13 Dec Caring for Your Clothing: The Essential Guide
Nothing beats the feeling of pure ecstasy that comes with finding a good bargain. Even better, when you’re ringing out at the cash register and discover the shirt you’re buying is 20% off.
🎵 Happy Dance 🎶
Whether you’re hunting down some good deals or you tend to shell out cash on more expensive clothes, they still require the same amount of TLC if you expect them to stay in tip-top shape. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve found my girlfriends pouting over their fairly new blouse falling apart or getting ruined in the wash.
Adding less expensive clothing to your wardrobe does not necessarily equate to only getting a few good wears out of them. The truth is, most of us just aren’t taking good care of our clothes. And, that’s okay – at least they’re inanimate objects and can’t cry when you don’t groom them properly.
However, no one really talks about how to make all your killer clothing last. People have seemingly adopted the mindset that if there’s some slight pilling, you can just toss it in the trash and buy another. If I’m being completely honest, my piggy bank won’t stand for that.
The quicker your clothes start to decline in appearance, the sooner you’ll have to reach into your pockets and shell out your hard-earned cash on replacements. Discovering ways to prolong the lifespan of your clothes = saving yourself money. Who can argue with that?
I have clothes from college that have admittedly gotten a little tight because I’ve been avoiding the gym recently. BUT, they still look brand spanking new. Coincidence? I think not. I just got it like that. And I’m ready to impart this wisdom onto you. Here’s how to start taking better care of your clothing.
Say Farewell to Your Washing Addiction
That’s right, I’m actually encouraging you to wash your beloved apparel less. Why? Because consistently subjecting your clothes to detergent, prolonged soaking, and spin cycles can really do a number of your stuff. Try holding off on washing clothing that doesn’t really need it quite yet – all it’ll do is wear your attire out quicker.
There are even some jean brands out there that encourage consumers to only spot-clean their denim, rather than full-on washing them. After a long day at work, it can be tempting to throw your garments into the hamper and never look back. But, if you follow these frequency guidelines for machine washing, it’ll preserve the quality of your clothing.
Cotton or Linen Shirts: After 3 or 4 wears.
Cotton Pants: When they become stained or wrinkly.
Denim: Every 1 to 2 months (spot clean as needed).
Button-Down Shirts: After 4 or 5 wears. Nice fabrics, consider dry cleaning.
Sweaters/Sweatshirts: As infrequently as possible. Layer cotton shirts underneath and throw those in the wash instead.
Socks & Underwear: Every. Single. Time. Don’t be gross.
Read Labels…For Real
This may come as a shock to you, but clothing brands put labels on their apparel for a reason. And it’s not just to make you itchy. Gasp. These labels will provide insight into how the garment should be washed and any special instructions you should follow to protect your clothing. It’s true that many brands are a little uptight when it comes to their recommended care labels. After all, it’s better to err on the side of caution than face a swarm of angry customers. But it truly is better to be safe than sorry.
Wash Undergarments by Hand
Yeah, I get it, I’m giving you more work to do. However, if you’ve invested in some nice lingerie or bras, don’t you want to keep them beautiful and intact? Tossing bras with underwiring into the washing machine will eventually cause them to warp – and that’ll give you less support. If hand-washing your attire literally makes you want to pull your hair out, then consider purchasing an underwear bag, which will help protect your undergarments from damage. Don’t forget: these should be washed in cold water on a delicate setting.
Grab Some Storage Bags
I used to be guilty of this one without even realizing I was harming my clothes. After you pick up your dry-cleaning, how often do you put it straight back into your closet? Most people have this habit. After all, it requires less work on your part. However, plastic dry-cleaning bags have the ability to trap both moisture and the chemicals used in the cleaning process, which can result in the yellowing of your clothes.
So, the moral of the story is to remove your apparel from their home in the plastic dry-cleaning bag and place them in garment-storage bags. This is especially advantageous for dresses, suits, blazers, and special clothing you’d like to protect.
Hangers for the Win!
Hangers are everything. If you’re utilizing flimsy wire or plastic hangers, don’t be surprised if your tops become stretched out, misshapen, or a piece of wire punctures your tee. Wooden or padded hangers are the way to go. You can pick up a huge pack of them at HomeGoods or other large department stores for cheap.
Shave…Your Clothes
Pilling happens – even to high-quality cashmere or wool. Believe it or not, you can actually use a specialized shaving tool (or really any ol’ crappy razor) to gently scrape the surface of the fabric and restore your clothing to its original, polished state. Seriously, Google it!
Handling Dark Clothes
When washing dark fabrics, always put them into the wash inside out. Dark fabrics have a tendency to bleed and you’ll likely encounter some slight fading as time goes on. However, taking extra precautions, like washing new dark fabrics separately for their first-time wash or using an additional product, such as Shout’s Color Catcher, will help prevent bleeding onto other clothes.
Moths Aren’t Our Friends
Sorry, moths, but you’ve gotta go. What’s most destructive to our clothing is not necessarily the moth itself, but the larvae they lay on your apparel – which, of course, is invisible to the naked eye. Yay. There are a number of products on the market you can use to combat moth damage – from cedar balls to lavender sachets.
There are also some products that aim to shut down the reproductive cycle in its entirety. These seem a little harsh to me, but hey, that’s just my opinion. Essentially, they use a substance (in the form of a tablet) to draw male moths away from your wardrobe. The substance combines female pheromones with an electrostatic powder to prevent the males from identifying a female mate. A.K.A. no reproduction taking place. I sympathize with the males here, but totally up to you whether you’d like to use this type of product or not.
Exercise Some Leather Love
Leather garments need to be handled very carefully. If it’s an emergency and you need to tackle a scuff or mark immediately, clean by hand using a mild soap and water. Once done, simply hang to dry. There are also leather conditioners you can purchase that are said to retain the texture and quality of the leather. If it were me, I’d say the safest option is to hand it over to the experts – try either your local dry cleaner or a leather specialist.
Proper Seasonal Storage
As the seasons change from summer to winter, so does your wardrobe. Before packing clothes away in storage, take a damp cloth to your clothing and give your gear a quick wipe-down. Trust me, you do not want to skip this step. If there’s a cocktail dress or cashmere sweater collecting dust in the back of your closet, there’s a chance there may be moth larvae on it. If you fold these clothes up and put them straight into your storage bag, you may wind up with a sweater resembling swiss cheese when the time comes to switch over your wardrobe once again.
Don’t Let Stains Win
Spilled coffee? Went a little crazy on that pasta over lunch? Everyone has those days where they get something on their clothing.
The trick is to treat the stain straight away. Keep a Tide to Go pen in your desk, briefcase, or handbag to ensure the stain doesn’t become a permanent fixture on your shirt or pants. When you treat that sucker while it’s fresh, there’s a strong likelihood that it’ll come out completely when you arrive home to wash it.
Shoes Are Just as Important
Depending on whether you’re a shoe person or not, this may sound a little funky to you. You wear shoes outside, right? So, why do you need to care for them? To make them last longer…DUH. Leather shoes, for example, are prone to wrinkling when they aren’t being worn. By stuffing shoe trees into those bad boys, you’ll ensure that your nice leather shoes retain their shape and texture.
For your shoes in general, it’s good to get into the habit of sweeping off excess dust or dirt from your shoes whenever you come back home. A simple shoe brush and 15 seconds of your time can really preserve the quality and durability of your shoes. If you notice there are any super dirty areas or scuff marks (the worst), a shoe mitt dampened with water and some gentle cleaning will go a long way.
Don’t Forget Your Handbags
For those fabulous folks who have a heaping pile of handbags, don’t just throw them on the top shelf of your closet and forget their existence. Pick up some acid-free tissue paper to stuff them with. This will help them maintain their shape without wrinkling or creasing.
Final Thoughts
While these tips and tricks may seem like an extra (aggravating) chore, they really don’t take up much of your time and they go a long way in preserving your wardrobe. We should value our belongings. After all, I’m sure you worked hard to get them. Plus, you can save money in the long run by ensuring your favorite graphic tees or suits are well-taken care of and in good condition. I mean, do your t-shirts really deserve to lay in a crumpled pile of rejected clothing on the floor? No! Treat them better than that.
At Positive J, we’ve invested our time in sourcing high-quality materials for our apparel, so you can wear your gear with pride for years to come. To care for our graphic tees, simply turn your shirt inside out and machine wash on cold. We recommend hanging your clothes to air dry, but if you decide to throw your tee in the dryer, tumble on low.
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