The average UK consumer is losing the battle of wits with their washing machine, according to new research.
1,000 British homeowners were questioned by online retailer AppliancesDirect.co.uk in order to establish how much the average washing machine user understood about one of the most relied on household appliances. It found that only one in 10 users questioned made ‘regular’ use of all of the settings available to them, while only 21 per cent understood when to use every setting.
The
statistics indicate that despite the average British family running on
average 250 cycles and over 2.6 million washing machines being sold in
the UK each year, Britain is missing out on ‘loads’ of opportunities
when it comes to doing their laundry.
20pc of homeowners surveyed claimed to use only one of the settings available to them the majority of the time, while 70pc regularly use between just two and four settings.
While consumers often purchase a washing machine based on its technological capabilities, many never actually make full use of them. But for those who dare to delve deeper and learn about their machine, the results speak volumes.
One in three confessed to ‘rarely’ using the 30 degree setting – meaning they are unknowingly wasting money and energy by using a higher temperature setting than is required. Through making full use of the settings available, clothes can be cleaner, stains will be more easily removed, and people are less likely to need to replace items of clothing, which could be damaged, worn or faded by using incorrect washing cycles.
The research exposed a number of issues that consumers face when it comes to washing their clothes, including shrinking and ruining delicate items in the machine - which 75% of adults confess to having done at least once in the past three years.
Over half said they had thrown clothing away sometime in the past three years after being unable to remove a stain and a staggering 60% of people admitted to making use of professional laundry and dry cleaning services for some prized, delicate items, when they could wash them in their own machine are too cautious to do so.
Many of these problems could be easily avoided with the use correct usage of the smart washing machines now available on the market.
The modern day, more premium washing machine can offer an abundance of features, never before seen in household models – from ‘extra-silent’ settings to programmes specifically for jeans or sportswear, there’s really no need to choose the ‘one setting fits all’.
And purchasing a suitable washing machine isn’t just down to the programmes it provides, consumers must consider other features such as drum size – the less loads you do, the more money you save. In addition, the spin speed is an important consideration as a faster spin could reduce drying time, but in turn increase time spent ironing.
Mark Kelly, marketing manager at AppliancesDirect.co.uk, said: “With household bills on the rise, it’s important that families are making the most of their washing machines and other household appliances to keep costs to a minimum. The numerous settings are there to make life easier for users, and to ensure items are being washed in the best way possible, such as the often featured ‘Heavy Duty’ setting – a welcome option for those looking to deep clean towels, bed sheets and perhaps gym-wear. This setting provides extra rinses for bulky items, hotter water for better stain removal and whitening, and even slower agitation for less wrinkling.
“Although the settings available on the latest models are there to suit the needs of the modern day family, they must be fully understood in order for the product to reach its full potential – and those who take the brief time required to acquaint themselves with these options will find they reap numerous benefits, whether it’s longer lasting garments, lower bills or more effective washes..”