A new study has shown that some of us (mostly men) like to get as much use out of our underwear as possible before sticking them in the wash.

Online retailer Banana Moon Clothing conducted research where they found that 20 per cent of people wear their underwear two or more times before washing them.

According to the study, men are the worst offenders, with 31 per cent of males admitting to wearing their underwear twice or more before cleaning them, compared to 10 per cent of women.

Then there's those who take things to the extreme, with 3 per cent admitting to turning their underwear inside out to avoid washing!

Managing director of Banana Moon Clothing, Alex Grace, said: “It certainly came as a surprise to discover how often, or not, people are washing certain items of clothes, especially considering the types of clothes that aren’t getting washed as often as we would expect. Our research has certainly shed some light on the nation’s dirty clothes habits!

“We hope that people take the advice of experts and remember to wash their clothes regularly, utilising higher temperatures and special cycles for delicates on your washing machine to ensure your clothes get the attention they deserve.”

When it comes to bra washing – 26 per cent of women said they wear the same one five or more times before cleaning.

Some people also said they don’t wash coats, jeans, shirts, blouses and dresses until wearing them on at least two occasions.

Expert Paul Matewele, senior lecturer in microbiology immunology at London Metropolitan University, offered some advice.

He said: “Every day our bodies come into contact with many different forms of bacteria, from food to nasal secretions and even toilet doors or taps. If you wipe these bacteria on to your clothes, your clothes can then become the carrier of the harmful residue.

“Some bacteria such as Enterococcus faecium survive better on our on clothes than they do in our gut so it’s best to be on the safe side and remove this harmful bacteria by regularly washing clothes at high temperatures.”

Lesley Taylor, microbiologist at Addmaster, added: “The decision on how often to wash clothing comes down to culture, trends and individual choice.

“There are no right or wrong answers for how often outer clothing or garments should be washed, but the general rule of thumb is that underwear should be washed every day as it covers areas that can breed bacteria.”