Like any good, hygienic individuals, we must deal with burdensome task of doing our weekly loads of laundry.

It may be a pain in the keister and eat up your entire afternoon, but there's nothing better than putting on a clean pair of clothes straight from the dryer.  

But, while we prioritize our favorite shirts and sweaters, there are other non-clothing items you should put in your laundry hamper as well.  

Although you may know certain things may need a good soak, these seven items need to be washed a whole lot more than you originally thought.

1. Bed sheets

Don't be alarmed but if you don't wash your bed sheets at least once a month, but you should start that now.

If you leave your bedding unwashed, will be laying in bacteria, bodily excretions, and their dead skin cells (you shed half an ounce each week).

"It would be advisable to wash sheets once a week. I'd say you can push it to two weeks in cooler months, but the longer we don't wash sheets, the more sweat, dead skin cells and body oils build up leading to smellier sheets and bedrooms," said  Melissa Maker, founder of the Clean My Space YouTube channel.

2. Bras

Although bras are considered underwear, unlike your panties, you don't need to wash them every time you wear them.

"Wash bras by hand after two to three uses, and be sure to leave each bra a day to "˜breathe' between wears," Maker said.

However, special consideration should be taken if you live in a warmer climate, or had a particularly sweaty day.

Kelly Dunmore, lingerie expert for Rigby & Peller, echoes those sentiments and added, "The crease in your bust and the area under your arms are hot, sweaty environments. Cleaning after every two wears, possibly three, is ideal."

3. Shower Curtains

We all know we need to keep our bathtub clean, but how frequently do you think most people clean its accessories, such as the shower curtain?

While this bathroom essential only needs to be thrown into the laundry hamper once a month, if you don't beware that the bathroom's humidity can cause mold and mildew to grow on your curtains.

"Launder your shower curtain when it looks dingy or has that orange/pink build-up at the bottom." Maker said.

4. Pajamas

Maybe you don't sleep in nightgowns or pajama sets anymore, but doesn't mean you shouldn't be washing them every second wear.

According to the Mirror, a recent survey revealed that on average the 18 to 30-year-old man wears the same pajamas for 13 nights, while young women don them for 17 nights before they're put it in the laundry bin.

"Pyjamas are worn right next to the skin "“ and we shed skin cells, filled with micro-organisms, at a vast rate," said Professor Sally Bloomfield, Consultant in Hygiene and Infectious Disease Prevention.

"These organisms are usually harmless but if they get into the wrong place they can cause problems."

The publication cites that "E-coli bacteria transferring from the bowel to the urinary tract can cause cystitis."

5. Pillowcases

When we wash our bed sheets, it's not hard to overlook our pillowcases.

Sure we lay our heads on them every night, but we typically don't think about how dirty they can become, especially in warm and humid environments.

You should make sure they're washed once a week to clean off the sweat.

Maker adds, "Also consider using a pillow protector to keep sweat, dust mites and dead skin cells off your actual pillow."

6. Towels

Whenever we step out of a shower, one of our most immediately thoughts is to grab a towel to dry ourselves off.

But once we are no longer soaking wet, people often discard their towels without a second thought.

While I'm guilty of this myself, it turns out our towels absorb dead skin cells and natural bacteria from our bodies, especially in warm, damp conditions.

Don't even think about sharing your towel either, as it opens you up to viruses including Staphylococcus aureus, cold sores and Athlete's Foot.

"Bathing towels can be washed once or twice a week as long as they are properly air-dried after use," Maker said.

"Pool and beach towels can be laundered after use if a machine is handy or if you're at the cottage, make sure you thoroughly air dry towels."

7. Tooth Brushes

Although you technically wouldn't put your toothbrush in your washing machine, it's important to keep your toiletry as clean as a whistle.

You should be swapping out your toothbrushes every three months or after you've recovered from an illness.

During the three months they're in use, it's a good idea to put your toothbrush in the washing machine to sanitize once every month.

"The average toothbrush contains around 10 million germs "“ from bacteria to the flu virus," says Dr. Uchenna Okoye, clinical director of London Smiling Dental Group .

"Even potentially fatal viruses, such as Hepatitis C, have been found on the humble brush, so sharing brushes is a big no no."

Will you be following these washing recommendations? Let us know in the comments!

[H/T: Mirror, Global News]