Laundry is the ultimate never-ending chore.
It’s estimated that the average Brit will do around 13,000 loads of washing in their lifetime, with hundreds of lost socks thrown into the mix too. Unless you’re privileged enough to pay someone else to do it for you, it’s likely that you’ve got your own laundry struggles too.
Whether you’re washing for a family of five or you’d like to start looking smarter for work, it’s always worth knowing how to take proper care of your clothes. Don’t be tempted to leave the laundry in a pile on the floor!
Our top tips for taking care of your clothing
- Store them properly
Storing your clothes in the correct way is crucial if you’re serious about keeping them in good condition. You should firstly make sure that they’re completely dry before you think about putting them away, since storing clothes damp can lead to fusty odours or even mould.
When your clothes are completely dry, you should hand them up or fold them carefully. It’s essential that you have adequate space to store your clothes and to allow airflow in and around them, keeping them fresh for longer. With a dedicated dressing room, you could use a walk-in wardrobe to keep your clean clothes organised.
- Pay attention to labels
When you wash your clothes, it’s important to read the labels inside. Though tiny, the symbols on the label contain vital information explaining the washing guidelines for your clothing. It’s always worth taking the time to understand washing symbols before doing your laundry.
Most labels show around four or five symbols. If you see any with an X across the shape, it usually means not to do what the symbol indicated. The most common symbols translate to:
- Washtub: Wash-safe. If you see two lines underneath the symbol, wash gently.
- Square: Dryer-safe. Dryer symbols often contain a circle inside the border, too.
- Iron: Safe to iron. Dots stand for temperature settings.
- Circle: Dry clean. If there’s a letter inside the circle, the dry cleaner knows which method to use
- Wash less frequently
Knowing how often to wash each type of clothing will help you to keep your clothes in tip top condition. Don’t be tempted to throw everything into the washing machine after just one wash but know that certain clothes should still be washed every one or two wears. These include:
- Jeans
Made using heavy, thick denim, jeans typically aren’t as breathable as other types of clothing. Despite old wives’ tales that insist you can wash your jeans after a week or so, leaving them too long could trap odours. Try to wash them after every few wears.
- Sweaters and joggers
Whether you’ve been working out or lounging around in them, you should try to keep your sweaters and sweatpants as clean as possible. Make sure you check the labels: don’t assume that all joggers can go on a hot wash, since synthetic fibres might shrink.
- Outerwear
Jackets, coats and waterproofs need attention too. While most might only be suitable for dry cleaning, you can wash some coats at home too. As always, check the label first. If you own a Gore-Tex waterproof, this might need special maintenance and reproofing once every so often.
- Avoid abrasion
Lastly, did you know that washing your clothes with abrasive materials, like Velcro, could cause damage? If you wear clothes made from delicate fibres like wool or even sporty Lycra, it’s worth keeping them away from anything scratchy or rough. Even sitting against a dry-stone wall could cause your clothes to rip, tear or bobble.
Learning more about caring for your clothes will help you to keep yours looking fresh for longer. With the right care and attention, you won’t need to buy new clothes as often – so you can save money and feel fantastic too!
