Laundry Tips Part 1

I have to confess that I haven't always been good to my clothes, and given it the treatment it deserves. It took a few lessons - burning holes in a skirt when ironing, shrinking tops in the machine and de-feathering a down jacket to realize that all clothes require tender loving care.

So here are some tips that I live by, and that my mom, the professional washer, has imparted to me. I'm loving my clothes a little more so they'll love me back and stay brand new (a little longer), and you should too!

1. Fade scorch marks: If your iron got too hot fix the scorched fabric by hanging it on a laundry line in direct sunlight; the sunlight's natural bleaching action will help to fade the scorch mark. 


2. Don't use fabric softener:  Fabric softeners, contain undesirable ingredients, such as fragrances and dyes, which can irritate skin and cause other health problems. Plus, they can build up in clothes over time, which ultimately reduces clothes' longevity.


3. Turn clothes inside out: Washing and drying clothing is rough on the outside of your clothing. Turning garments inside out will reduce pilling which dulls the look of the fabric. Don't forget to turn clothing inside out when you hang clothes outside to dry as well.

4. Don't Stuff the Washer: Stuffing the washer is tempting. But it actually makes the machine work harder and it is tougher on our clothes. Clothing can't come clean or have soap evenly deposited when it is packed into a washing machine. Similarly clothing takes a lot longer to dry when a dryer is stuffed with wet cloths. 

5. Wash in Cold: Colors in cold. If there is one thing I learned about laundry from my mom, it is that colors get washed in cold. If you want to prevent fading from your colored clothing, wash them in cold water.

6. Don't Over Dry: It's easy to let our clothing over. While this is bad for all of our laundry, it is particularly bad for our bright and dark colors. Over drying will cause your colors to fade.

-Fal