See the guy in the picture above?  Chances are, there's something living in his underwear that you aren't going to be a fan of - Bacteria.  No big deal you say - there are bacteria living everywhere!  True, but a new study says that if you don't throw away your unmentionables after a year of use - there's bound to be a germ party in your pants. Ewwwwww.

The new study from the Good Housekeeping Institute warns that not tossing your tighties (whitey or not) could lead to some nasty infections in your undercarriage.  Your old underoos could be harboring germs like E. coli, dust mites, and more - if left unchecked, these nasty little guys could cause urinary tract infections, thrush, allergies, or worse.  Believe me, you don't want any of that near your....areas.

If you are thinking that all of the nastiness gets knocked out in the wash, think again.  Up to half of a million bacteria can live in used washing machine water.  The best way to combat this near-invisible enemy in your underwear is to change your skivvies every day (duh), and throw them away after a year's worth of use.  A shower wouldn't hurt either.

To keep the nasty germ army from growing inside your washing machine, check out these helpful tips here.

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