You've been doing the laundry wrong! Experts reveal exactly how often you should wash your jeans - as they warn overdoing it can destroy their shape and colour

It's a chore that many people dread. 

And now it turns out you've probably been doing your laundry wrong this entire time. 

Experts from Which? have revealed exactly how often you should be washing different items in your wardrobe. 

According to the experts, jeans only need to be washed every six to 10 wears. 

However, in news that will shock many women, bras should be washed every two to three wears. 

'Should you wash your clothes after every wear? For underwear and socks, yes,' Which? explained.

'But for everything else, it's a little more controversial. 

'Generally speaking, if your clothes are dirty or smelly, then it's time to wash them.'

Which? has released guidelines on how often you should wash 15 common items in your wardrobe, including underwear, skirts, swimwear, and hats and gloves.  

'The question is: if it's not dirty and it doesn't smell, does it need to be washed?' the consumer champion said. 

'For medical and hygiene reasons, it's all about getting the balance right. 

'For example, if you've got eczema and you want to avoid irritation from bacteria, washing your clothes might be more important to you. 

'But wash your clothes too often and they won't last as long.'

Which? advises washing your underwear, socks, workout gear, and swimwear after just one wear. 

However, you might be surprised to learn that several other items have very limited wears before they need a wash. 

T-shirts and whites should be washed every one to two wears, according to Which?, while dresses should go in the laundry basked every one to three wears. 

Many women will likely be shocked to learn that bras should be washed every two to three wears. 

Georgina Bibby, a lingerie tech expert at clothing store Next, agrees with Which?'s advice.

'It will depend on the wearer and your everyday activities but washing your bra after every two to three wears is a good general rule to go by,' she previously said. 

'As well as maintaining your bras, you should also be looking at replacing the old ones. 

'The general rule of thumb is to replace bras after about 180 wears.' 

Pyjamas can be worn three to four times before needing a wash, while you can get away with wearing sweatshirts and skirts around five to seven times. 

When it comes to jeans, Which? says that six to 10 wears is the maximum before your trousers should go in the wash. 

This conflicts with advice given by Levi's design director Paul O'Neill, who says he puts his jeans on a cold wash every '30 to 50 wears' and never puts them in a tumble dryer.  

Finally, coats only need to be washed one to two times per season, while hats and gloves should go in the laundry two to three times per season.