Chances are that when you wash your underwear you use cold water.
Now experts warn it may be a breeding ground for unseeded bacteria.
Dr Lisa Ackerley says washing your underwear at 30ºC or 40ºC could leave them a bacteria-filled mess.
Ackerley says: "When it comes to panties and pants, anything under 60 degrees won’t kill bacteria.
"Don’t put the knickers in with the tea towels on a low wash, because you might have faecal contamination in your knickers and you wouldn’t want that near your kitchen."
However, she explains in a blog post there's no hard and fast rule on how often you need to wash your clothes, but there were a few items that needed more regular cleaning.
Immunologist Dr Jenna Macciochi, from the University of Sussex agreed, saying hygiene was a priority, and that washing at 60ºC might not be enough.
“60°C cannot really be relied upon to kill all bacteria, especially if the machine only reaches this temperature for a short time – most don’t maintain this temperature for the entire cycle,” she said.
It's also important to note the dangers of having bacteria in your underwear.
- For both sexes, you're likely to find an increase in secretions of fluids and discharge.
- Yeast infections are not just found in women; men can get them, too.
- You can get pimples and rashes in your nether regions.