Solved the "mystery" of missing socks! What made them disappear is actually the washing machine!
Everybody loses things, especially objects we use frequently. Among the most common are our keys, umbrellas, and eyeglasses.
Although losing them is inconvenient, it is more or less expected and acceptable because usually they have just fallen out of our pocket, or were left somewhere because we forgot them.
But there is a separate category, namely, socks! Without even leaving the house, individual socks seem to mysteriously disappear! Now, finally, the mystery has been solved. (drum roll) The culprit is the washing machine!
via boredpanda.com
The enigma was revealed purely by chance by Cathy Hinz, who together with her husband manages some real estate properties in England.
Their washing machine had been giving them problems for some time, and they were so exasperated by the continuous malfunctions that the two thought to disassemble it to find out what the problem was. When the lower panel was removed, Mr. Hinz was left speechless discovering a sort of "Bermuda Triangle" or maybe, it would be better to say a sort of "Twilight Zone", hidden inside the old washing machine.
Inside, Mr. Hinz found several pairs of underwear, seven dollars in banknotes, some coins, a credit card, and obviously numerous socks. Over the years, it has emerged that the same identical problem has occurred in almost all front-loading and top-loading washing machines and dryers.
During the washing cycle, small clothing items such as socks tend to slip into the cracks and slide down into the hollow areas of the metal frame, pushed downward precisely by the rotary motion of the basket or the motor.
The images posted by Cathy Hinz on social media networks have quickly gone viral and have been shared by many other people who, like the Hinz couple, have lost dozens of socks and other types of clothing accessories.
The curious story may make one smile, but upon reflection, the issue becomes serious. Just think that in addition to making objects disappear, this problem causes breakdowns in washing machines and dryers, compromising their ability to function well or even to function at all.
In fact, Samsung has decided to launch a new type of washing machine and has commissioned a study in Great Britain.
The survey has shown that British citizens lose an average of 1.3 socks per month, i.e. over 15 socks in a year. An individual who lives an average of 81 years can, therefore, lose around 1,264 socks in their lifetime, for a total value of almost $3,350 USD (3,000 EUR).
