's back to barefoot.
I have a lot of hand knitted socks,and I rotate,but only wash them when they look a tad grungy.
I would not, however, wear an ordinary pair of socks more than once.
Yes, wool does breathe.
I have a good sense of smell,and I can say for a fact,neither my feet, nor my socks smell.


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## disgo (Mar 2, 2013)

misellen said:


> Do you know where I can buy a used autoclave? Sounds easier than washing.
> 
> I'm old, I repeat myself.


That would be like trying to find the old steam press :-o :shock: :lol:

With the advent of disposables and cut backs in budgets the autoclaves are a very rare commodity.

One could always use the steamers that are advertised to kill all bacteria on floors :wink:


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## sherrit (Jul 20, 2014)

Well, for me, I always wash store-bought socks after each wearing, but I wear my hand-knitted socks twice before washing. I used to wash them after each wear, but I noticed that the machine-washed socks weren't wearing so well, so I thought the washing might be a bit hard on them, even though they were made from machine-washable wool. (I don't put them in the dryer). I also have some socks that have to be hand-washed and it takes me forever to get around to doing those, so I started wearing them twice,too, before washing, just to not run out of socks so soon. The wool socks don't seem to smell, but I do notice that they are a bit more stretched out after one wearing. I like the idea of putting my socks in a bag for machine washing; I haven't done that.


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## ummirain (Feb 1, 2013)

I splurged on little net bags with zippers for sanity.
We have ballet tights (6 per week), socks,and mesh bags keep the back hooks on bras from catching on to other garments


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## MarilynKnits (Aug 30, 2011)

ummirain said:


> I splurged on little net bags with zippers for sanity.
> We have ballet tights (6 per week), socks,and mesh bags keep the back hooks on bras from catching on to other garments


I also like the bags for bras. And DH, who is a dear about putting done wash in the dryer, knows that mesh bags come upstairs for the contents to be air dried. (When I tease him about being well trained, he says "woof!")


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## Penny W (Mar 13, 2014)

dauntiekay said:


> I have heard that if you throw your socks at the wall and they stick--then it is time to wash them! Just kidding, of course, I wash my socks by hand and put them through the spin cycle and hang them to dry.


Exactly the way I wash mine. :thumbup:


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## GrumpyGramma (Oct 20, 2014)

I do wash socks, and recommend that other so also, before they find the start of a forest on them. :? 
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/christmas-tree-socks


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## chooksnpinkroses (Aug 23, 2012)

ummirain said:


> ...mesh bags keep the back hooks on bras from catching on to other garments


I also hand wash my bra's. I prefer underwired bras and when I used to do them in the washer the wires would come out. Then when I wore the bra, the wire would find it's way out of the little hole and I'd find a curve of bra wire sticking out of my neckline sometimes when I was out in public! I've hand washed them now for so long, it's second nature...


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## Shirley Ray (Mar 3, 2011)

I'm with you fibermcgivver. I hardly ever wash them. Luckily, my feet never sweat so there is never an odor, I've never had a fungus, and my socks last forever with washing and drying in machines. Granted, I only wear them a few hours at a time and they are not put to the test of working outside, worn all day, or other tasks. Also, I probably have three dozen pairs so none of them are worn for hours and hours.

I suppose I could say I treat my socks the same way I treat my hand knitted sweaters.

And blocking!!! Why would there ever be a reason for blocking a sock. One's foot blocks them every time they are worn.


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## Magicnymph (Aug 20, 2014)

Marny CA said:


> Think about your own personal hygiene. If you shower every day, change your underwear daily, change bra daily, wash top/blouse daily ... why would you want to wear socks more than once.
> 
> Maybe I'm stifled on this - my ex wore his socks so many days in a row that they stood up by themselves.
> 
> But then again, he only showered once every 2-3 months.


That may explain why he's an ex...my old man washes his socks every time he wears them...generally I do too. Come to think of it, his socks are pretty animated after one days wear...so I guess is would depend a lot on your chemistry and habits. I seldom wear sock in the summer, only wear sandals because they will not let me in to the store without them. However my feet are always cold in the winter. store bought cotton socks are washed after every use... even if its 40 minute or less, wool sock are washed as soon as they look, feel or smell like they are dirty, like I said before with my spouse "every times he wears them!". But then where I live there is lots of sand and dust to get into the fibers...even while wearing shoes, sometimes even boots.


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## RP1019 (May 23, 2014)

Oldesttm said:


> This is a hoot! I remember (50 years ago), when pregnant and suffering from itchy skin, my well respected OB/GYN in Chicago telling me that Americans are just crazy when it comes to cleanliness. He said there was no need to take a shower more than once a week if you washed your bottom and armpits. More laughs! (He was mainstream American, not a "foreigner"...if you were wondering...and could have competed with George Clooney for looks.)


Just found this fascinating discussion. Scientists are now linking some of our obsession with cleanliness with allergies and the development of resistant "superbugs" which are causing health concerns. Also, the question of water conservation comes up. I would imagine our forefathers and mothers did not wash their stuff every day when it was washboards and they owned only a few changes of clothes. All that being said, although I have no objection to wearing them again, I usually wash my (daytime) sox daily. Nighttime sox, maybe weekly.


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