How to Keep Your Clothes Fresh and New: Laundry & Dry Cleaning Secrets
Do you remember how excited you were when you received your favorite clothes? Then, a few months down the line, you are not as excited to wear them as they don’t look as new? This is one of the challenges we face when we buy new clothes – when they start to look not so new after a very short time.
Although the quality of the cloth plays a crucial role in how fresh they will look after some time, your dry cleaner might also be responsible for your clothes fading fast. Hence, it is important you pay attention to how your clothes are dry cleaned.
To keep your clothes looking brand new, here are some dry cleaning and home washing tips to get started
Laundry & Dry Cleaning: Pro Tips for Perfect Results
Are the appropriate washer settings being used?
Whether you are directly involved in washing your clothes or not, ensure that the right washer settings are used. Professional dry cleaners should know the right setting to use for every type of cloth. For instance, if you use a harsh/strong setting on a piece of delicate fabric, it will not last long.
Different washer settings have different labels like gentle/mild/harsh/normal/delicate, etc. So, you must be careful to discern the meaning of these labels before dry cleaning your clothes. It is also advisable to check your clothes labels and see if there are instructions from the manufacturer.
Are the right detergents being used?
Another reason why clothes lose their aesthetic appeal is that they are not washed or dry cleaned with the right detergent. When dry cleaners use the right detergent, your clothes will keep looking newer for longer periods of time. It is important to mention that laundry detergents are of different types. Some detergents are suitable for delicate/sensitive fabrics. At the same time, some are made for tough fabrics.
You see, powdered detergent is usually brutal for fabrics, and you can very well use a liquid one; however, remember that some have plant origins as well. By the way, I can assure you that there is a variety, and there’s a good batch for almost anything. Just always ensure you do research and keep abreast of customers who have used their products.
If you’ve tried washing clothes yourself without great results, it might be best to give a professional laundry service a try.
Check the labels – or use an expert
Detergent labels give clear instructions on how to use them and the right kind of clothes they should be used on. When washing at home, it’s best to use care instructions on the label. But here’s one benefit to using an experienced garment care service – labeling laws do not require a method of cleaning list every possible method, they simply need to print one acceptable method of cleaning. In the case that your dry cleaner is highly skilled, they should be able to go beyond what the clothing label says and know how to approach a tricky or intricate garment based upon their own skill. If the instructions appear to be pretty complicated and are beyond your knowledge, then you should have a professional handle it for you.
Wash your clothes inside out
Leaving your clothes inside out before you wash is a dry cleaning hack that often takes a back seat. You must turn your clothes inside out before putting them in the water. At times, the spinning action of the dry cleaning machine can affect the wear and tear on your clothing items. Thus, it would be better if the insides of your clothes are subjected to the effects rather than the outsides.
If you have clothes with buttons and other fashion enhancements, make sure to wash them inside out so that they do not loosen up.
Use cold water unless otherwise stated.
It is essential to note that the use of hot water for cleaning your clothes is highly disadvantageous because it fades clothes much faster than normal. Normally, hot water should be used in gardening and camping wear, soiled sheets among others.
Asides these, use cold water to wash all your clothes because it has no effect. The threads of your fabric will remain intact, and the strength of the textile will not reduce.
Order a Laundry Mesh Bag
Laundry Mesh bags give a protective film between the items inside and the others in the washer. The bags are made from a resilient and porous polyester mesh material that is permeable enough to allow soap lather and water to pass through, and prevents other particles from passing through.
Using a laundry mesh bag is simple: you put your clothes inside, close the zipper or the mechanism of the bag, and put it in the washer.
Laundry mesh bags are handy in protecting delicate fabrics when washing. Your clothes can never be damaged when you put them in the bag especially when you have a lot of clothes to wash during mass laundry.
Buy durable fabrics
One underrated dry cleaning secret is taking ample time to look at the fabrics on each garment you want to purchase. Getting a durable fabric saves you the stress and worry of having your garment age prematurely.
A piece of durable fabric will last for a long time and still maintain its aesthetic appeal. Such fabrics need little care to maintain their brand new look, and you will spend less trying to preserve them.
Rotate your clothes
If you are intentional about keeping your clothes fresh and brand new, be ready to rotate them. This is a hack that many people don’t utilize. An easy way to start is to hang recently worn items at the back of the closet, or for washed clothes, take the extra few seconds to remove the current items in the drawer, then place your recently washed clothes at the bottom of the drawer, and then put the items you haven’t worn yet on top. If you’re digging to the bottom of the drawer for those just washed items early, you probably really don’t like the things on top. Get rid of them and get stuff you love to wear.
Air dry your clothes
Though dryers are fantastic, air drying impacts an appealing scent. Some clothing items such as pajamas and jeans may be used in a dryer.
However, other types of clothes should be dried in the air because they easily get damaged when used in machine dryers. Just as hot water is detrimental to fabrics, hot air in machine dryers is not suitable for several types and textures of clothing.
Conclusion
Having read these washing and dry cleaning tips mentioned in this piece, it is important to reveal that the way your clothes are handled determines their long-term use. If you don’t know how to apply some of these dry cleaning tips, it is advisable to see a professional dry cleaner to get the best results.