Keeping your clothes looking their best doesn’t have to be a chore. With a few simple tricks and a general understanding of different fabrics, you can easily keep your wardrobe flawless for longer.
In this blog, we have provided 15 easy-to-implement (and fact-checked) hacks for taking your clothing care routine to the next level. Let’s get started!
Every garment has a fabric different composition and, hence, a different care regime. Knowing when to use hot or cold water, use or avoid bleach, and tumble-dry or dry-flat can help you extend the life of your favourite outfits indefinitely, whilst preventing shrinkage, or damage. Luckily, you can find all these instructions written on a small care label attached to the garment.
Some of the most commonly used symbols on care labels are explained below:
Loose change, tissues, wrappers, etc. can significantly damage both your clothes and the washing machine. Before tossing your clothes in the laundry machine, make sure that the pockets are empty, as you really don’t want to be picking washed paper fluff out of your washing machine or off of your clothing.
Sorting laundry properly goes far beyond simply separating whites from darks. Considering the weight, type of fabric, and how dirty items are is equally important.
This means that garments with a heavier weight, such as towels, bed sheets, etc., should be washed separately from everyday light-weight clothing.
Moreover, heavily stained or very dirty clothes must be washed on a heavy-duty and longer cycle. By following this, you can minimise the transfer of lint, pilling, and dirt in the laundry machine from garment to garment.
You may not know this, but not every piece or type of clothing needs to be washed regularly. The “wash less” mantra not only keeps your clothing fresh and vibrant, but it is also highly sustainable for the environment.
Try to only wash clothes when they are truly dirty. For instance, cotton shirts, blouses, or pants can usually be worn 2-3 times before they need a machine wash. This is also true for clothes that you wear to the office or only for light activities.
During machine washing, clothes bear a lot of stress and friction. The surfactants in the detergent, combined with the centrifugal force of a laundry machine, can cause breakage in textile fibres, resulting in lint and pilling. By washing your clothes inside out, the visible areas of your garments can stay pill-free for longer.
Lint and pilling can spread easily. If you don’t debobble your clothing in time, it can not only deteriorate the fabric’s quality but also spread to the overall fabric, making it look dull and worn-out.
Bonus Tip: Invest in BIORESTORE Re-Tergent for top-tier cotton fabric care. This laundry powder is a hassle-free solution that removes lint and pilling and restores the texture and hand feel of your cotton clothing in only one home laundry wash.
Instead of waiting for your next laundry day, always treat your stains as soon as possible. Pour a small amount of detergent directly on the stains, gently rub the fabric together and leave to soak for an hour or two. If the stain is stubborn, you can also use a soft-bristled toothbrush to work on the fibres.
Tumble-drying is highly aggressive on the clothing. While it is a quick fix for drying clothes, using natural drying methods once in a while helps preserve your fabric’s quality. However, make sure not to hang your clothes under direct sunlight, as it can create a bleaching effect and lead to discoloration.
It seems counterintuitive, but putting extra detergent in the washing machine doesn’t translate to cleaner clothes. Instead, using more than the required amount of laundry powder can lead to a detergent residue buildup. Plus, the clothing can start appearing dingy and feeling stiff.
Tossing too many clothes in the washer or dryer leads to uneven cleaning and residue buildup as the not all of the items get an even soaking or distribution of detergent The excessive weight and friction of a mass of garments also takes a toll on the textile fibre, leading to pilling and bobbling.
Using the right temperature for washing your laundry is important and is easy to stick to by reading the fabric care label – (remember the washing tub symbol we talked about earlier). Cold-water washing (30ºC or below) helps keep your laundry vibrant. But if you are dealing with heavily soiled fabrics, using hot water (60ºC or above) is a better choice.
Folding your clothes and storing them in the right way is important for effective clothing care. For everyday clothing like shirts, pants, and dresses, hangers are your best friend. Hangers with broad shoulders can also help avoid snagging and preserve the garment's shape.
Sweaters, T-shirts, and knitwear can easily lose their shape. To prevent them from stretching, you can fold the fabrics neatly. The simplest method is to lay the garment flat, fold the sleeves on the inside towards the center, and then fold the garment in half or thirds. Finally, for bulky clothing, rolling is a fabric-preserving and space-saving strategy.
Ironing instructions are mentioned on the care label. Some fabrics may shrink instantly under high heat, and some may require a pressing cloth for protection.
For cotton fabric care, ironing on moderate heat is a helpful solution. In the case of delicate fabrics or synthetics, steaming is a much better option. The hot steam takes away the wrinkles without the risk of damaging the fabric with high heat.
Laundry bags are the perfect hack for washing bras, lingerie, or items with embellishments like sequins or lightweight knits. Plus, they can be a huge time-saver! For example, dedicate a laundry bag for washing your socks – it makes sorting laundry much faster, especially for families with a lot of socks. Work smarter, not harder!
Storing clothes in a neat and dry place is non-negotiable for effective fabric care and who doesn’t love a well organised wardrobe! Putting clothes away that are not 100% dry can lead to moisture causing fungi, odor and even cause fabric discoloration in the long run. For people with sensitive skin, storing damp clothing (clothes that are not 100% dry) can cause skin reactions (in some cases).
Wrapping Up!
Remember, a little TLC organization and a few simple fabric care tips can help you preserve your favourite outfits for longer. Next time you pick up your laundry basket, implement these 15 practical hacks and see the magic for yourself.
Until next time!
For the next time we write this type of blog we should think about the order of info. This jumbled around in terms or pre wash, in wash and post wash tips. It would be good to group them logically.
Remember, a little TLC organization and a few simple fabric care tips can help you preserve your favourite outfits for longer. Next time you pick up your laundry basket, implement these 15 practical hacks and see the magic for yourself.