Laundry experts explain 20C rule as stained clothes cost UK £2.6bn

NewsUK NewsLife hacksMost peple assume a stain can't be removedNeil Shaw Assistant Editor12:07, 28 Jul 2026Thousands of people say they have thrown away, donated or stopped wearing an item of clothing because of a stain, according to new research from Ecover, with 80% saying summer-related stains were to blame. The study found stains create an estimated annual replacement bill of £2.6 billion across the age group as people buy new items instead of treating the ones they already own.Almost half have spent more than £50 replacing stained clothing in the past year, while almost a third have thrown away, donated or stopped wearing six or more stained items. A quarter said the most expensive item they had lost to a summer stain cost at least £100.‌65% say they have thrown away an item without a