The When-to-Wash-It Handbook: Winter Edition

Hats, Gloves, and Scarves

How often you should wash them: three to five times a season.

Washing guidelines: Pay more attention to these often ignored items. “Think about the facial oil, makeup, and perfume buildup, plus the germs you pick up with gloves,” says Corinne Phipps, the founder of Urban Darling, a San Francisco wardrobe-consulting firm. Hand wash knits. Dry-clean leather gloves and structured hats.

What else you should know: Never store gloves in coat pockets. “The glove linings get damp from your hand perspiration and need to air out. Otherwise, they could smell like mildew,” says Lindsey Wieber Boyd, a cofounder of the Laundress, a line of cleaning products.