The Launderette of Mum & Dad
On average, people in the UK stop using their parents’ washing machine at the age of 23, but one in ten admitted that they don’t think they’ll ever stop relying on the ‘launderette of mum and dad’.
Having given this information some though, it clearly dawned on me that I am still the ‘Washing Queen’ for 5 adults in our family unit. Admittedly, there were times when university stints took the brunt of some of the wash loads, however, there was never a home visit minus an accompanying bag of washing with my name on it!
Statistics show that 65 % of us still rely on mum and dad to help with the laundry and males are more likely to have had their parents do their laundry for them than females.
I feel that domestic washing is an art form, I still shrink woollen jumpers on a regular basis, I still manage to lose socks, goodness knows ‘how and why’ and don’t attempt to use an iron. It would seem that lack of time and worrying about wrecking their laundry are the two biggest reasons that family members are still not confident in their laundry abilities and are happy to put the onus on their parents.
Personally, I don’t ever remember doing my own washing until I left home. In these more financially challenging times, it is a well-known fact that youngsters are staying at home for longer, perhaps avoiding the washing responsibilities. I have given each and every one of my offspring instructions on how to use the washing machine, however, not one has ever put this knowledge into place.
Apparently, it’s not just those living at home who have this laundry phobia. Doing our own laundry has been voted the third-worst thing about leaving home, trumped only by cleaning and cooking, and it seems that 35% of British adults wish their parents would still do their washing for them!
It has been said that the laundry battle reaches a peak for those in their 30s, the age group that is most likely to see washing as the worst household chore. No wonder, considering young families are likely to use their washing machine a whopping 260 times a year (that’s an average of five times per week)!
My top laundry tips are the following:
Research your washing machine well before purchasing.
Try to separate your coloured laundry as well as the textures. For example, don’t put denim in with lace.
Loose zippers can snag and catch on other items of clothing, try to secure them before loading into your machine.
Undo buttons! Apparently, washing a button-down shirt with the buttons fastened can damage the buttons and rip the buttonholes.
Don’t scrub stains – this may result in the stain spreading. Instead, gently dab the stain, working from the outside in before placing into your machine.
Choose the correct temperature for your wash –
Coldwater works well for delicate fabrics and items that might shrink, as well as dark colours that may bleed.
Warm water is appropriate for moderately soiled clothing
Hot water should be used for bedding, towels, and items that may have staining.
Select the right detergent – Powdered detergents work well for general loads and are usually less expensive; however, they don’t always dissolve correctly in a cold-water wash and can leave a white residue on your washing.
Liquid detergents I find are better for a dark wash and the delicate laundry items.
Try to dry your washing outside for that lovely fresh smell as well as being energy saving.
For more laundry facts from Beko visit here
Poppy Watt