Take Care of Your Clothes

Nothing lasts forever, but most things can last longer if you take care of them. Clothes are definitely no exception. Taking care of your clothes will make you look better, help them last longer, and save you a ton of money when compared to buying new ones. Don't spend unnecessary time and money buying new clothes when taking care of your old ones will do! Proper methods of cleaning, drying, and storing your clothes will both extend their life and make them look better.

Steps

Cleaning Your Clothes

  1. Sort your laundry. This seems intuitive, but it more difficult than most people think. Sort laundry based on cleaning instructions, type of laundry, and color.[1]Make sure that you are only washing dirty clothes, as unnecessary washing of clean clothes can shorter their life. [2]
    • Set aside any dry-clean only articles of clothing.
    • Group together any delicates or cold-wash only clothing.
    • Group towels and heavy linens.
    • Separate the rest of your clothes into whites and dark or colored groups.
    • Turn T-shirts inside out to prevent the outside from wearing out and fading.[3] This is especially important with graphic tees.
  2. Get ready to wash. Now that your clothes are sorted you are almost ready to start washing. Review cleaning instructions for whichever group of laundry you want to begin with. Pre-treat any stained items with a stain removing spray or pen.[4] Add detergent and fabric softener (if desired) to the washing machine.
  3. Choose your wash cycle. Some washing machines have various preset cycles. If yours does, select the cycle that applies to your group of clothes. If yours does not, follow cleaning instructions on the tags of your clothes and follow a few guidelines.
    • Delicates and cold-wash only clothing need cold water and a gentle spin cycle.
    • Towels and linens can generally tolerate a warmer temperature and heavy spin cycle.
    • Whites will get cleanest using hot water, making it ideal unless any whites are not pre-shrunk.[5]
    • Hot water can cause some color bleeding for dark or bright colors, so use warm or cold water.[6]
  4. Wash your clothes. This step is simple. Close the lid or door and press start! Be sure to observe the wash time - you'll want to dry your laundry quickly after washing it, lest it start to become stale.
  5. Know what to do for clothes that cannot be washed at home.
    • Never wash the clothes marked as ‘Dry Clean Only’ at home, as these delicate clothes/ fabrics may lose their color, shine, texture or embellishments on washing.
    • Ones marked ‘Dry Clean First Wash’ should be given to professional cleaners the first time. Subsequently, you can wash them, using detergents meant for delicate clothes and tepid/ cold water.
    • Give them to professional and trusted dry cleaners for ‘petrol wash’.
    • Ethnic clothes like heavily embroidered Lehengas, delicate sarees and silk kimonos must not be washed/ dry cleaned frequently.

Drying Your Laundry

  1. Sort your laundry again. When the washing machine is done, you'll need to get ready to dry your laundry. If you plan to use an automatic dryer some items may need to be sorted out. Bras, sports jerseys, and athletic wear are among items that often benefit from manual drying.
  2. Decide on your drying method. If you live in a temperate climate with low humidity and available outdoor space, you'll need to decide whether you want to hang your clothes outside or use an automatic dryer. If you live in a less ideal climate or don't have space, you'll need to opt for an automatic dryer.
    • Hanging items to dry prevents them from shrinking. [2]
    • If you have the time, drying in natural sunlight and air is usually best.
    • Sunlight is a natural disinfectant, and drying outdoors is both eco-friendly and will save you money.[7]
  3. Dry your laundry. If you are naturally drying your laundry outdoors, bravo! Simply check on it every few hours. If you are using an automatic dryer you will need to clean the lint filter, add a dryer sheet or two (if desired) and select your drying cycle. Start up the machine and return when it is done.
    • Just like you carefully selected a wash cycle, carefully select a dry cycle that is appropriate for your clothes.
    • Higher heat and a rougher tumble get the job done faster, but are harder on clothes.

Storing Your Clothes

  1. Remove clothes from the dryer ASAP. If you used an automatic dryer it is important to remove clothes from the dryer immediately. If you dried your clothes naturally there is less of a rush, but you shouldn't leave them out longer than necessary either.
    • Leaving clothes in the dryer for too long can cause them to wrinkle.
    • Clothes are much easier to hang and fold wrinkle-free when they are freshly dried.
  2. Hang nicer clothes. You'll want to get nice shirts, dresses, trousers, sweaters, and any other hanging clothes on a hanger and onto the rack. Be sure to use an appropriately sized hanger.
    • If you spot creases in your garments, try smoothing them out by hand. If the clothes are still warm this will often be successful.
    • If smoothing out by hand does not work, consider using a clothes iron.
  3. Fold and store the rest of your clothes. Neatly fold and store your clothes. When possible, try to fold along the seams of the garment. It is necessary to fold pants by lining up their seams and creases. [8] If a garment is not amenable to folding, consider gently rolling the garment and storing it to ensure that it does not wrinkle. Don't pack stored clothes too tightly. [9]
  4. Care for your stored clothes. If you have clothes that you do not use often - particularly if they are in a closet - consider using pest deterrents like mothballs and dryer sheets to dispel moths. [10] If clothes have been sitting unused for some time air them out rather than washing them again.
    • Washing adds wear and tear to your clothes. While necessary when clothes are dirty, unnecessary washing shortens the life of your garments.[2]

Making Your Clothes Last

  1. Address stains and spills immediately! If you drop or spill an item on your clothes, dab ice water or seltzer immediately so that the stain does not set. Make sure that you dab rather than rub. Before washing spray the area with a stain pre-treatment.
  2. Wear aprons or old "junk" clothes while cleaning and cooking. Hot sauces, grease, and food can splash and cause damage to clothes. [2] Don't start making your favorite marinara or standing in front of your deep-fryer without an apron on.
  3. Snip loose strings and threads. Rather than pulling on them and ruining more stitches, you should snip loose strings and thread as soon as possible. If the seam has already lost too many stitches, consider learning how to stitch or sew, so you can fix the small problem before it becomes a bigger one. [9]
  4. Take care of pills. Proper washing and drying methods will prevent pills in the first place, but if you already have pilled clothes you can try to fix them yourself, rather than throwing the garment out.

Tips

  • Heavy materials such as denim sometimes develop creases in the wash can be hard to iron. Try grabbing these by the waistband and flicking your wrists aggressively. This will work out many creases, especially if the garment is still warm.
  • Use a dry deodorant to avoid armpit sweat and deodorant stains.
  • If you accidentally shrink a garment in the wash and it is still damp, you may be able to save it. Try to lay it out smoothly, and gently stretch the fabric by hand. With patience and warm hands, you may be able to return a damp garment to its original size.
  • Sell unwanted quality or name brand clothes. You can sell them online or through various apps, or at a local retailer.[11]
  • Donate remaining unwanted clothes. Many charitable organizations will pick up your unwanted clothes. You can also drop them off locally.
  • If you donate clothes, ask for a receipt.[12] You can deduct the donation on your taxes.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/cleaning/tips/a24173/sorting-laundry/
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 http://www.garmentcare.info/make_clothing_last/ten_ways_to_ensure_long_life_for_your_clothing.html
  3. ↑ https://www.reference.com/home-garden/better-turn-clothes-inside-out-washing-bc4495e5e525a1cb
  4. ↑ http://www.mamaslaundrytalk.com/how-to-pre-treat-a-stain-on-clothing/
  5. ↑ http://www.washlaundry.com/residents/laundry-tips/temperature/
  6. ↑ http://home.howstuffworks.com/home-improvement/household-hints-tips/cleaning-organizing/how-to-prevent-color-bleeding-in-laundry1.htm
  7. ↑ http://homeguides.sfgate.com/natural-alternatives-bleach-disinfecting-79312.html
  8. ↑ http://www.pages.drexel.edu/~alc52/pages/laundry1.html
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 http://www.garmentcare.info/make_clothing_last/a_dozen_clothing_care_tips_that_will_save_you_money.html
  10. ↑ http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf22420589.tip.html
  11. ↑ http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-sell-used-clothes-2015-6
  12. ↑ https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p1771.pdf
Retrieved from "https://kipkis.com/index.php?title=Take_Care_of_Your_Clothes&oldid=272059"