Extend the lifespan of your clothes and take care of your garments. Washing clothes is not always the best way to freshen up our garments. There are several disadvantages when washing clothes too frequently. It damages the fibers of the garments, releases microplastics from garments containing elastane, which is harmful to the environment. It also consumes a lot of water and unnecessary energy.
I have gathered the best tips for laundry and clothing care. I’m sharing my top tips for eliminating odors and discoloration, extending the lifespan of garments, and saving money by avoiding energy-consuming machines!
BEFORE THE FIRST WASH
To help colorful garments retain their color and prevent discoloration, you can soak the garment in a mixture of vinegar and water (1 dl vinegar per 1 liter cold water) before the first wash. Certain types of garments may release some color and transfer it to other nearby items if not washed before use. It’s also good to wash all new clothes before using them, especially garments that come in contact with the skin, to avoid unnecessary chemicals that may be in the fabric. These recommendations apply to clothing in general, not just limited to baby clothes, although extra care is usually taken with the latter. However, it’s ultimately up to each individual to decide, as these are merely recommendations.
WASH CORRECTLY
There are endless combinations of materials, each with different advantages. Some are wrinkle-resistant, while others feel cool against the skin. Some are more difficult to clean, while others are easy to care for. Be sure to read the care instructions on your garments carefully! Preserve the color and quality of your clothes by always washing them inside out.
Cotton is easy to care for and a durable material that often withstands high temperatures when ironing and washing. On the other side, it wrinkles easily and dries slowly. Another resilient material that can handle high temperatures is linen. However, linen wrinkles even more easily than cotton.
The plum purple Wilma tunic and Amalia poncho are both made of 100% cotton.
Sensitive materials such as synthetic fibers, wool, and silk should be washed using a liquid detergent for delicate fabrics instead of powdered detergent. Wool garments have natural dirt-repellent properties. Hanging up wool and other natural fabrics with elastane, helps reduce wrinkles. Wash wool by hand or choose the wool program on your washing machine, as wool tends to shrink. It is a good idea to air out the garments, preferably in damp weather. In the winter, it works well to clean bulky wool sweaters in the snow. If the care instructions recommend dry cleaning, you can take the garment to a professional cleaner, but you can also try steam cleaning it! Steam cleaning is a gentle method that removes odors, kills bacteria, and can even remove small stains.
Garments with decorations require extra care, even if they are made of cotton. Wash them inside out and iron them on the reverse side. Hand washing is a safe option. Delicate fabrics like silk or acrylic, which can pill easily, should be washed in a laundry bag or by hand. Silk, in particular, is not very tolerant of sweat and perfumes. After wearing silk garments, it is advisable to air them out and store them in a well-ventilated area. If you decide to wash them, avoid stretching or wringing them too much and always let them dry flat. Did you know that you can wash silk with shampoo?
Polyester is a durable material that retains its shape well and dries quickly. It is easy to care for as it does not require ironing, but due to its poor moisture absorption, it can become slightly static. See tips for static clothing further down in the text.
Wash lightly soiled garments at lower temperatures. Many clothes are not heavily soiled and do not require washing at high temperatures. Only run full loads in the washing machine, prewash only when necessary, and avoid overdosing detergent.
Let your laundry air dry or dry flat instead of using a drying cabinet or dryer.
!!! Consider if airing the garment or simply spot cleaning the stain might be sufficient.
The dress Frida and the beautifully patterned tunic Flora are both made of polyester and require no ironing.
On the other hand, viscose absorbs moisture well, is easy to clean, and shares many similarities with cotton. However, it doesn’t tolerate high temperatures. When handling viscose, gently stretch it while it’s wet, as it is a delicate material when damp.
The Johanna tunic and Sonia dress are both made of viscose. They do not wrinkle easily and provide excellent breathability!
To maintain the elasticity of garments containing elastane or stretch fibers, it is advisable to avoid tumble drying and the use of fabric softener.
BAD ODOR
As we all know, clothing made of synthetic fibers tends to develop unpleasant odors over time. In that case, I would like to recommend vinegar! Add a generous amount of vinegar to the detergent or fabric softener compartment when washing synthetic garments. After washing, the clothing won’t retain any vinegar smell.
For more stubborn areas, such as sweat odor under the armpits, fill an empty spray bottle with vinegar and spray the affected areas of the garments (under the armpits, inside the collar, etc.) before putting them in the washing machine. Then wash them as usual. If a garment has a persistent sweat odor, you can try pre-treating it with a mixture of one part vinegar and four parts water for 30 minutes before washing it in the washing machine with regular detergent.
Often, airing out the garment is sufficient to eliminate bad odors. Hang the garment outside for a while to freshen it up! This works great, especially during winter when it’s cold outside!
Photos: Filip Mroz & rawpixel on Unsplash
STUBBORN STAINS
The older a stain is, the harder it becomes to remove. Therefore, it’s important to treat stains as soon as they occur. Most stains can be removed with soap and warm water, and even if the stain doesn’t completely disappear, it will be removed more easily during the actual washing. Gall soap is a recommended option!
Blood stains are best removed by soaking the garment in cold water with a little salt or washing it on the same day that the stains occur. A useful trick for soiled collars is to apply a mixture of baking soda and vinegar before the regular wash.
ELECTRIC GARMENTS
A good tip is to apply a small amount of fabric softener or lotion to your hands and gently rub it over the garment. Alternatively, if you don’t have access to that, you can try spraying it with water or hairspray.
PILLS
See separate blog post about pilling: “What causes pilling on clothes?“.
TO IRON OR NOT TO IRON?
Iron your clothes at the recommended temperature. Cotton and linen should be ironed while damp. Wool, silk, and several synthetic materials can be steamed ironed, while velvet and textured fabrics should be ironed from the reverse side. If you’re unsure about the fabric’s behavior, iron from the reverse side. Be cautious with buttons and decorations! You can save time and energy by hanging up your clothes immediately after the washing.
SHOE CARE
Leather shoes can be kept in great condition for a long time if they are properly cared for with the right products. This will help them maintain their color, shape, and prevent moisture penetration. Clean the shoes, apply shoe cream, and polish them with a brush. Allow the shoes to rest every other day and store them with shoe trees.
TAKE CARE OF YOUR WASHING MACHINE AND SAVE ENERGY
Don’t forget to thoroughly clean your washing machine at least once a year. Fill the detergent compartment with citric acid and run a wash cycle at 90 degrees to keep your machine in optimal condition.
STORAGE
Store clothes that you won’t be using for a long time, such as during the winter, in drawers or large plastic bags along with cedar balls and lavender. Cedar helps protect the clothes from moths and other pests.
RETHINK – REPAIR AND RECYCLE
Has your favorite garment been damaged? Give your clothes a second chance by patching and repairing them. Repairing garments with holes saves both money and the environment. In most cases, you can go a long way with just a needle and thread in various colors, but of course, you can do more with a sewing machine. It’s also helpful to have fabric glue. With a needle and thread, you can easily fix seams that have come undone, mend small holes, reattach buttons that have fallen off… Don’t know how to do it? Check out platforms like YouTube! There are plenty of tips and simple step-by-step instructions available.
Hole in your wool sock? Learn how to darn socks.
Hole in the knees of your pants? Turn them into shorts or sew something decorative over the hole.
Worn-out elbows on your favorite sweater? Sew decorative patches over the elbows or transform the sweater into a t-shirt.
Worn-out cuffs or stains on the sleeves? Turn it into a sleeveless garment.
What do you usually do when a garment has large holes or stains that cannot be fixed?
If you find yourself with a garment that has large holes or stubborn stains, what can you do?
Get creative! How about embroidering something over the stain or adding some decorative embellishments? Another option is to do textile printing on the stain. Let your imagination take the lead and transform the garment into something new and unique. You could repurpose parts of it to enhance another garment, create accessories, or even use the fabric for rug weaving. If you still decide to get rid of the damaged garment, make sure to recycle it so that the materials can be reused. Textiles that cannot be recycled can be sorted as mixed waste.
Take care of each other and your clothes!
Hugs, Marie
PS: Here is one of my favorite websites online if you want to read more about taking care of clothes, removing stains, and everything in between.