07 Nov 2025
Donate a wash impact:
- Over 3 million washes donated by the smol community.
- Your 2 washes go directly to people experiencing hygiene poverty.
- Donations are distributed by The Hygiene Bank to food banks, schools, and community centres.
- Laundry detergent is one of the most requested items at UK food banks.
- Lack of clean clothes can lead to missed school, skipped job interviews, bullying and worse.
Hygiene poverty is one of those not-so-visible crises that hides in plain sight all around.
No one talks about it, but it’s everywhere.
It shows up when a child misses school because their uniform’s not clean. When someone skips a job interview because they don’t have clean clothes. When confidence and health are chipped away, bit by bit, by the stress of not being able to stay clean.
and it’s growing.
Even people in full-time work are finding it tricky to afford everyday hygiene essentials.
And that includes laundry detergent, which it turns out, is one of the most frequently asked-for items at food banks across the UK.
how donate a wash helps.
Thanks to the fabulous 30p Donate a Wash donations from our equally fabulous smol customers, we’ve now sent over 3 MILLION laundry capsules directly to The Hygiene Bank charity, who then get them to the exact places they’re needed most:
- Food banks
- Schools
- Community centres
- Voluntary groups helping people in crisis
The Donate a Wash smol capsules translate into real washes, landing in real places, supporting real people.
Here’s what one charity worker told us:
“Thank you! It’s an incredible donation and will help so many people. There were even a few tears from a lady that works at the Food Bank as she is asked so often for washing tablets and the normal answer is NO. It breaks her heart, and now she won’t have to say no.”
why clean clothes count.
Clean clothes can be the difference between:
- Going to school or staying home
- Speaking up in class or hiding in the corner
- Showing up for an interview or missing a chance
- Feeling good about yourself and how you present to others
We’re not talking about the joy of fresh sheets or new scents of fabric softener for each day of the week. This is about dignity, health, and opportunity. And when people don’t have it, it holds them back from everything else.
your impact so far.
The smol Donate a Wash community has now donated over 3 MILLION washes. That’s:
- 3 million laundry loads for those that need a helping hand
- Countless barriers broken
- Thousands of children heading to school with washed uniforms
And it all happens quietly, through one small tick in your plan. Just 30p. No fanfare. No middlemen. Just 2 washes heading off to do good whenever your smol pack processes bringing real help, right where it’s needed.
how to join donate a wash.
If you’re not signed up yet, here’s how:
- Log in at smol.com
- Head to Manage Plans
- Click into your laundry or dishwash plan
- Scroll to Donate a Wash
- Click Add to Plan
And that’s it. You’re now giving back with every delivery and can switch it off (and back on again) at any time.
If you’ve already added Donate a Wash to your plan, thank you. You’re part of something that’s changing lives, in ways most people will never see. And if you haven’t yet… we’d love you to join us. Because when it comes to tackling hygiene poverty, clean clothes make a big difference.
donate a wash FAQ.
where does my donation go?
Directly to The Hygiene Bank, who distribute it via trusted local partners like schools, food banks and community centres.
do you make money from this?
Nope. 100% of your donation goes to covering the cost of the 2 capsules sent out.
what if I change my mind?
No problem. You can remove the donation at any time in your account.
how often am I donating?
Every time your plan processes an order, your donation goes with it. That means one delivery = two impacts.