The laundry list of annoying habits that are dating dealbreakers

On the hunt for your soulmate? Then you may want to pay attention to the way they do their laundry.

A survey of 2,000 Americans found 70% of people pay close attention to what a person wears on a first date, and 85% can point to several “laundry red flags” — laundry-related misgivings that bother people — that they take into consideration.

Those red flags include not cleaning the lint tray (47%), leaving clothes in the washer (42%) and using the “wrong” detergent or bleach brand (40%).

For the 86% of respondents already in a relationship, 82% are willing to look beyond their partner’s bad habits and do their laundry for them if they’re too busy or had a long day.

Commissioned by LG Electronics and conducted by OnePoll, the study also revealed a connection between a person’s “love language” — defined by five different characteristics of affection — and how they approach laundry.

Seventy-one percent of people who connect with words of affirmation – verbal affection – have had a meaningful conversation over the phone with someone while doing laundry.

More than two-thirds (69%) of those who appreciate physical touch – physical affection and intimacy – said they love the feeling of pulling out warm, fresh towels from the dryer.

Overall, 58% believe laundry is the best chore to do around the house.
More than half of respondents who appreciate acts of service – where actions speak louder than words – and quality time, or being in the moment, said they especially like clean bedsheets (54% and 57%).

The results also suggest there's a connection between a person’s zodiac sign and their love for laundry. While 48% of respondents said they like to sort their clothes into different loads, more than half of Aries (53%) would rather shove everything unsorted into a single load of laundry.

And while the average American does laundry five times per month, 20% of Leos admitted they do their laundry up to 10 times per month. This may explain why 54% of Leos also like to wear their favorite clothes immediately after washing them.

Another standout on laundry habits is when it gets done. Twenty-three percent of respondents said the best day to do laundry is on Saturday.

However, 21% of Cancers disagree, saying Wednesday is the best laundry day to get their laundry done.

“When it comes to laundry, people have strong preferences based on their unique lifestyle, and the insights from this study reinforce the need for innovative laundry solutions,” said Gail Conroy, senior director of marketing at LG Electronics USA. “Identifying your perfect laundry appliance match based on your personal habits and experiences is key to easily finding the appliance of your dreams.”

Though laundry habits can be influenced by “love language” and zodiac signs, many Americans agree on several universal laundry rules, like how to properly sort clothes.

According to respondents, the best way to sort laundry is by type (65%) rather than color (64%), material (49%) and size (36%).

Similarly, people also agree on what cycles to use — nearly a quarter (23%) like using the cold wash cycle on their clothes. Meanwhile, 19% use the normal cycle, 14% add in an extra rinse and 12% prefer the delicate cycle.

When asked what they care the most about their clothing, 26% of people said how fashionable they look (26%), their wardrobe’s utility (19%) and longevity (17%).

Over half of respondents (57%) admitted they don’t know what features they should be looking for in new laundry appliances. Nearly as many (54%) said they feel overwhelmed.

“Whether you’re a Leo or a Pisces or you prefer to do smaller loads that are sorted versus throwing in everything at once, we know that caring for what you wear is important,” continued Gail. “Everyone deserves a top-rated washer and dryer that provides a personalized solution, no matter their preferred wash style.”

WHAT DO AMERICANS LOVE ABOUT DOING LAUNDRY?

• Having clean bedsheets - 52%
• Wearing their favorite clothes again - 51%
• It relieves stress - 47%
• Having clean underwear - 46%
• Having things smell clean - 45%
• It’s a relaxing task - 44%
• It feels rewarding - 38%
• It’s a perfect time-passer - 30%
• Allows them to listen to music/podcasts - 26%
• Allows them to catch up on tv shows - 17%