How often do you wash your wool sweaters? /u/Money-Lifeguard2104 /r/malefashionadvice

Around this time last year I, for the first time, purchased a couple of quite nice wool sweaters on sale. I adored them, but ignored all of the advice about avoiding machine washing and drying I had read online and, out of laziness, machine washed and dried them. After just one such indiscretion they are now both several sizes too small and extremely raggedy-looking.

I just bough several new wool and lambswool sweaters on sale again, and I’d like to avoid such a mishap reoccurring, so I plan to hand wash them. The issue, however, is that one year later I am still very lazy.

I have read online that some people wash their sweaters every few wears, or even just once or twice a season. I’m concerned about two things:

1. Smells. How infrequently can you truly get away without washing these before smells develop? Suppose I wear a sweater once, maybe twice a week.
2. Secretions. I happen to struggle with body acne. I don’t typically wear anything between my sweater and my skin. I’ve read that wool is sufficiently antibacterial so as to negate this, but I imagine that oils and such must build up after a while. Do any other body acne sufferers have experience with this? Perhaps I should note that I think most of my sweaters are actually a wool blend (I think something like 60% wool 40% who knows).

Around this time last year I, for the first time, purchased a couple of quite nice wool sweaters on sale. I adored them, but ignored all of the advice about avoiding machine washing and drying I had read online and, out of laziness, machine washed and dried them. After just one such indiscretion they are now both several sizes too small and extremely raggedy-looking.

I just bough several new wool and lambswool sweaters on sale again, and I’d like to avoid such a mishap reoccurring, so I plan to hand wash them. The issue, however, is that one year later I am still very lazy.

I have read online that some people wash their sweaters every few wears, or even just once or twice a season. I’m concerned about two things:

1. Smells. How infrequently can you truly get away without washing these before smells develop? Suppose I wear a sweater once, maybe twice a week.
2. Secretions. I happen to struggle with body acne. I don’t typically wear anything between my sweater and my skin. I’ve read that wool is sufficiently antibacterial so as to negate this, but I imagine that oils and such must build up after a while. Do any other body acne sufferers have experience with this? Perhaps I should note that I think most of my sweaters are actually a wool blend (I think something like 60% wool 40% who knows).