For hygiene, comfort and peace of mind, it makes sense that we machine wash our clothes. However, washing taboos often lead to us over-wash, costing us in four critical ways:

1. misuse of our time

2. over-spending on washing

3. damaging our clothes by reducing their life expectancy

4. harming the environment with energy and water use

We’ve partnered with Newson Consultancy in a unique study to uncover the tell-tale signs of when clothes actually need to be washed.

1. Participants believed that 9 out of 10 refreshed items had been machine-washed.

2. 100% of the clothes that underwent the refresh cycle looked cleaner, 100% felt cleaner to the touch and 90% smelled cleaner

3. Refreshed items improved for smell on average even more than machine-washed items.

a. When scoring items out of 5 (5 being completely fresh), items improved by 50%. This was from an average score of 2.5 prior to the refreshing being carried out, to a 5 afterwards.

Freshening up a garment that isn’t soiled doesn’t take a full wash cycle. In fact, it doesn’t need to be washed at all!

The main benefits of a steam refresh are:

· Faster – It makes your clothes feel fresh and removes odours in just 25 minutes – which is a lot faster than a regular wash cycle.

· Saves water – A steam cycle uses 96% less water compared to using the delicates washing program, helping to save on bills.

· Less wrinkles - Steaming helps to reduce creases, making it a perfect option for quickly freshening up shirts and blouses without the need to get the iron out.

*96% less water based on internal test with a 1 kg load on the steam programme vs the delicates programme.

1. It’s important to spot clean on an absorbent surface, to prevent any marks spreading to other areas of the fabric. Don’t forget to try to spot clean before the mark sets if possible.

2. Use a colour-free cloth to dab or rub the fabric (microfibre cloths can lose colour which will appear on clothes).

3. Dampen the area (spray or with a cloth) and add a tiny amount of detergent with a cloth or toothbrush; you don’t want to leave a soapy residue. For a very visible or tough stain like lipstick, you may directly apply a small amount of detergent. You may find it handy to keep an old drink bottle full of detergent by the washing machine to assist you with spot cleans, as this is easier to handle than a big bottle.

7. For sweat: use bicarbonate of soda to make a paste by mixing a teaspoon of bicarb with just enough water & gently rub it into the affected area on the REVERSE side of the garment. This is so you won’t see any residue marks when you put the item back on. Leave the paste on the fabric until it has dried (around 1hr or leave to set for longer for strong odours), then brush off.

8. For stubborn marks, e.g., from turmeric or lipstick, unless you catch it immediately, you may consider a pre-wash stain remover. Test for colour fastness first and check fabric suitability.

9. Use gloves if you have sensitive skin and are handling detergents!

10. Keep all of your spot cleaning bits and bobs next to the washing machine to make it really easy to achieve a refresh and avoid the temptation to just chuck everything in the machine!

We hope these tips help keep stains at bay and check out our Washing Machine buying guide for more information.