Want to keep your clothes looking new even months after you’ve bought them? If so, check out this guide on how to properly wash clothes and keep them like new.
What are your laundry habits like?
Not everyone enjoys doing laundry, and a lot of people are guilty of cutting corners when it comes to freshening up their clothes! But, this could be ruining your favorite sweaters and comfiest jeans.
If you don’t wash your clothes properly, you risk colors running, materials shrinking, and not getting rid of the bacteria that cause your garments to smell. By the time you take your clothes out of the machine, you’ll have a bigger mess than the one you started with!
To stop this from happening, check out this guide on how to properly wash clothes.
Always Read the Label
When it comes to how to wash your clothes properly, you should always start by reading the label. This should tell you what material the item is made from and give you some instructions on how to wash it. This is vital information that you should never ignore!
A lot of labels use symbols to give you washing instructions, so make sure you know what these mean. For example, a circle on the label means that the garment is strictly dry clean only.
How to Properly Wash White Clothes
White clothes should always be washed separately from black clothes and colored clothes. If you don’t separate them, the colors from the other clothes can run and stain your whites, which definitely isn’t ideal!
Use a heavy detergent that contains a brightener to keep your whites bright. If you want to get out any little stains, use a laundry bleach, which will work as a brightener and stain remover simultaneously. Run the clothes on a warm, regular wash.
When drying whites, try to do so in the sunlight. This will help keep them brighter and whiter, making sure you keep wearing them for years to come!
How to Properly Wash Black Clothes
Black clothes can be a pain when it comes to color running, so make sure to wash dark colors separately from whites and colored clothes. To keep them looking black for longer, turn your clothes inside out and wash them on a cold-water, short cycle. Of course, if they’re heavily soiled, you’ll have to use a warmer and longer wash, but be prepared for some color running!
If you live in an area that has very cold winters, it’s best to always pop your clothes on a warm cycle during these times. Otherwise, your water may be too cold to activate the detergent, leaving your clothes unwashed and smelly.
When it comes to detergents, you don’t have to buy anything special. Detergents don’t contribute to fading, but you should avoid anything that contains brighteners or bleach. These types of detergents are made solely for white clothing.
When drying your darks, try and air-dry them to avoid any unnecessary fading or abrasion from a dryer. Keep them out of direct sunlight as they dry to avoid fading.
How to Properly Wash Colored Clothes
Colored clothes are the easiest of all to wash! If they have any stains, be sure to treat these before putting them in the washing machine. Wash them on a normal cycle with a color-safe detergent.
If you have new clothes, turn them inside out before you wash them to avoid the color fading and running. You should also put these on a cold wash to keep them brighter for longer.
Once your colored clothes are washed, take them out of the washing machine straight away. If you leave them in you might find the colors start blending, which you definitely don’t want! Air dry your clothes out of direct sunlight.
How to Properly Hand Wash
Not all clothes can be washed in the machine. To make sure you know which should be hand-washed, make sure you learn about the fabrics your clothes are made from. For example, if you have fleece jumpers, read up on whether they shrink in the wash to know more about how to wash them.
If you have delicate materials that can’t go in the washing machine, you’ll have to hand wash them or have them dry-cleaned. To properly hand wash delicate clothing, here’s a simple step-by-step:
- Apply a pre-wash treatment to any stains
- Fasten zippers, popper, and buttons to prevent anything from getting caught
- Turn highly embellished pieces inside-out
- Fill a sink or bowl with room temperature water
- Add regular detergent or one designed for handwashing to the water
- Submerge your clothing in the water and use your hands to mix it around
- Leave it to soak for around 30 minutes
- Rinse the item well with cold water until the water runs clear
- Gently press the item against your sink to remove excess water instead of scrunching and twisting it
- Flatten out and air dry
Hand washing clothes can help prevent shrinking and reduce the chance of damage to your delicate clothes. Clothing that’s frequently hand-washed includes underwear, such as bras, woolen jumpers, and heavily embellished pieces.
If a piece needs to be dry cleaned, don’t hand wash it! Dry cleaning uses chemicals to clean your clothing so that you don’t have to use water which can ruin certain materials.
Learn More About How to Properly Wash Clothes
This guide should’ve given you a good base knowledge for how to properly wash clothes, but make sure to do more research if you’re still unsure! It’s vital you know how to properly wash each of your items to ensure they last for years to come.
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