The sniff test may tell you if you wore enough deodorant but doesn’t always let you know when you need to wash your clothes. What you do, the fabric type, the wear and the weather all play deciding factors.

The American Cleaning Institute offers tips to help determine if it’s time to wash those bed sheets, jeans, shirts, socks and underwear.

Here’s how often you should wash some of the more common items that need to be laundered - jeans: after wearing them 3 times, coats: once or twice per season, sheets: wash once every two weeks, and towels: after every 3-5 normal uses.

There are a few exceptions. One is whites, which should be washed after each wear, as they are prone to discoloration.