Eight in ten Britons report feeling "laundry anxiety", according to a poll of 2,000 people.
The same research shows half also experience "first wash anxiety" after learning more garments are washable at home than they believed.
On average, respondents keep four wardrobe items they are uneasy about placing in a washing machine.
Fabric types that cause the most confusion are knitwear, embellished pieces, coats and cashmere, with over 20 per cent unsure how to wash each.
Consequently, just over half admit to cleaning clothes in the sink to avoid risk.
Thirty-three per cent have paid for expensive dry cleaning rather than use a machine, and 29 per cent say they wear a garment again without washing it.
More than half of those surveyed say they abandon a purchase because of the washing label instructions.
These concerns appear justified, as 51 per cent report ruining an item during a machine wash.
Over half have shrunk a garment, and around 30 per cent admit to misshaping or colour fading.
Having damaged a piece made 65 per cent feel even more anxious about cleaning other wardrobe items.
Vintage clothing also triggers worry, with 19 per cent fearing damage to unfamiliar fabrics and 14 per cent concerned about stains or odors.
The Six Laundry Personalities
- The Practical Washer (27 per cent): Focuses on getting clothes clean without overthinking.
- The Care Label Follower (19 per cent): Relies on care labels to decide washing methods.
- The Laundry Confident (15 per cent): Confident washing various fabrics and caring for clothes.
- The Laundry Risk-Taker (12 per cent): Throws most items in the machine without much worry.
- The Laundry Worrier (11 per cent): Cautious about washing for fear of damage.
- The Laundry Avoider (8 per cent): Skips washing or finds alternative ways to freshen clothes when unsure.
One in ten have avoided buying vintage pieces due to laundry anxiety, according to data from OnePoll.com.
Around a fourth have stopped cleaning their jeans over concerns they will ruin them in a spin.
Just under a fourth of Britons chose to wear jeans again without cleaning them, or to wash them in the sink.
Fourteen per cent decide to clean only visibly dirty spots on their jeans.
Britons wear jeans an average of six times before adding them to the washing pile.
Confidence in washing tricky items improves when people have washed them before or when care labels are clearer.
A guarantee that an item will not shrink, fade or lose shape would reassure 34 per cent, while 27 per cent would prefer an appliance that automatically detects fabric and adjusts the cycle.
Zeena Hill, spokesperson for Samsung, which commissioned the research for the Bespoke AI Series 9 Laundry range, said: "Most of us have items we love but leave hanging in the wardrobe because we dread the washing guesswork, or worry about shrinking a favourite piece.
"Laundry anxiety shouldn't dictate what we wear.
"We've all had those moments where we're not quite sure whether something is safe to put in the wash.
"But the best technology doesn't ask you to become a laundry expert - it takes the doubt out of the laundry room."
