How to Stop Spoiling Clothes When Washing
In theory, it’s better to spend on quality , but this is only true if there is enough quality item. I had a bad habit of throwing clothes from the basket into the dryer without thinking about it. If you are buying quality, this is a costly mistake. Here’s how to take better care of your clothes.
Find out what quality really means
Just because a pair of boots is worth unholy money doesn’t necessarily mean that the boots are of good quality. Quality clothing is usually more expensive, but this does not mean that all expensive clothing is of good quality. The Balance offers some helpful guidelines for determining quality:
- Finished seams: check the seams on the fabric. They must be uniform and when the garment is turned inside out, the seams must be finished. The video above shows how to check the seams. If you pull at the seam and see the thread, this is a bad sign.
- Good thread: Speaking of thread, you want to make sure it is strong and the loops are tighter. As The Balance explains, the thread only gets weaker over time, so you need to make sure you have a strong and strong thread.
- Matching fabric patterns: Make sure fabric patterns match at the seams to make the garment look like one continuous piece of fabric. The video above shows you how to test this too.
It is also important to try on everything, because quality items are well tailored. Low-cost brands will try to cut costs by using as little fabric as possible, which means the end product may not fit the way it should.
Learn the basics of washing
I’ve been doing laundry since I was eight. You might think I’m good at it now, but what it really means is that I wash, like an eight-year-old, most of my adult life. I pop in everything, add detergent and press the button. As a result, I ruined too many clothes to count. If you don’t already know the basics, here are some tips.
First, there are complex symbols on your clothes that tell you exactly how to wash them. Read and decipher these symbols ( this handy table can help ).
Second, the video above explains some of the things you are probably doing wrong with your laundry. Most of us use too much detergent and it can get caught in seams and crevices in our clothes. Also, don’t shed the stains too much, or they can only get worse.
Avoid using the dryer whenever possible. In one study presented to the American Chemical Society, researchers found that repeated drying of cotton garments resulted in cracks in the garment, which reduced the strength of the fabric by 25 percent or more and also caused lumps. Some garments are better suited for high temperatures, but in many cases they will fade, lose shrink, or ruin the elastic. This is why it’s best not to dry out delicacies like bras .
It also helps you sort clothes by fabric type , not just color. This way you keep your heavy jeans, along with their buttons and zippers, away from delicate T-shirts or underwear.
Buy laundry tools
The right tools can make a big difference, too. For example, take a look at the hangers that Acustom Apparel uses in the video above to avoid damaging the folds of your pants. Skirt hangers work too. This way you avoid over-ironing, which can also damage your clothes. And padded, padded hangers can help keep your sweater from kinking (or try this method , which also works).
Storing your clothes correctly will also help preserve them. Clothes bags ensure your clothes are wrinkle-free and moth balls keep pets from eating holes in your sweater.
I’ve always found drying balls a completely odd and unnecessary laundry accessory, but they serve a pretty useful purpose. They help your garments stay separate, which promotes better airflow, which shortens drying time. Not only will this save your clothes, but it will also help save money on your electricity bill.
Another way is to toss the dry towel when you dry your clothes. The idea is that the towel will absorb all the moisture from the clothing, as well as the drying time.
Know which fabrics require special care
You can throw your old T-shirt in the washing machine as usual, but some fabrics have different rules. Cashmere, for example, should be hand washed (although the Telegraph says if you have a hand wash setting on your washing machine, then that will work too). Using warm water and a little washing-up liquid, turn the cashmere inside out and run soapy water through it. Rinse, gently squeeze out the water and lay on a flat surface to dry.
If you have a silk blouse, never tumble dry. However, you can machine wash it on a gentle cycle. The laundress recommends washing silk in cold water, whether machine wash or hand wash. If you do use it in the machine, you may want to purchase one of these aforementioned mesh bags as it won’t snag on your other clothes (another good reason to wash by fabric type). In her opinion, never let the silk soak for more than 30 minutes and then hang the clothes dry or lay them flat.
Oh, and there is also a heated debate about raw denim . Raw denim is not pre-washed like other jeans, so it retains its rich color and can take on the shape of your body over time. Try not to wash them, as this can ruin both of these functions. However, when they become too dirty, you need to do something to clean them (unless you can not wear smelly jeans).
Some experts recommend freezing them, while others completely disagree with this advice. In truth, freezing raw denim won’t get rid of bacteria , but that’s not the point (your jeans don’t have to be sterile). Freezing can get rid of the odor, however. However, if you want to really clean your damp jeans, the video above suggests treating them with stains and using an antibacterial spray for at least the first six months of wearing. Then you can turn them inside out and hand wash them in cool water and a little washing-up liquid.
Some clothing companies offer lifetime warranties
It is worth noting that some clothing companies provide warranties to ensure their reliability. Basically, this means that their clothes are very expensive, but they will replace them if you wear them out. GOBankingRates has a large list of 50 of these brands , but here are a few:
- Dr. Martens : There is a lifetime warranty on their For Life footwear line.
- Eddie Bauer: They have an unconditional lifetime warranty and will give you full refund if any item “does not meet your quality expectations,” reports GOBankingRates.
- L.L. Bean : If you are not satisfied, they will refund you if you have a receipt, no matter how long you have owned the item. If you don’t have a receipt, you will receive store credit instead.
Of course, it’s best to just take care of your clothes, but it’s good to know that if something goes wrong, some apparel companies will help you. This helps to ensure that your “high quality” purchase is truly economical.