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Taking care of your clothes

Published on: Wed May 18 2022

Preface

The numbers in the brackets, for example [1], refer to the sources (at the bottom) where I got them from.

Washing

  • [1,3] Less frequently and on 30 degrees to preserve their quality
  • [3] Only oily stains really require hot water to remove them
  • [1] Close zippers and other fasteners before washing
  • [1,2] Avoid using the dryer, since they can damage garments and decrease elasticity
  • [2] Airdry your clothes
  • [2] Iron with a little water, no dry ironing
  • [3] Excess detergent can harm your clothes or your washer
  • [3] Skip the fabric softener
  • [4] Wash less
    • Denim: Every 4-6 months
    • Cotton pants: When I notice they’re overly wrinkly or stained
    • Cotton or linen t-shirts / tank tops: Every 2-3 wears
    • Cotton button-down shirts: every 3-4 wears
    • Cotton sweaters or sweatshirts: very rearely
    • Workout clothes: 2-3 wears (depends on how much you sweat)
    • Underwear and socks: every wear
  • [4] Washing rule of thumb:
    • The more I care about said item, the less frequently I wash it
  • [4] Don’t wear deoderant when wearing white t-shirts, since it causes yellowing of the armpits
  • [6] If an item isn’t dirty but just needs freshening up, hang it ouside or in a steamy bathroom to breath first
  • [6] Wash clothes inside out when machine washing
  • [6] Avoid overfilling, as this can cause friction and damage the fibres

Life expectancy

  • [11] Cotton
    • Shirts: 3 years
    • Jackets: 4 years
    • Denim jeans: 2-3 years
    • Trousers: 2 years
  • [11] Synthetic
    • Sweaters: 1 year
    • Suits: 2 years
  • [11] Wool and silk
    • Jackets & Coats: 4 years
    • Sweaters & Cardigans: 4 years
    • Sweaters & Cardigans wool blends: 3 years
    • Suits: 3 years
    • Trousers: 4 years

Fabrics

  • [11] What holds well
    • Merino wool
    • Cashmere
    • Tightly spun fibers, such as cotton, linen, wool or cashmere
  • [11] What doesn’t hold well
    • Wool and polyester blends
    • Polyester
    • Fibre blends of 3 or more different fibres
    • Acrylic

Smell

  • [10] A mixutre of lukewarm water and vodka can get rid of smells
    • Three parts vodka and two parts water, if very stinky
    • Three parts water and two parts vodka, if only slight smelly
    • Stick the mixture in a spray bottle and mist it over
  • [10] Put clothes in the freezer for an overnight refresh

Storage

  • [6] Store all clothes in a cool and dry space to protect them from damp, sunlight and heat
  • [6] It’s important to not overfill your wardrobe, as clothes need breathing space

Shirts

  • [2] Don’t hang your t-shirts. It creates unslightly hanger marks and it stretches them T-shirts can grow an inch just from gravity’s effect on cotton.

Pants

  • [2] Don’t overwash
  • [2] Allow for a little shrinkage, since it’s going to happen naturally when washing them
  • [2] When washing jeans, turn them inside out to protect the indigo hue
  • [5] Always wash jeans inside out in cold water on the delicate cycle, or by hand

Shoes

  • [2] In order to keep them in premium condition, dress shoes should not be worn for consecutive days
  • [2] Invest in cedar. They are good to absorb moisture and freshen shoe interiors.

Stains

  • [2] The longer you wait to remove a stain, the less likely you’ll be able to remove it
  • [2] How to get rid of a stain:
    • Cloth with cold water (not paper towel
    • Add a drop of dish detergent to the wet cloth (citrus-based soap)
    • Place another cloth beneath the stain if possible
    • Press on the stain, over and over, to lift it out. Don’t rub! You might damage the fabric.
    • You can let the stain sit overnight, even in water, before putting it in the laundry - or wash it directly after treatment.
  • [2] Removing blood or ink stains
    • With a cloth underneath the soiled area, re-wet the stain with ice cold water
    • Using a q-tip or small towel soaked in a cleaning solution*, lightly tap the stain, pushing it onto the cloth underneath.
    • *5 ounces water, 1 ounce ammonia, 1 ounce peroxide, 1 ounce color safe detergent
  • [2] Removing dirt stains
    • Remove any chunks of mud carefully
    • Place the garment in lukewarm water and move it around to loosen and remove as much dirt as possible
    • Apply detergent to the stain and re-soak for half an hour
    • Rinse and repeat
  • [2] Removing tomato sauce stains
    • With a butter knife or spoon, carefully pick up any excess tomato sauce
    • Dab detergent onto the stain and, from underside of the garment, rinse with cold water
  • [2] Removing coffee stains
    • Flush the stain with cold water
    • Apply a mild cleaning solution* until the stain comes out
    • *6 ounces water, 2 ounces color-safe detergent
    • If that doesn’t work, try a tougher solution*
    • *2 ounces water, 2 ounces color-safe bleach

Sources