Dear Google, how do I do the laundry?

Dear Google, how do I do the laundry?

Close to a third of Kiwis have a drawer full of odd socks

Auckland 10 April 2015 – A new survey by consumer research company, Canstar Blue looking into the laundry detergent habits of New Zealanders shows that a quarter of Kiwis often turn to Google to figure out how to best remove stains.

Despite searching the internet for motherly advice, 31% will still wear an item of clothing even if it has a visible stain. This is most common amongst Gen Ys and men (both 38%), says Canstar Blue’s, Megan Doyle.

“And across the regions, those from Otago (36%) are the most likely to wear a tarnished item of clothing; this may be due to the large amount of students living away from home for the first time.

“The laundry mishaps don’t stop there, with close to a third of Kiwis (30%) saying that they are the not-so-proud owners of a drawer full of odd socks. Interestingly, nearly half (47%) of Gen Ys claim this to be true for them.”

Laundry, how I hate thou

Laundry is not the most loved task amongst Kiwis, with close to a quarter (22%) stating that it is their least favourite of household chores.

Men are the least keen on doing the washing with 28% ranking it last on their preferred chores list, compared to just 17% of women.

Forgetting to hang out freshly laundered clothes is a common slip-up amongst Kiwi chore-doers, as 15% of New Zealanders regularly forget to take their newly clean clothes out of the machine and so have to rewash them, says Doyle.

“Baby Boomers are more likely to remember the task at hand, with just 5% leaving their washing in the machine, while the millennials are the most forgetful with 34% failing to remember their clothes and having to do the job all over again.”

Does this shirt look crumpled?

The survey has also revealed that we are a wrinkled population, with nearly three quarters (72%) saying they wear most of their clothes un-ironed. Surprisingly, there are more women (79%) than men (65%) admitting to ignoring their ironing boards.

The people of Otago are displaying some interesting laundry habits; 81% say they wear most of their clothes un-ironed and 40% have never read the instructions on the back of their detergent, higher than the national average of 37%.

The survey asked respondents who have purchased and used laundry detergent in the last three months to rate their brand across six categories:

1. Value for money

2. Quality of clean

3. Number of washes

4. Smell

5. Feel of clothes after a wash

6. Overall satisfaction

Source: www.canstarblue.co.nz

Source: www.canstarblue.co.nz

In the 2015 liquid laundry detergent stakes Surf builds on its win from last year, reigning supreme again with the highest ratings in overall customer satisfaction, achieving 5 stars across most of the variables researched.

Surf has maintained excellent ratings in “number of washes”, “smell” and “value for money” while also improving on its “quality of clean” rating from last year’s survey, with consumers now rating them five stars, says Doyle.

“For laundry powders, Shotz has once again taken the top spot with five-star ratings across the majority of variables and the only brand to receive top marks for “value for money”.

“Consumers are searching for the most cost effective option more than ever before, and Shotz sits well ahead of the rest when it comes to providing a great clean at a cheaper price point.”

For New Zealanders, price (57%) is the major driving factor in a laundry detergent purchasing decision, whether it be for liquid of powder.

Laundry detergent by region

Auckland: Aucklanders are the most likely (equal with Wellington) to often Google how to best remove stains (27%), most likely to say that doing the laundry is their least favourite household chore (26%) and the least likely to wear most of their clothes unironed (68%).

Waikato: Those from the Waikato are the least likely (equal with Wellington and Otago) to regularly forget to hang the washing out/dry the washing and have to re-wash it (13%) and most likely to be loyal to one brand of laundry detergent (43%).

Wellington: Wellingtonians are most likely (equal with Auckland) to often Google how to best remove stains (27%), least likely to still wear an item of clothing, even if it has a visible stain (26%), least likely to say that doing the laundry is their least favourite household chore (19%), least likely to have a drawer full of odd socks (28%),and least likely (equal with Waikato and Otago) to regularly forget to hang the washing out/dry the washing and have to rewash it (13%).

Canterbury: Cantabrians are the least likely to often Google how to best remove stains (20%), least likely to choose a low irritant brand of washing powder/liquid that is better for sensitive skin (36%) and most likely to use different kinds of laundry detergent depending on what they are washing e.g. woollens (40%).

Otago: People from Otago are most likely to still wear an item of clothing even if it has a visible stain (36%), least likely (equal with Waikato and Wellington) to regularly forget to hang the washing out/dry the washing and have to re-wash it (13%), least likely (equal with Bay of Plenty) to use different kinds of laundry detergent depending on what they are washing e.g. woollens (33%), most likely to wear most of their clothes unironed (81%), most likely to never read the instructions on the back of their detergent (40%) and least likely to be loyal to one brand of laundry detergent (33%).

Bay of Plenty: Those from the Bay of Plenty are the least likely to have a drawer full of odd socks (33%), most likely to regularly forget to hang out the washing/dry the washing and have to re-wash it (18%), most likely to choose a low irritant brand of washing powder/liquid that is better for sensitive skin (49%), least likely (equal with Otago) to use different kinds of laundry detergent depending on what they are washing e.g. woollens (33%) and least likely to never read the instructions on the back of their detergent (35%).

ENDS

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