UNIVERSITY NEWS LAST UPDATED : 04 NOVEMBER 2014
Most students moving out of their family homes to go to university, say they have never or rarely used a washing machine, prompting Birmingham City University to issue a special How To guide for doing the laundry.
Among the new arrivals at Birmingham City University who started living independently for the first time, 60% said they have ‘rarely or never’ done their own washing. The findings contrast sharply with 68% who say they can cook ‘well’ or ‘very well’
The University’s How To guide sets out the basics of laundering, such as sorting clothes according to colour, using the correct wash cycles and just … reading the instructions on the clothing labels properly!
Commenting on the findings, Sian Howarth, Assistant Director of Student Services said:
"It’s good that programmes like The Great British Bake Off and Masterchef have helped young people to know their bed of celeriac from their apricot jus, but the domestic chores like washing clothes still need to be done. From the survey findings it looks like the dull but necessary tasks might not have been allocated equally in all households, but now is the time to learn!”