A study into cleanliness habits has found a third of Brits are washing their bedsheets just once a year.
In a survey conducted by Hammonds Furniture, thirty percent of the 2,000 participants admitted to washing their bedding every 12 months or less.
Experts are warning the habit could lead to dust mites, bed bugs, fungal infections and skin irritation.
Following the findings, general practitioner Dr Aragona Giuseppe commented on the importance of keeping clothes clean and urged people to change their bed sheets once a week for optimal cleanliness.
"Bedsheets and pillowcases should be washed as if they are dirty. This could promote acne, spots and other skin issues due to the dirty bacteria on the sheets transferring to your skin," he said.
The study also revealed, one in 10 men only wash their underwear after 10 uses or more, while a quarter of men admitted to washing their underwear after every five wears.
Eighty percent of people said they washed their underwear after every use.
Dr Giuseppe recommended washing underwear and socks after every use, with the exception of bras which should be cleaned after three or four wears - a rule which over half of the women surveyed claimed to follow.
Interestingly, the study found millennials to be the cleanest generation, while those over the age of 65 had the worst washing habits.
People living in Newcastle upon Tyne, a city in northeast England, were found to be following the best cleaning habits with over half of residents washing t-shirts after just one use and one in six washing all over their clothing after one use.
Residents in Belfast claimed to wash their clothes the least, with one in seven residents of the city washing their underwear after 10 years or more.
Dr Giuseppe said: "Washing your clothing items and bedsheets regularly is important for overall cleanliness and ensuring your body remains clean and healthy.
"If you do not wash clothing items often you could be at risk of infection or just feeling and smelling unclean."
