Anyone who sees an advantage in wearing an undershirt will wear it every day. I recommend wearing an undershirt, especially for men who sweat a lot. Because I know from my own experience that they can help you feel more confident and comfortable. So, how many undershirts do you need in your wardrobe and how often do you need to replace them?
The undershirt needs to be replaced when it wears out, gets holes, stretches and no longer fits you well enough. On average, an undershirt lasts 6 to 12 months. It is recommended to have between 5 and 8 undershirts in your wardrobe if you wear them regularly.
Undershirts, like all the clothes we wear often wear out quickly. In this post, I’ll explain what are the signs that your undershirt needs to be replaced. How long can you expect your undershirt to last and how many should you have in your wardrobe?
When should you throw out undershirts?
On average, the undershirt should be replaced every 6 to 12 months. This depends on how often you wear it and the quality of the materials. Replace your undershirt if it tears, gets holes, becomes too thin, or no longer fits.
How often should your undershirt be discarded, depending on how often you wear it:
| Frequency of Wear | Recommended Replacement Frequency |
|---|---|
| Once per week | Every 6-12 months |
| Twice per week | Every 3-6 months |
| Once per month | Every 12-24 months |
| Twice per month | Every 12-18 months |
Discard your undershirt if you notice any of these characteristics:
- Undershirt has visible signs of wear and tear, such as holes, thinning fabric, or stretched out collars or cuffs.
- Undershirt has become discolored, stained, or faded, and is no longer presentable to wear.
- Undershirt has lost its shape and no longer fits properly, causing discomfort or an unflattering appearance.
- The undershirt has yellow sweat stains that you can’t even wash off with yellow stain remover.
- Undershirt has an unpleasant odor that cannot be removed through washing.
Throw undershirt away if it has signs of wear and tear
The main purpose of an undershirt is to absorb sweat so that sweat and odors are not transferred to outer clothing. If your undershirt has holes and is torn, it will not provide proper protection against sweat in these places.
If your undershirt has got holes from wear, it’s probably because you’ve been wearing it for a very long time. This undershirt needs to be replaced as it no longer offers you comfort, warmth and absorbs less sweat than a new undershirt.
Throw undershirt away if it become discolored
The basic mistake people make when choosing an undershirt is to buy the wrong color, or to wear the wrong colored undershirt with the wrong clothes. It is a misconception that a white undershirt goes best under a white shirt. However, this is not true, because the white color will deviate from our skin complexion, so shadows will be created and the edges of the undershirt will be visible through the shirt.
The most suitable color of undershirt is the color of your skin, you can read more about how to choose the color of your undershirt in this article.
A stained undershirt may also show through our clothes, which is not very professional. I suggest that you try to remove stains such as yellow sweat stains naturally or with the help of store-bought products. In case you don’t get your undershirt clean enough, it’s time to replace it.
More details on how to prevent sweat stains on clothes and how to remove them can be found here.
Throw undershirt away if it no longer fits properly
The undershirt differs from a regular T-shirt in that the undershirt is more elastic to fit the body better. And it is longer, so that it does not slip out of the trousers when worn. You can read all 9 differences between an undershirt and a t-shirt here.
With regular wear and more washes (more than 20), the undershirt loses its elasticity. As a result, it does not fit the body as well as it did at the beginning. Undershirt should always be more tight than loose. Wearing loose undershirt becomes uncomfortable and may even be visible through outer clothing.
Clothes wear out faster if they are not properly cared for. Washing in hot water damages the elastic fibres and makes clothes less comfortable. Therefore, wash your undershirts at a maximum temperature of 60 °C/140 °F. This will destroy any bacteria that accumulates in the undershirt and the fibres will stay compact for longer.
Throw undershirt away if it has unpleasant odor
Unpleasant odors can accumulate in the undershirt if the odors are not destroyed by washing. Bacteria are destroyed at 60 °C/140 °F without damaging the fibres of the garment.
If you wash the undershirt at lower temperatures, odors may persist and the undershirt will continue to smell even after washing. This is often common with men who sweat a lot, as the undershirt absorbs a lot of sweat. Sweat itself has no smell, it only gets an unpleasant smell when it comes into contact with bacteria on the skin. Read how to reduce sweating and odors with an undershirt here.
To keep your undershirt odor-free, you should wash it every day or every time you sweat (after the gym, after work, etc.). Read the full article on why you should change your undershirt every day here. The article lists the reasons that affect the comfort and health of your skin.
How many undershirts should a man own?
On average, it’s good to have 5 to 8 undershirts in your wardrobe. The number depends on how often you wear them and how often you wash them. If you wear your undershirt every day and do laundry once a week, it is a good idea to have at least 5 undershirts.
In the table below you can see how many undershirts you need, depending on how often you wear them and assuming you wash your undershirts once or twice a week. If you wash your undershirts less frequently, it is advisable to increase the number of undershirts.
| Frequency of Wearing | Recommended Number of Undershirts |
|---|---|
| Once a week | 1-3 |
| Three times a week | 3-5 |
| Five times a week | 5-7 |
| Every day | 7-10 |