Wow! I thought doing a load of laundry was a simple task, but hold on, you really need to take steps before putting detergent in the machine. Here is the 4-1-1 on how to keep your clothes in tip top shape.
- Check garment care labels and read the label thoroughly to determine how the clothes should be washed, dried and ironed. Most items will have simple washing instructions, however you may find some garments should only be hand washed or once they come out of the wash cycle then need to be hung up to air dry. Pay close attention to the care label and set special attention garments in a separate pile to be washed.
- Turn clothing inside out and make sure none of the legs of your pants, or arms of your shirts are stuck in the garment improperly. And if any of your garments have Velcro® wash those separately.
- Check all pockets and it might be handy to have a basket nearby to hold the contents of your pockets. It is amazing what treasures you’ll find hidden in pockets (i.e., money, lip gloss, cell phones). Washing these items with your garments can be laundry disasters, so always check the pockets.
- Check for any sewing repairs (i.e., loose or missing buttons, small seam holes) and make sure you take care of the repair before you wash the clothes.
- Check for stains and either pre-treat or soak the stain before washing and drying. If you don’t take care of the stain and you dry it into the garment, most likely that stain will stay over the life of the garment.
- Sort the clothing and make sure that you have like colors and similar fabrics grouped together. Whites go separate because you want them to stay white. Reds and or bright colors (i.e., colorfast pinks, purples, reds and oranges) can be mixed together but wash them in cold water. Reds are notorious for bleeding, so if you are in doubt wash reds separately. Dark colors (i.e., navy, black) wash well together.
Washable Suiting and Suit Separates are all the rage, and we’ve put together some helpful tips on washing these garments….click here.