Are you tired of sorting through piles of dirty clothes, constantly running out of detergent, and never quite sure when to replace that old washing machine?
Well, have no fear because we’ve scoured the internet for the most fascinating and relevant laundry statistics and trends from 2019 to 2022.
So, grab a fresh cup of coffee (or glass of wine, we won’t judge) and prepare to be amazed by the state of laundry in the modern world.
From the average amount of laundry per household to the most popular detergent brands, you’ll finally have the answers to all of your pressing laundry questions (pun intended).
So, sit back, relax and let’s dive into the dirty world of laundry statistics and trends!
Summary Of Laundry Stats
- The average household washes 7.4 loads of laundry per week, with women doing 88% of the work.
- Popular laundry detergent brands include Tide, Persil, Arm & Hammer, Bold, Charlie’s Soap, Cheer, Dreft and Dropps.
Reviewed.com named Gain Laundry Detergent Liquid Soap Plus Aroma Boost as the best overall laundry detergent of 2023. - On average, individuals are likely to wash between one to three loads of laundry per week, however, this number can vary depending on individual circumstances.
Sheets should be washed once a week and towels after no more than 3 uses.
The average household washes 50 pounds of laundry a week and 6,000 articles of clothing every year. - The average washing machine needs 350 to 500 watts of electricity per use, resulting in annual washer energy usage of up to 130,000 watts or more for a family of four.
The total electricity consumed by the water-use cycle for personal laundry care is 0.58 kWh/load for a v-axis machine and 0.22 kWh/load for an h-axis machine.
ENERGY STAR clothes washers use nearly 35% less water and 25% less energy than standard washers. - The average residential washing machine uses about 41 gallons of water per load, while commercial washing machines vary widely, using an average of 34.74 thousand gallons of water and up to 910 kWh of electricity per year.
Energy Star front-load machines can use up to 45 gallons of water per load, while ENERGY STAR certified washers use 14 gallons of water per load. - Washing machine related injuries in children are a continuing threat.
Injuries typically occur when attempts are made to remove clothes from the machine and the hand gets entangled.
Average Amount Of Laundry Per Household
The average household washes 7.4 loads of laundry per week, with women doing 88% of the work.
Two-person households typically do 15 to 20 loads a week, while the average family in the United States does 8 to 10 loads per week.
Popular Laundry Detergent Brands
Popular laundry detergent brands include Tide, Persil, Arm & Hammer, Bold, Charlie’s Soap, Cheer, Dreft and Dropps.
Reviewed.com named Gain Laundry Detergent Liquid Soap Plus Aroma Boost as the best overall laundry detergent of 2023.
Frequency Of Laundry Per Week
On average, individuals are likely to wash between one to three loads of laundry per week.
However, this number can vary depending on individual circumstances.
Sheets should be washed once a week and towels after no more than 3 uses, while other items may require less frequent washing.
The average household washes 50 pounds of laundry a week and 6,000 articles of clothing every year, with the most common response for different age groups being 4-5 loads a week.
Laundry-Related Energy Usage
The average washing machine needs 350 to 500 watts of electricity per use, resulting in annual washer energy usage of up to 130,000 watts or more for a family of four.
The total electricity consumed by the water-use cycle for personal laundry care is 0.58 kWh/load for a v-axis machine and 0.22 kWh/load for an h-axis machine.
ENERGY STAR clothes washers use nearly 35% less water and 25% less energy than standard washers.
For the whole process of laundry care, meaning washing and drying, the energy consumption is on average 396.0 kWh/year per household.
Laundry-Related Water Usage
The average residential washing machine uses about 41 gallons of water per load, while commercial washing machines vary widely, using an average of 34.74 thousand gallons of water and up to 910 kWh of electricity per year.
Energy Star front-load machines can use up to 45 gallons of water per load, while ENERGY STAR certified washers use 14 gallons of water per load.
Front loaders can use up to 70% less water than top loaders, or 36,000 litres per year for a family.
Laundry-Related Injuries
Washing machine related injuries in children are a continuing threat.
Injuries typically occur when attempts are made to remove clothes from the machine and the hand gets entangled in the spinning laundry, leading to soft tissue injuries.
Injury data for 496 washing machine related injuries documented by the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s National Electronic Injury Surveillance System revealed that most of those injuries were related to falls.
Body parts injured in washing machine related injury include hands, fingers, arms, and legs.
Typical Cost Of Laundry Detergent
On average, laundry detergent costs between 21 cents and 50 cents per load, or around $180 to $600 per year.
Time Spent On Laundry Per Week
According to the American Time Use Survey by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, women spend an average of 17 minutes per day on laundry, while men spend 5 minutes per day.
This amounts to 119 minutes per week for women and 35 minutes per week for men.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics also found that people spend 64 minutes each week washing their laundry and another 22 minutes folding and ironing.
Laundry Statistics By Household Income
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Annual Consumer Expenditure Survey for 2020, the average American household spends around $170 on laundry each year.
Laundromat customers have a median household income of $28,000, and areas with low percentages of home ownership, households in excess of 3.5 family members, and an annual income that is at or below the median are ideal for laundromats.
The annual expenditure on laundry supplies varies across income levels as well.
The average laundromat makes between $450-$500 per day from washers, dryers, and other secondary income streams such as vending.
Laundry Statistics By Age Group
According to Zippia, the average age of an employed laundry worker is 49 years old.
A survey found that the most common response for how often people do laundry was 4-5 loads a week across all age groups.
In France in 2020, 74% of people used liquid laundry detergent packaged in containers to wash their clothes.
The level of family income is an important demographic statistic for laundromats, and a survey found that middle-aged people (18-24 years old) were the least likely to clean their clothes regularly.
Laundry Statistics By Geographical Location
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the states and areas with the highest published employment for laundry and dry-cleaning workers are identified in their geographic profile.
The U.S.
Laundry Facilities and Dry-Cleaning Services Market is segmented geographically by forecast revenue for 2023-2029.
National Geographic estimates that around 840 million washing machines are used worldwide each week, while IBISWorld provides industry research for the Laundromats industry in 50 states.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Annual Consumer Expenditure Survey for 2019 revealed that the average American household spends around USD 170 on laundry annually.
Wrap Up
And there you have it, folks!
The laundry statistics and trends from 2019 to 2029 that you never knew you needed to know.
From the average amount of laundry per household to the most popular detergent brands, you’re now a laundry expert.
The next time you’re sorting through your dirty clothes, you’ll know exactly how many loads the average household does per week, and you’ll have a good idea of what detergent to buy.
You’ll also have a good idea of how much money and energy you’re spending on laundry and how you can improve it.
We hope you enjoyed this laundry-filled journey and that it made you see the world of laundry in a whole new light.
Happy laundering!
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