Many men change their underpants too infrequently
Differences depending on age
Survey shows: Many men change their underpants too seldom
A young man in boxer shorts is standing in the kitchen washing dishes.
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About a quarter of all men in Germany change their underwear less often than recommended. This is the result of a representative survey conducted by the market research institute GfK on behalf of the online shop Galaxus among 1,500 people aged 16 to 74. In the survey, 73.9 percent of men said they change their underwear every day. “Every two days” was the answer of 15.8 percent of the respondents, every three to six days 5.5 percent of the men stated. Some even wear their underwear for a full week (1.4 percent) or longer (0.8 percent). However, a daily change of underwear is recommended.
According to the survey, women are significantly more hygienic. According to the survey, 86.9 percent of the women surveyed change their underwear every day. 6.4 percent of those surveyed wear panties for two days before they reach for fresh underwear. “Women, however, also have an increased risk of infection if they don’t change their panties every day,” it says.
A look at the age groups shows further differences. According to this, it is mainly the 16 to 29 year olds (across all genders) who wear dirty underpants, followed at a clear distance by the 50 to 74 year olds. Apparently, income and schooling also have an impact on hygiene. According to the survey, those who earn little money and have a low level of education keep their underwear on longer. “With increasing education and higher wages, the hygiene of panties and boxer shorts is also increasing,” it says.
How often do respondents change their sheets?
The survey also asked participants how often they change their bed linen. The result: 40.7 percent of those surveyed change their bed linen every two weeks – such as a bavarian and a hessian Consumer portal recommend it for hygienic reasons. 17.7 percent even change the bed linen every week, but one in three only once a month. 6.4 percent stated that they only put on fresh bed linen every two to three months, 1.2 percent even less frequently.
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What is striking is that younger people tend to change bed linen more frequently than older people. “Apparently Gen Y and Gen Z are a step ahead of their older peers when it comes to hygiene in bed,” the survey concludes. A possible explanation could be that younger people spend more time in bed with Netflix and binge-watching anyway and therefore attach more importance to fresh bedclothes.
According to the survey, the size of the household is also decisive for the cleanliness of German beds. “In single and two-person households, Germans change their bed linen less often than in larger family households,” according to the survey. This is probably due to the lack of social control in small households.
