Eight in 10 Brits experience 'laundry anxiety', with almost half refusing to wash certain clothes for fear of ruining them. A poll of 2,000 adults found they have an average of four items in their wardrobe they are worried about putting in the washing machine.
Knitwear (28%), embellished items (26%), coats (24%) and cashmere (24%) are the items most likely to be left unwashed over confusion about how to care for them.
First wash anxiety and hand washing
According to the survey, more than half have suffered from 'first wash anxiety'. As a result, 51% have resorted to cleaning clothes by hand in the sink, while others have paid for dry cleaning, or worn them again without washing.
The study found concerns about garment care have stopped 55% from buying an item they really wanted. But it may be justified, as 51% have previously ruined an item of clothing during a cleaning cycle.
Mishaps heighten anxiety
These mishaps then left 65% feeling more anxious about cleaning other wardrobe items, with shrinking (56%), misshaping (33%) and colour fading (31%) the biggest problems.
A particular worry was vintage clothing, with concerns about damaging unfamiliar fabrics (19%) or lingering smells, stains or marks (14%). As a result, one in 10 have avoided buying vintage clothing due to laundry anxiety, according to data from OnePoll.com.
Jeans and confidence factors
It doesn't stop there though, as 23% have refrained from putting a pair of jeans in the machine over concerns about damage. Instead, 20% chose to wear them again without a clean, another 20% washed them by hand and 14% spot-cleaned only the visibly dirty areas. In fact, Brits will wear their jeans an average of six times before washing them.
Having successfully cleaned the item before (45%) or having clearer care labels (34%) were among the few factors that would give people confidence to put a much-loved or valuable item through a wash cycle.
A guarantee that an item would not shrink, fade or lose its shape would reassure 34%, while 27% would want an appliance that automatically detects the fabric and adjusts the cycle.
Zeena Hill, a spokesperson for Samsung, which commissioned this research for the Bespoke AI Series 9 Laundry range, said: "Most of us have items we love but leave hanging in the wardrobe because we dread the washing guesswork, or worry about shrinking a favourite piece. Laundry anxiety shouldn't dictate what we wear".
Zeena Hill added: "We've all had those moments where we're not quite sure whether something is safe to put in the wash. But the best technology doesn't ask you to become a laundry expert – it takes the doubt out of the laundry room."
