A recent poll conducted among 2,000 adults who do the laundry has uncovered the most common laundry fails experienced by millions of people. The study revealed a variety of mishaps that occur during the washing process.
Topping the list, almost half of the respondents admitted to leaving a tissue in a pocket, resulting in pesky white fluff on clean laundry. Another common error was discoloring white clothes by mistakenly washing them with a bright-colored item, as reported by 27 percent of participants. Furthermore, one-fifth of respondents confessed to shrinking clothing by using the wrong machine setting.
Other laundry blunders included leaving wet clothes in the drum for too long, overfilling the machine, and placing detergents in the wrong drawer. Many individuals (46 percent) attributed their laundry mistakes to difficulties in understanding the care labels on their clothes.
To address these challenges, laundry experts Dr. Beckmann collaborated with magician Troy von Scheibner to introduce the brand’s Magic Leaves as a solution for ensuring laundry habits are performed correctly.
Susan Fermor, spokesperson for the cleaning and laundry brand, commented, “Doing the washing can be a troublesome task, as revealed by our ‘laundry list’ of mishaps befalling Brits each day. For what may seem a simple task, there can be a lot of information to consider, from the washing machine settings to the laundry products you use, to the needs of the garments themselves.”
The study also shed light on individuals’ laundry habits and revealed that 44 percent of respondents frequently rely on the same setting on their washing machine due to a lack of knowledge about other programs. Additionally, 21 percent prefer hot washes out of concern that cold washes may not effectively kill bacteria.
Certain fabrics posed challenges for individuals, with 27 percent struggling to clean wool properly and 24 percent feeling daunted by removing stains from silk. Cashmere, leather, and suede were also identified as difficult materials to launder.
Despite being a seemingly simple task, 46 percent of participants admitted to finding it challenging to keep their clothes clean consistently. Furthermore, 44 percent acknowledged rarely checking clothing labels before placing items in the washing machine, potentially leading to mishaps.
The consequences of laundry mishaps were evident, as 53 percent had to wash the same load of laundry multiple times to achieve the desired result. Additionally, 54 percent confessed to having thrown away garments that were ruined in the wash, and 43 percent refrained from wearing certain items due to uncertainty about proper washing methods.
The study, conducted via OnePoll, also highlighted partner-related mishaps, with 41 percent reporting that their partner had incorrectly laundered an item of clothing in the past. Interestingly, only 37 percent expressed trust in their partner’s ability to properly wash their favorite outfit.
Susan Fermor concluded, “Choosing the right product really can take the guesswork out of the washing, coupled with some basic knowledge about your machine and any specific requirements for your garments.”
Top 15 Most Common Laundry Fails:
- Leaving a tissue in a pocket resulting in pesky white fluff on clean laundry
- Putting a colored item of clothing in the wash, causing discoloration to any white laundry
- Leaving loose change in a pocket and hearing it rattle in the drum
- Leaving wet clothes in the drum for a long time after a wash, causing odors
- Color running from a garment and staining others
- Overfilling the drum, leading to a poor wash
- Turning clothes pink from a red item of clothing in the wash
- Washing on the wrong setting and shrinking or ruining a garment
- Overfilling the drum, causing the washing machine to make a worrying sound
- Putting laundry detergents or fabric conditioners in the wrong drawer of the machine
- Washing on the wrong setting and ruining a garment’s shape
- Staining clothes due to a dirty washing machine
- Overfilling the drum, resulting in the washing machine leaking
- Damaging the absorbency of items by using too much fabric softener
- Leaving tech items, such as phones or earbuds, in a pocket
Sam Allcock is the CEO of PR FIRE – PR & Content Marketing Platform
Talks about #pr, #blogs, #marketing, #socialmedia, and #pressrelease
Writes for The Dial in his own time.
