Eight in 10 Brits suffer from 'laundry anxiety', according to research

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. With knitwear (28 per cent), embellished items (26 per cent), coats (24 per cent) and cashmere (24 per cent) most likely to be left unwashed over confusion of how to care for them.

As a result, 51 per cent have resorted to cleaning clothes by hand in the sink, while others have paid for costly dry cleaning rather than risk putting them in the machine (33 per cent), or simply worn them again without washing (29 per cent). It also emerged 52 per cent have suffered from ‘first wash anxiety’, due to more clothes and fabrics being washable at home than they thought.

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”.

The study found concerns about garment care have stopped 55 per cent from buying an item they really wanted. But it may be justified, as 51 per cent have previously ruined an item of clothing during a cleaning cycle.

These mishaps then left 65 per cent feeling more anxious about cleaning other wardrobe items, with shrinking (56 per cent), misshaping (33 per cent) and colour fading (31 per cent) the biggest problems. A particular worry was vintage clothing, with concerns about damaging unfamiliar fabrics (19 per cent) or lingering smells, stains or marks (14 per cent).

As a result, one in 10 have avoided buying vintage clothing due to laundry anxiety, according to data from OnePoll.com. It doesn’t stop there though as 23 per cent have refrained from putting a pair of jeans in the machine over concerns about damage.

Instead, 20 per cent chose to wear them again without a clean, another 20 per cent washed them by hand and 14 per cent 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 per cent) or having clearer care labels (34 per cent) 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 per cent, while 27 per cent would want an appliance that automatically detects the fabric and adjusts the cycle.

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."

The six laundry personalities:

1. The Practical Washer (27 per cent): Prioritises getting clothes clean without overthinking the process.
2. The Care Label Follower (19 per cent): Relies on care labels and instructions to decide how to wash clothes.
3. The Laundry Confident (15 per cent): Feels confident washing different fabrics and caring for clothes.
4. The Laundry Risk-Taker (12 per cent): Puts most things in the machine without worrying too much about the outcome.
5. The Laundry Worrier (11 per cent): Is cautious about washing clothes for fear of damaging them.
6. The Laundry Avoider (8 per cent): Puts washing off or finds another way to freshen clothes when unsure how to clean them.