WHERE DO SOCKS DISAPPEAR TO?
The mystery of the lost socks
The secret is revealed
Where do we go when we die? What is the meaning of life? Why do noses walk while feet smell? Since the invention of the sock in ancient Greece in the 8th century BC, there has been another question that has puzzled mankind: Why do socks always go missing?
We are all familiar with this phenomenon; stressed out, you open your sock drawer in the morning, want to grab a pair of socks and realize that they don't belong together at all.
One is very young, the other is already visibly marked by life in the shoe. Thinned fabric in the toe area indicates an increased risk of holes forming and it's only a matter of time before it's life or death. Reaching for another pair doesn't seem to be a solution, because no two socks really want to go together. Instead, there is a miserable pile of lonely sock orphans in various colors, lengths and stages of life.
Why do socks disappear?
The hard work under adverse conditions such as sweat, friction or heat makes it understandable that there is a desire for separation between foot and sock. Other theories that challenge the child's imagination are the sock monster, the black hole in the washing machine or even their change of diet to socks. Since the beginning of our era, billions of socks have been lost. But always individually, never in pairs. We can only explain this mystery by the fact that they want to make it as difficult as possible for us.
How many socks disappear?
British scientists have investigated the loss of socks and discovered something astonishing: On average, we lose 15 socks a year. Rounded up over a lifetime, that's 1,125 socks! In addition to answering the question of where the socks disappear to, the scientists have developed a formula (the "Sock Loss Index") that calculates how many socks you will have to say goodbye to in the future.
The calculation
The "Sock Loss Index" can answer this question. According to this formula, factors such as your personal attitude towards washing play a role, as does the amount of textiles that need to be washed. With the "Sock Loss Calculator" you can easily calculate for yourself how many socks you will lose in the future. The formula is
(L(p x f) + C(t x s)) - (P x A)
- «L" stands for the amount of laundry (number of household members x number of washes per week).
- «C" describes the complexity of the laundry (different types of laundry [e.g. white, black] x number of socks washed per week).
- «P" indicates the positive attitudethat you have towards washing (from "I don't like doing laundry at all" to "I'd rather do nothing!").
- «A" stands for the attentionthat you pay to your laundry. This includes small checks such as checking trouser pockets or rolling out socks.
Calculate your sock loss now! Do you lose more socks than the average person?
Where do socks disappear to?
If you have thrown an even number of socks into the washing machine but fish an odd number out again, the culprit can only be the washing machine itself. Perhaps revenge for an overfilled drum? During the wash cycle, the socks wander into the depths of the drum. The heat and the revolutions cause the fabric to dissolve more and more and disappear into the waste water hose.
But not all socks are lost in the washing machine. Some languish behind the heater, get stuck between pieces of furniture or have slipped under the bed. Others are found at the bottom of the constantly full laundry basket. Separated from their partner in the turmoil of clothes, they don't always catch the same wash cycle. Others fall powerlessly from the washing line and are left to their fate.
How can you prevent sock shrinkage?
Two are stronger than one, or so the inventors of sock clips must have thought. However, this method is not foolproof because the clips often disappear at the same time. What's more, who has time to clip all the socks together? Of course, you can put the socks through a separate wash cycle to keep total control.
If a sock orphan is found despite all precautions, it is important to find a new partner as quickly as possible before an acute case of loneliness occurs.
The solution: Always enough socks thanks to the sock subscription
BLACKSOCKS has known a tried and tested remedy for sock loss since 1999! Thanks to the sockscription, you regularly receive fresh socks by post, always the same ones. This way, sock orphans quickly find a new partner, and there's no need to sort socks after washing.
What are you waiting for? The proof of the pudding is in the eating.