Gen Z the worst when it comes to laundry, report claims

Aussies are not washing their underwear nearly as much as they should be but it turns out Gen Z are the worst.

Gen Z are the ones more likely to not wash their undergarments or gym gear after one use. Picture: iStock

Australians are not washing their undergarments nearly as much as they should be but Gen Z are the worst by far.

Earlier this week the Laundry Care Report 2024 by LG Electronics, which looks at laundry habits and mishaps, was released.

The report found that one in five Australians were wearing their undergarments two times or more before washing it. Even worse, more than a quarter of Australians were wearing their gym clothes repeatedly before throwing them into the wash.

Gen Z were the worst offenders when it came to this.

Australians’ laundry habits have been revealed in a new report. Picture: iStock

The report found young Australians were more likely to squeeze multiple wears out of their underwear, with 30 per cent admitting to doing this, and 36 per cent doing the same with their gym gear.

Gen Z also admitted to having a chair in their room to put clothes that are too clean to wash but not clean enough to put back in their wardrobe.

This is far more common for younger Aussies — with 46 per cent admitting to this — than any other generation.

The biggest challenges when doing laundry were listed as hard-to-remove stains, fading colours, organising and ironing.

But, it seems many Aussies are ditching ironing with close to three in 10 saying they never iron and 42 per cent saying they only iron when absolutely necessary.

Gen Z are the ones more likely to not wash their undergarments or gym gear after one use. Picture: iStock

More than half of Australians avoid buying clothes that require dry cleaning because they don’t want to make the trip.

Many also avoid buying materials such as silk or cashmere because they’re unsure how to wash it.

Shannon Tweedie, marketing manager for home appliances at LG Australia, said: “The report paints a clear picture of how Australian households are approaching laundry, revealing many of us in fact find the task time-consuming, confusing and at times overwhelming.

“From skipping washes and ironing, to avoiding dry cleaners and certain fabrics altogether, it’s clear that time-poor Australians are in search of a painless solution to their laundry challenges.”