Your clothes say a lot about you. Just by looking at one’s clothes we can make some very accurate assumptions about their character and personality. And all of us have those precious items in our wardrobe that we never want to let go of. Follow these guidelines to prolong the life of your clothing and to keep all those clothes that hold a special place in your heart looking new.
Hand Wash
Hand wash your favourite clothes to avoid having them stretched and manhandled in the washing machine. Even at its gentlest cycle, a washing machine can do a lot of rough handling. Keep a separate laundry bag to collect clothes that have to be hand washed and do it over the weekend.
Source: cleanipedia.com
Use a Liquid Detergent Instead of a Powder
Liquid detergents are much more gentle and soft on your clothes than powder detergents. Also, with powder detergent, you always run the risk of having clumps stuck to your clothes and having to re-wash them to get rid of it. All this will take its toll on the fabric. So opt for liquid detergent over powder forms.
Let Your Clothes Air Dry in the Shade
Have you ever noticed the hurricane that happens every time you switch on your dryer mode? Hang your clothes in a clothes line and let them dry in the shade instead. Or let the dryer do its work for a minute or two before you get your clothes out to air dry. Never dry your clothes out in the sun as this might result in fading of the colours over time.
Source: blogspot.com
Check Clothes before Putting Them for Wash
Check all the pockets to make sure that there are no tissues or receipts in there. It is a nightmare having to remove those nasty bits of paper after your machine spouts it all over your clothes. If any of your clothes have zippers, pull them up to avoid having another item getting caught in the open zipper and getting tangled.
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Some clothing will need to be reversed to avoid damage to the print. All these little things will help you prolong the life of your clothing, keeping it looking nice and new.
Use Cold Water
Use hot water only for jeans, towels, and bedspreads. In general, hot water tends to fade out the colour faster than cold water.
Use Fabric Conditioner
While it may sound like complete hogwash, fabric conditioner does indeed help maintain your clothes. Using it regularly will help keep your clothes at their best.
Keep a Sewing Kit Handy
Keep a sewing kit handy so you can immediately sew back buttons that pop and repair hems that unravel. There is nothing worse than a nice shirt missing a button or a nice pair of trousers with the hem coming apart. To keep your clothes looking new, you need to act fast and not put off these little things. After all, a stitch in time saves nine!
Use a Mesh Laundry Bag for Your Delicates
Please do not let your lingerie go through the torture of getting tangled and pulled by your heavier clothing. Use a mesh laundry bag to separate your delicates and keep them safe from the other clothing. If you do not own a mesh bag, simply use a small pillow cover instead.
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Iron with Care
Your ironer has different settings for different fabrics for a crucial reason. Please follow the settings to avoid fading out the colour or accidentally pulling the fabric. While some settings might seem like they’re too low, trust the manufacturer’s guideline and avoid the temptation to turn the knob to high and risk ending up ruining your fabric.
