Tips to Protect Clothes from Daily Wear and Tear

We’ve all faced instances when we have put our favourite piece of clothing for washing and were horrified to find its colour faded to another shade post wash. Some of us have even had to deal with shrinkage, change in shape of clothing, loose threads and buttons and so on. We often feel that by just throwing in the clothes in with some detergent would do the trick, but that may not always be true. At times, we end up with clothes not smelling fresh, looking worn out or even damaged after a wash. To address these concerns, we tried some home remedies like adding vinegar to our wash but ended up with just another pile of sour smelling clothes. After a number of such experiments, we have finally come up with some simple tips to protect our clothes from wear and tear and make them look like new after every wash!

1. Follow the Garment’s Care Label Instructions Carefully

You can prolong the life of your garment by simply following the care instructions on its label. We realized that the care label always has guidelines as to whether a particular fabric is prone to shrinkage or not and whether it should be hand washed, machine washed or dry cleaned. This information is extremely helpful as it allows us to clean the garment using the appropriate method, leading to minimal or no wear and tear. The label mentions everything, from the temperature of water for washing to the ironing instructions that must be followed to take care of your garment.

2. Wash Your Clothes Inside Out

Here’s a great way to protect clothes from the outside during washing. We tried this method and it worked wonders for us.  What you basically need to do is turn your garment inside out before tossing it in for a wash. It may seem awfully simple, but it’s a great way to keep embellishments, embroidery, beading etc. intact on clothes. Fading of clothes with prints on them can also be prevented with this easy tip!

3. Use a Good Fabric Conditioner

While many of us feel that a fabric conditioner just makes the fabric softer and smell good, we were surprised with the number of other benefits it had to offer. We’re specifically talking about Comfort Fabric Conditioner, which we used for this purpose and were amazed to see how it helped add life to our clothes! After reading the label, we found that this is because the fabric conditioner has the power to coat each cloth fiber with a protective layer. This layer allows for less friction in the washing machine which in turn results in reduced wear and tear of clothes. This is why we observed that our clothes were lasting much longer after using this fabric softener. We felt a definite difference in our clothes as they were much softer to touch, which was not seen earlier, when we used only detergent. Our clothes now have their colours intact after each wash and they even continue to retain their original shape.

3. Air Dry Your Clothes to Avoid Fading

We have seen that dryer heat can damage fabrics over time. Electric dryers can cause clothes to shrink, weaken their material fibers and make them appear faded. This is why we suggest air drying clothes on a drying rack.

4. Store Your Clothes the Right Way

We are at times tempted to just strew our clothes on the bed or on a chair as soon as we reach home and then may hastily throw them into our closets. Did you know that the way you store your clothes can make a huge difference to their longevity? We have observed that simple measures like folding sweaters and stacking them on a shelf rather than hanging them helps keep their shape. Even the kind of hangers you use can make a difference. Wire or plastic hangers can stretch out the shoulders of your clothes, which is why we feel wooden hangers are a better bet. Our experience has taught us that it’s best to store clothes in cotton sheets or bags instead of plastic ones as they trap in humidity which in turn attracts mildew.

5. Rotate Your Clothes to Reduce Wear & Tear

The rule of ‘first in first out’ does not only apply to produce, but also to the clothes in our closet. We were surprised to see that by following this easy step you can reduce the wear and tear of your clothes. You can do this by putting freshly washed clothes at the back, so that the items which are still in the closet can be easier to see and reach out for.

Keep your clothes looking as good as new with these tips.