When a well-loved shirt tears or shrinks after only a few washes, it's a major letdown. Not only is it upsetting to have to replace beloved garments, but the cost of doing so can quickly mount.
Remember that you are not alone if this has happened to you before. Six hundred thousand people responded to a survey saying they ruin an average of 12 items of clothing dry cleaning
So if your mom wasn't a pro at doing laundry and she never shared her tricks for getting your clothes to look brand new again after washing, keep reading! Seven simple laundry care tricks are about to be revealed that will extend the life of your garments practically indefinitely.
We'd like to take it a step further because, in this age of global warming and toxic chemicals in commercial laundry products, you can use these guidelines to protect yourself and your clothes without further polluting the planet.
So if you’re ready to get the lowdown on having professional laundry results at home, here we go!
1) Reduce the amount of detergent you use.
It's a common misconception that using more detergent will help clean your clothes. In fact, using more detergent will leave a residue on your clothes, causing you to need to wash them again sooner, and over time, this can make them wear out faster. If you use too much detergent, your clothes will become stiff and scratchy, the colours will fade, and the white will turn grey.
One, do not use hot water.
Clothes may not get cleaner if you wash them in hot water. Some fabrics can be damaged because the fibres will be broken down and the fabric will shrink and stretch. What if there's a stain on your shirt? Hot water can make that stain permanent by sealing it in.
It's best to wash your clothes in cold or warm water rather than hot water, as these temperatures are gentler on your garments. Cold water has the added benefit of reducing your utility bills and helping the environment.
In what circumstances is it acceptable to use hot water? If you must use it, save it for towels and whites, but know that it is not necessary to get your clothes clean.
1. TAKE CARE OF STAINS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE
Do you regret this morning's coffee stain on your shirt? Fast action is required to prevent permanent damage to your shirt. Rather than waiting until laundry day to deal with the stained item, you should address the situation immediately. If you wait, the stain will have more time to penetrate the fibres of the fabric, making removal more of a chore.
The good news is that you can probably get rid of most stains with items you already have in your kitchen. This article will give you some tips on how to naturally get rid of any stain.
Do not wait for your clothes to look dirty before washing them.
If a shirt has a soiled appearance, you might assume it is dirty, but this is not always the case. Thirty percent of the soils in your laundry service are invisible to the naked eye. The remaining 70% is made up of invisible soils such as sweat and body oils that, if not removed frequently, can accumulate and lead to odours, discoloration, and dullness. Not that you should wash your clothes more than necessary. It's not necessary to wash your clothes after every wear. The Cleaning Institute's handy chart detailing how many times an item of clothing can be worn before needing to be washed is one of our favourite resources.