Money laundering! Britons lose £800m...inwashingmachines

IT MIGHT not qualify as money laundering in the usual, morally questionable sense – but a new study claims that Britons may be losing an astonishing £800million a year in their washing machines and tumble dryers.

Its results suggest that 36million adults have pulled out coins and soggy notes worth an average £22 from the washer or dryer over the past year.

Just 21 per cent of that – or £167million – survives the ordeal and is able to be used again, with the rest being mostly mangled notes. While coins invariably survive, notes are often badly damaged from the high temperatures.

Even the newer polymer ones are prone to shrivelling or ripping, the research found.

Coins, notes and jewellery are often found in the big rubber seal around the doors of washing machines and tumble dryers.

Dr Kyle Grant, founder of the laundry service Oxwash which commissioned the study of 1,000 people, said: ‘Another great place to check is the filter. Typically located on the front bottom corner, flip open the cover and pull out the filter. Fingers crossed, any stray coins, notes or missing jewellery will be found in the lint.’

He added: ‘Leaving money in pockets is easily done, but don’t despair if you find a shrunk or torn note in the drum at home.

‘If you have at least half the bank note, there is a way you may be able to exchange it. The Bank of England has a dedicated “damaged and contaminated” service for accidentally mutilated genuine notes.’

The research also found we frequently wash wallets, headphones, watches, lottery tickets, jewellery, credit cards, phones, passports, make-up and stamps.

Dr Grant said Oxwash had ‘successfully reunited customers with headphones, wallets and cash that’s accidentally been left in pockets’ over the past five years.

Britons have also found a total of around £590 million down the back of their sofas in the past year, according to the study. The average person found £10.90 during a spring clean or thorough hoover.

Between and under car seats is another common spot for lost cash, with an average of £9.33 found.