10 Common Mistakes You Make That Ruin Your Clothes & 10 Ways to Keep Them Looking New
10 Common Mistakes You Make That Ruin Your Clothes & 10 Ways to Keep Them Looking New
Clothing Care 101
Ever wonder why your clothes seem to fall apart after one wash, or why some pieces only last a few wears before losing their color, shape, or elasticity? Well, it often comes down to how well you care for them, and we've got just the guide to help. Read on for common mistakes to avoid and smart tips to follow so your outfits stay looking brand-new for longer.
1. Throwing Everything Into the Washer
When laundry day comes, it's easy to just toss everything that's in the basket into the machine—but if you do this, you're ruining your clothes. Not only is it bad to overload the machine (your clothes won't smell or feel clean), but it's also a no-no to just mix everything together without separating by colors or fabric types.
2. Ignoring Care Labels
Before you wash your clothes, you should always look at the care labels so you know how to properly handle them. If you don't, you risk ruining the fibers in your clothes and making them irreparable.
3. Not Separating Colors
Always separate your clothes by color—dark and light—before throwing them into the wash. If you skip this step and throw everything into one, your dark fabrics may transfer and stain your lighter pieces. Washing with warm water and drying on high heat will only make things worse.
4. Scrunching Instead of Folding
After taking your clothes out of the dryer, store them away properly. Don't leave them crumpled together in the basket, and avoid just shoving them into your closet and drawers. If you do this, you'll only create creases and folds that may be difficult to iron out.
5. Throwing Everything Into the Dryer
Just as you shouldn't throw everything into the washer, you should also avoid tossing all your clothes into the dryer. Again, don't ignore the care labels; some pieces may shrink or change shape when exposed to high heat, and you might not be able to wear them again.
6. Not Pre-Treating Stains
Never throw stained clothes straight into the wash. Even if your detergent includes bleach, it might not be able to lift the stain on the first go, and you may accidentally lighten all your other pieces in the pile as well.
7. Hanging Knitwear or Other Delicates
You might be tempted to hang all your clothes after the wash, either to let them air-dry or for storage purposes, but some pieces may snag or stretch with hangers. For example, knitted fabrics and spandex pieces shouldn't be hung up.
Esperanza Doronila on Unsplash
8. Ironing Every Piece of Clothing
Wrinkled dress shirts might need a good ironing, but you shouldn't just throw every piece of clothing you have under the iron. Delicate fabrics, synthetics, and other decorative embellishments may get damaged by high heat, so always make sure to double-check care labels.
9. Washing Too Often
You might think it's better to wash your clothes every day or every other day, just to keep them squeaky clean, but doing this could actually ruin your fabrics, so get a good wear out of your pieces before you toss them back into the wash. However, you should also avoid waiting too long between washes.
10. Not Using a Mesh Laundry Bag for Delicates
Tossing your delicates or intimates into the wash? You might want to put them in a separate mesh laundry bag before doing so, as this will ensure they don't get damaged in the machine. If you skip this step, you may end up with tattered fabrics.
Now that you know what mistakes to avoid, read on for 10 tips on how to keep your clothes looking brand new.
1. Wash in Cold Water If Possible
Heat can damage your clothes, so whenever possible, use cold water. This way, your clothes won't lose their color, shape, or elasticity, since cold water is much gentler. If you're wondering how to keep your pieces looking brand new for years, this is the number one trick.
2. When in Doubt, Hand Wash
If some of your pieces don't have a care label or seem to be too delicate to toss in the wash (even though their label says it's fine to), hand-wash them. This helps ensure they won't be damaged and irreparable when exposed to other fabrics, colors, and temperatures.
3. Turn Clothes Inside Out
If your pieces have delicate buttons, prints, or fabrics, make sure to turn them inside out before tossing them into the washer. This will help reduce the chance that friction (and heat) damages the outer surface, keeping them timeless and brand new.
4. Air-Dry or Lay Flat Whenever Possible
Some clothing pieces aren't meant to be thrown in the dryer, which means they'll need to be hung up or laid flat to dry. If that's the case, make sure to follow through exactly and to remember this every time. Otherwise, you may accidentally shrink or damage your pieces.
5. Follow Care Instructions Exactly
By now, you should know to read the care labels on your clothes, but it's also important to follow them exactly. If some pieces state that they need to be hand-washed, don't substitute that for another method. If some pieces say they need to be washed in cold water, don't toss them into the wash on high heat.
6. Rotate Your Pieces
Instead of wearing the same outfits over and over (and washing them over and over), rotate your pieces and give the rest of your closet the same amount of love. This way, you'll have more versatile looks to show off, and you won't end up overwashing your fabrics.
7. Know How to Treat Stains
Never throw stained clothes directly into the wash—you could accidentally damage other pieces, or you may set the stain in permanently. Instead, always pre-treat it before tossing it into the machine. Keep in mind that bleach isn't always the solution; for grease stains, dab in a generous dollop of dish detergent.
s
8. Store Clothes Properly
We mentioned this earlier, but it's important to repeat: make sure to store your clothes properly. Don't just shove them into your drawers without properly folding them, or hang up pieces that hangers may stretch or ruin. As a rule of thumb, you should fold your knits and hang structured jackets and coats.
9. Donate the Old to Make Space for New
No space to store all your clothes? You might be tempted to squish everything together in your drawers when you don't have room, but a better tip is to clean out your dresser and sort out pieces you no longer wear. Donate those, then you'll have space for the pieces you do wear.
10. Use Separate Mesh Bags
It should go without saying, but if you have delicates in dark and light, make sure to use separate mesh laundry bags instead of tossing them all into just one. This way, your colors stay separated, and your fabrics stay safe in the wash.
