Stop Storing Clothes in Plastic Dry Cleaning Bags (and Use This Alternative Instead)
When you pick up clothes from the dry cleaners, they usually come in thin, clear plastic clothes bags. Once you get them home, it makes sense to just put them in a closet, in a bag. After all, these are garments that you pay someone else to clean, so they must be worth the investment and you want to protect them.
But it is not. In fact, plastic dry cleaning bags can damage your clothes over time. Here’s what you need to know about safe clothing storage.
Why You Shouldn’t Store Clothes in Dry Cleaning Bags
Dry cleaners put your clothes in these clear plastic bags to protect them from the weather and prevent them from getting dirty or damaged on the way home. They were never intended for permanent storage.
That’s because your clothes need to breathe, and – as you know, if you’ve ever worn anything made of vinyl – plastic doesn’t breathe . When you leave your clothes in plastic bags, it can make it difficult for your clothes to release any chemical cleaner odors they may have absorbed in the process.
In addition, plastic clothing bags trap moisture which, if left long enough, can lead to mildew , which can then weaken fabric fibers. It can also cause clothing to turn yellow, which can happen if moisture comes into contact with one of the chemicals used to make a plastic bag.
How to store clothes safely
If you have special items of clothing that you want to keep and protect, cotton clothing bags with zippers are your best bet. Cotton allows clothes to breathe while keeping dust, moths and other pests on the fabric.