7 Laundry Tips for Making Your Clothes Last (Almost) Forever
There’s nothing more frustrating than having your favorite top fall apart or shrink after just a few washes. Not only is it disappointing to lose your favorite pieces of clothing, but the money you spend replacing the ruined items adds up.
If it’s happened to you before, you’re not alone. According to a survey, a whopping 600,000 people reported ruining 12 pieces of clothing over the course of a year
So if your mom wasn’t a laundry pro, and if she didn’t teach you the secret hacks that keep your clothes looking like new after. laundering, stay tuned! We’re about to share 7 laundry tips that will make your clothes last (almost) forever.
We even want to go one step further, because in a world of climate change and toxic chemicals found in commercial laundry products, these tips will help keep you and your clothing safe, while also not adding to polluting the earth/
So if you’re ready to get the lowdown on having professional laundry results at home, here we go!
USE LESS DETERGENT
The belief that more detergent will get your clothes cleaner is incorrect. In fact, using more detergent will leave a residue on your clothes, causing you to need to wash them again sooner, and over time, this can make them wear out faster. Too much detergent will leave clothes feeling stiff and scratchy, and also cause your colors to dull, and your white turns gray.
SKIP THE HOT WATER
Hot water won’t necessarily get clothes cleaner. In fact, it can damage some fabrics by breaking down the fibers and cause shrinking and stretching. And if you have a stain? Hot water can make that stain permanent by sealing it in.
Opt for cold or warm washes, as those tend to be less abrasive on fabrics than hot water. As a bonus, cold water conserves energy, which helps the environment and saves you money.
When is hot water appropriate? If you must use it, save it for towels and whites, but know that it is not necessary to get your clothes clean.
1. ADDRESS STAINS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE
Spilled your coffee on your shirt this morning? The best way to ensure it doesn’t ruin your shirt is to address it quickly. Don’t throw the stained piece of clothing in your laundry basket and wait for laundry day to deal with it. This will leave time for the stain to further absorb into the fabric and make it more difficult to remove.
The good news is, most stains can be removed easily with natural ingredients you probably have in your kitchen now! Here’s a quick guide on how you can remove every type of stain - naturally
2. WASH YOUR CLOTHES EVEN IF THEY DON’T LOOK DIRTY
You might think that a shirt is dirty when it looks dirty, but in fact, this is not true. Only 30 percent of the soils in your laundry are visible. The other 70 percent include invisible soils made up of body soils like sweat and body oils, which if not removed regularly, build up over time and cause odors, dinginess, and dullness.
This does not mean overwashing your clothes. Clothing does not have to be washed after every wear. We love this handy guide from the Cleaning Institute on how often you can wear a piece of clothing before washing it.
3. TREAT YOUR DELICATES AS DELICATES
They are called delicates for a reason. Things like bras, underwear, and delicate items of clothing should be handled with care. For most bras and underwear, we recommend placing them in a mesh bag so the straps don’t get caught in the machine. Fine wool sweaters should be hand washed or dry cleaned. At OrangeBag®, we recommend finding a toxic-free, eco-friendly dry cleaner as dry cleaning chemicals can actually damage the fibers of your clothing.
4. USE A TOXIN-FREE ECO FRIENDLY DRY CLEANER
As we just noted above, most commercial dry cleaners use a chemical solvent to launder the surface of clothing which can actually deteriorate fabrics, not to mention have health implications for you, the workers, and the environment.
When it comes to washing “dry clean only” clothing, you have two options. The first is to find a toxin-free eco-friendly dry cleaner near you. With the rise in pickup and delivery services, it’s easy to schedule a pickup and have your garment cleaned and back to you within 24-48 hours.
The second option is to hand wash or wash with the delicate cycle. Materials like linen, wool, and silk are all safe to get wet, and can be placed in a mesh bag in the delicate cycle. If you are using a wash and fold service, be sure to let them know the item is delicate so they can use the appropriate wash cycle.
5. GET RID OF THE BLEACH
It’s common to think that bleach will magically make your whites whiter and your clothes cleaner - but this is not true - especially when you are thinking long term.
Prolonged use of chemical bleach can deteriorate the fibers and integrity of your clothes. While bleach can break down stain molecules, it also breaks down the fibers of the item and turns your white yellow.
Additionally, the harmful effects on your health and the environment have been well studied. Inhaling bleach damages the skin, lungs and organs, in addition to skin irritation and burns, eye irritation, coughing, lightheadedness and more.
Instead of bleach, adding ¼ cup of hydrogen peroxide is a gentler and more eco-friendly alternative that will keep your whites white without the negative effects of bleach.
And there you go! 7 tips to help your clothes last longer. Laundry, after all, is a weekly chore and knowing these tips will ensure you are treating your clothes with the care they deserve.
Need help with your laundry? That’s why we exist! At OrangeBag® our mission is to provide toxin-free, eco-friendly laundry services so you can take back your time and spend it doing things you love.
Laundry has to be done but you don’t have to be the one to do it! Schedule a pickup today and get 15% off your first service, and consider your laundry done!