Overview
- The belief holds that washing clothes, dishes or floors on January 1 symbolically washes away good luck or could portend losing a loved one.
- Outlets report that some households keep washing machines and dishwashers off on New Year’s Day, with a few extending the pause to showering.
- Journalists note parallels to Lunar New Year practices that favor cleaning beforehand and avoiding sweeping or taking out trash on the first day.
- Social media posts and cleaning-influencer communities, including Mrs Hinch pages and advice from Lynsey “Queen of Clean,” have boosted awareness.
- Coverage consistently emphasizes that these practices are folkloric traditions with no scientific evidence of any effect on luck.