When it comes to laundry tips, who better than professional dry cleaners to glean advice? Below you will find six tips to protect your clothes, offering you the ability to wear them for years to come.
1) Wash Clothes Inside Out
The best way to prevent the wear and tear of your clothes is to wash them inside out. This approach is beneficial because the inside of your clothing takes the brunt of friction during the laundry process, protecting the outside. It also protects buttons and other embellishments, prevents color fading, keeps printed graphics intact and more.
2) Zip Your Zippers
Before washing anything with a zipper, be sure it’s securely closed. Zippers can cause a great deal of damage to other the items being laundered with them such as holes, snags and tears. Be sure all zippers are zipped to ensure your other garments are protected.
3) Blot, Don’t Rub
No one likes finding stains on their favorite garments. How you treat those stains will depend greatly on the success of removing them. It’s important to blot by pressing down and pulling up on the fabric, rather than scrubbing in a circular motion. Scrubbing stains can actually penetrate the stain further into the fabric, rather than lifting it out.
4) Let Fabrics Breathe
Garment bags protect your clothes against dirt, dust, and insects. But clothes stored in bags that let in minimal oxygen, such as dry cleaning bags, can cause mold growth. They can also leave your garments with a strange smell which can be difficult to remove. Choose fabric bags so the fabrics can breathe.
5) Spritz First, Then Get Dressed
Spray your perfumes and hairsprays prior to getting dressed. The alcohol and other ingredients found in these products can easily fade, discolor and stain your clothes. Get in the habit of applying perfume and hairspray before getting dressed.
6) Three is Key
If you’ve ever questioned how often you should have formal wear laundered or dry cleaned, remember the phrase “three is key.” Suits, dresses and other formal wear, barring obvious stains or odors, can withstand three wearings prior to being cleaned. It’s important not to over clean these items due to the special fabrics they’re made of.
You can also follow this same rule with undergarments, such as bras.
