Author: admin

Unhoused. Food insecure. Uninsured – these are some of the untenable conditions that arise from poverty. There is no proper way to describe the helplessness of people being unable to afford basic necessities like diapers, tampons, or laundry detergents, let alone having enough finances to manage their laundry in the US. 

The problem is, not many bother to think about those who may have food on their plates but struggle to wear clean clothes. You may see protests for several agendas in the state but would have hardly ever heard about a protest rally planned to advocate the concerns about poor hygiene, especially laundry. 

There are thousands of organizations in every part of the US helping families obtain health care, housing, and food but only a handful are there to work for the betterment of low-income people with alarming hygiene concerns. 

Although programs for food and shelter do deserve attention, let’s not overlook the fact that clean clothes are a necessity as well, which must be taken into consideration. 

America’s Unspoken Hygiene Crisis

A huge population of the US was already suffering from the rising cost of living just when the ever-high inflation hit them by the rock. 

Do you know over 23.4 million people are unable to afford the cost of living this spring in the US? 

While there are so many bigger issues to talk about, who would bother shedding light on the helplessness of those who can’t even afford their day-to-day laundry expenses? 

Here’s another glimpse of the disturbing reality:

Due to the soaring inflation and pending recession, low-income parents are struggling to afford food for their kids. More than 37% of parents fail to afford healthcare expenses. Now imagine how they would be able to manage, afford and handle laundries- which is not even considered a topic of debate. 

Many large families in the US and individuals wear unwashed clothes every day- go to work, attend school, and live through the day- suffering from the constant feeling of insecurities and uneasiness. The toll it has on their mental health is unimaginable. 

Over 2.3 billion people in the US lack hygiene facilities like soap, detergents and at the very least clean water at their home. Sending kids in unclean uniforms has become the only option left for many low-income parents. 

The Hygiene Poverty Cycle

The lack of hygienic products and facilities spread many severe diseases and even make people prone to chronic illnesses like HIV or diabetes. Skin allergies, rashes, and infections severely affect health. 

When it comes to mental health, people with unclean clothes suffer from insecurities, lack of confidence, agitation, anger, frustration, and a lack of self-worth and self-respect. 

It means that children who grow up in low-income families are struggling poorly with unhygienic practices every single day. They can not perform well in academics, and it’s shaping their future. Now let’s talk about adults; well, you can imagine what mental trauma they have to carry every day, yet they hide all their pain and try to fit in their communities- which is the oblivion of their struggles and problems. 

This can end, here’s how:

Soap + Water = Lives Saved

One of the easiest yet graceful ways to let such people have the blessings of clean clothes is by first considering them human. We all need to work together and be more empathetic towards our fellow community members who do not have the privilege of wearing clean clothes. 

We all must contribute through our donations so that organizations like Laundry Love can work for the betterment of all low-income families struggling with laundry problems. 

How Laundry Love Stepped Up To Help 

The Laundry Love is an initiative to help struggling families by assisting with their laundry needs. Partnering up with groups of laundromats, the organization organises events that low-income families can attend and clean their laundries free of cost. 

Laundry Love is not just helping families meet their laundry needs but working to restore lost confidence and self-worth. It gives a chance to all the communities in the US to come together – help, and assist those in need. We strive to build a place where strangers become friends, hope is hustled, and the worth of every human being is celebrated and acknowledged. 

Cleanliness and mental health have a clear connection- it can even feel like a self-perpetuating cycle. Although basic hygiene means grooming and cleaning your body, including nails, hair, skin, and teeth; however, it also extends to wearing clean clothes. And trust us, this one creates a lot of toll on your mental health. 

How Wearing Clean Clothes Affect Your Mental Health

Cleanliness stirs many positive emotions in the human brain. It calms the nerves, relaxes a person, and gives them a soothing and comfortable feeling, reviving consciousness. 

Release of Endorphins 

Cleanliness is no less than meditation. It releases endorphins in brain receptors that help shift mood and make the mind and body feel more relaxed and refreshed. It enhances the feeling of joy, goodwill, trust and confidence. 

Improves Focus 

A person’s constant uneasiness when wearing unclean clothes creates stress that triggers distraction. It weakens attention and focus. Your brain cannot function to its full capacity because a major part of it gets irritated and annoyed by the discomfort your body feels. 

You would have noticed yourself being more energetic to work when you are aware that your overall personality looks presentable and charming. If we talk about kids, by wearing softer, fresh smelling and clean clothes, they feel more energized and enthusiastic. 

Ensures Greater Personal Satisfaction 

A survey by OfferUp revealed that 70% of American adults had found a unique sense of accomplishment after cleaning. A Purdue University Study reveals that cleaning your body and clothes leads to a healthier life. It influences positive change in a person, making them indulge in more physical activities. 

Builds Better Relationships 

People with good hygiene practices tend to be more confident and self-aware. They feel joy in socializing, meeting new people, and creating deeper bonds. They tend to attend social gatherings and are enthusiastic about bringing their opinions to the table without any hesitation. They have a successful professional life as they tend to meet and greet colleagues and never stay behind in indulging in different physical activities. 

If Wearing Clean Clothes Was A Choice To Many 

Nobody wants to roam around the city wearing unwashed clothes every day. Perhaps, in the US, due to the rising cost of living and inflation, hundreds of families are there who can’t afford to do laundry. The big households barely survive on little earnings, and affording laundry seems like a dream. 

Unclean laundry creates constant fatigue and stresses one out without that person even realizing it. Apart from causing emotional distress, it shapes the perspective of a person as to how they see the world. 

Such people begin questioning whether they fit in or not. They slowly drift away from people around them with the fear of being judged. This attitude leads to loneliness and anxiety, which triggers chronic depression. A withdrawal from social gatherings seizes the opportunity for growth, betterment, and a happier life. 

The entire outlook on life is gradually altered. Moreover, if you go deeper into exploring other mental illnesses – you will find a low level of attention and a higher level of self-doubt and confusion among such people. They feel like they are losing their self-worth. With poor attention to focus and decision-making abilities, no matter how hard they try, they fall behind, eventually fading away in the chaos of this world. 

How Unclean Clothes Lead To Increased Health Risks

Dirty laundry can harbor microorganisms. When such clothes come in contact with the skin, it leads to many skin infections. Unclean clothes also create bad body odor due to fungi and bacteria in them. According to The American Health Service, every human body has bacteria inside and outside of it, and the clothes we wear catch these bacteria, which becomes necessary to wash them. 

By wearing unclean clothes, you tend to expose your body to harmful germs. Upon your dirty undergarments, there are traces of bacteria from body fluids which leads to internal infections, even worse to, causing STDs. Dermatitis, scabies, and fungal diseases are some common skin allergies and illnesses that are transmitted through unclean laundry. 

How You Can Help

Wearing clean clothes is a privilege to many families and individuals in America. You must have seen people educating each other about taking care of those who are in need of food and shelter, but a few are aware of the everyday struggles low-income families experience with managing their basic hygiene needs- especially laundry. 

So, if you find anybody in need, step up to help them. Treat them nicely; they are fighting many unheard battles all on their own. Show empathy and be concerned for their betterment. Laundry Love is an initiative where we welcome low-income families and individuals to wash their laundry for free. 

We invite many hospitable and kind community members to volunteer. At our laundromat, we not only clean clothes but build relationships and bonds that bring us closer to those unheard. 

If you are willing to work for the betterment of your community members, either find someplace like ours or join us. We would love to have a helping hand and a loving heart. 

Festivities, love, laughter, and joy… You can feel them all around you. As Christmas is just around the corner, you can see streets lighting up, kids singing festive rhymes, and your town all getting decorated in green and red. 

We can feel the excitement every moment we meet and greet our people but have you wondered how the people who are so caught up with their day-to-day struggles to fulfill their basic necessities are going to celebrate? 

They might not. They might prefer staying inside. Do you know why? Because they are not privileged to have clean clothes to wear every day like you and me. 

There are many families in the U.S. who can not afford to buy laundry products. There are large families with kids wetting the bed every now and then, messing up their clothes, and they are asked to put on the same dirty dresses because these families can’t afford laundry. 

Your close ones are not the only people you should care about…

It’s good to be involved, concerned, and supportive toward your close family members or your friends. Your community people should matter too. You must be aware of what’s going on around you, what battles people are fighting alone, and whether you can help them in some ways or not. 

Charity begins at home.

You may have heard it a lot more often. Do you know exactly what it implies? 

Your home doesn’t only mean the place where you live; it refers to your community, your town, and your state. And here we are to tell you what many of your community members are going through. 

You have seen an ample number of organisations working to provide food and shelter, but laundry is something hardly anybody bothers to think about. There are families who are dealing with loads of laundry being piled up at their places. They don’t have the funds to wash it regularly. 

Hence, they are left with no option but to put on unhygienic clothes. The toll it creates on their mental, emotional and physical health is unbearable and unexplainable. But they are living through it helplessly. 

For once, put yourself in their shoes. If you were given the option to choose either one- food or laundry, what would you choose? Food? That’s what they are doing. But here’s a thing you can make a difference in their life. You can help them. Here are the two simple ways to do that: 

Donate This Holiday Season 

At Laundry Love, we gather donations and organize free laundry events every third Saturday of the month. Inviting many families and individuals, we provide cleaning supplies, washing units, and assistance to help ease their burden. 

With a minimum of $25 recurring monthly donation, we can cover the cost of providing free laundry to one family per event. Your generosity can let a family enjoy the dignity of wearing clean clothes this holiday season. 

Volunteer at Laundromat 

Free up a few hours and come over to our event to give a helping hand to families. We bet you will enjoy every second spent at our laundromat. We not only help them wash, but we also connect with them, enjoy light meals and share interesting stories. It’s a great time to sink in and get close to amazing people in our community. 

Share the joy and build relationships. Washing clothes was never as interesting as it is at our events. We welcome enthusiastic individuals to work with us to bring the change and feel the true happiness. 

We Must Be There When People Need Us 

Everyone should have a place to connect with people, talk about their struggles and be a part of a genuine, non-judgmental conversation. We all should step ahead, connect with people around us and help them by sharing their burdens. A simple contribution can make their festive season more joyful and cherishing. 

So, don’t stay behind. Visit your nearest laundry organization or get in touch with us. We welcome anybody willing to contribute. 

If you want to learn about how we work, explore more about us on our website. You can even find feedback and stories from our people.