Short answer
Yes, staying in a state of wudu is recommended (mustahabb) and a habit of the righteous. The Prophet ﷺ said that only a believer keeps up his wudu, and Bilal's habit of praying after every wudu was praised. It is not required outside of prayer, tawaf and touching the Quran.
Being in wudu at all times is mustahabb, and so is renewing wudu after praying with it or moving on to another activity. Repeating wudu again and again with no act of worship in between is not the sunnah and counts as wasting water.
The four schools agree on this.
Explanation
Thawban reported the Prophet ﷺ saying: keep to the straight path, though you will not manage it fully; know that the best of your deeds is prayer, and none keeps up his wudu except a believer. Another hadith tells of Bilal, whose footsteps were heard in Paradise. His most hopeful deed, he said, was that whenever he made wudu, by day or night, he prayed with it.
Benefits scholars mention:
- You are ready to pray, read from a mushaf or join a janazah at any moment.
- The sunnah of praying two rak'ahs after wudu becomes easy.
- Sleeping in wudu is sunnah, as the Prophet ﷺ told al-Bara to make wudu before lying down.
- Each wudu washes away minor sins, as many sahih hadith say.
Renewing wudu: if you still have wudu and have prayed with it, or moved on to something else, making a fresh wudu is rewarded. Repeating wudu straight after wudu with nothing in between is not from the sunnah, and Hanafi scholars count it as wasting water.
Keeping wudu is a recommendation, not a duty. There is no sin in being without wudu while you work, cook or sleep. The four schools agree on this. See hadith about wudu for its virtues.
The evidence
Sunan Ibn Majah 277
Grading to be checked... واعلموا أن خير أعمالكم الصلاة ولا يحافظ على الوضوء إلا مؤمن ...
"Know that the best of your deeds is prayer, and none keeps up wudu except a believer."
Keeping wudu is a sign of faith.
Sahih al-Bukhari 1149
Sahih... لم أتطهر طهورا في ساعة ليل أو نهار إلا صليت ...
"I never purified myself at any hour of night or day without praying with it."
Bilal's habit, which the Prophet praised.
Sahih al-Bukhari 247
Sahih... إذا أتيت مضجعك فتوضأ وضوءك للصلاة ...
"When you go to your bed, make wudu as you do for prayer."
Sleeping in wudu is sunnah.
Where the ruling is recorded
- Radd al-Muhtar (Ibn Abidin), Kitab al-Taharah, section on recommended wudu. Renewing wudu is recommended after a change of sitting or after praying; otherwise it is waste.
- Nur al-Idah with Maraqi al-Falah, Kitab al-Taharah, section on when wudu is recommended. Staying in wudu is recommended.
Checked by our team. For a more accurate answer to your own situation, consult a scholar. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.