HOW TO: Make Your Clothes Last Longer

11 years ago | Posted in: NISA, women | 2482 Views

Stop denim from fading

 

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Over-faded jeans are a common closet conundrum. Stop the madness by taking a few simple steps while laundering your jeans, and make that favorite pair last for years to come.Before washing a new pair of jeans for the first time, soak them in a 50/50 solution of water and white vinegar to set the color.After the first wash, soak your jeans in a diluted water-and-vinegar mixture for half an hour before laundering to keep colors bright. Try a few tablespoons of vinegar per cup of water, and increase as needed.And don’t forget to turn jeans inside out before washing! This simple step can add years of unfaded life to your denim.

Protect bold colors with vinegar

Preserve colored clothing by washing in cold water and adding 1/3 cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle.Don’t worry about your clothes smelling like vinegar. By the time they’re dry, you won’t notice a thing (besides brighter brights)!
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Save stained clothes in a snap

Almost every stain can be removed if you act quickly. Use club soda or a mixture of soap and warm water as soon as you spill. Unless it’s an extra-tough stain, this should get the job done on its own.

A few dabs of rubbing alcohol works wonders on tough marks like ink and grass stains. For juice and red wine, try mixing a few tablespoons of baking soda with water to form a paste. Scrub the stain with the baking soda mixture and allow to dry before washing.

If the stain has already set, don’t toss your garment in the trash just yet! Try dying it a darker color for a good-as-new look.

Choose a plant-based fabric dye that strikes your fancy, and dye the whole garmet according to the package instructions. The dye-job will cover the stain and add another color to your wardrobe.

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Refresh black clothing with beverages

Noticing a bit of fading on that little black dress? Add a cup of strong coffee or tea to the rinse cycle. It may sound unconventional, but it works!

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Defend your delicates

Use a mesh undergarment bag or pillow case for washing your delicates to prevent lacy fabric from tearing and bra straps from stretching out.

To ward against damage, avoid putting your delicates in the dryer. All that spinning around tends to rip and tear fragile fabric.

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Keep shoes and boots looking new

Want to extend the life of your shoes in less than five minutes? Give each pair a quick wipe-down with a damp cloth after each wear.

This step may sound basic, but it’s the No. 1 way to prevent dirt from settling in creases permenantly – causing damage that’s often impossible to reverse.

To help sneakers and dress shoes keep their shape, store them on a shoe rack, or stuff some crumpled up newspaper inside for extra support.

Leather footwear is also prone to drying out. So, be sure to clean, polish and condition leather shoes regularly to keep them looking good as new.

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Separate more than just colors

You probably already separate your clothing into whites, darks and colors before tossing it in the washer. But you’ll actually get longer wear out of your wardrobe if you split garments up by fabric type as well.

Think of it this way: Your clothes will be doing a lot of tumbling around together in the washing machine. You don’t want your fancy work shirt spinning around with the rough fabric and sharp zippers on your gardening jeans, right?

To ward against wear-and-tear, wash garments made from similar fabric together to prevent buttons, zippers and abrasive fabric from damaging more delicate clothes.

Wash your work clothes separately from your other gear, and wash T-Shirts together to prevent fabric snagging from buttons and zippers on other clothing. When laundering pants and hooded sweatshirts, zip the zippers before tossing them in the washer. Open zippers can snag and pull at other clothing.

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Get smart about storage

If garments in your closet tend to lose their shape, improper storage is likely to blame. To solve the problem, be sure to fold pieces that should be folded and hang pieces that should be hung.

Items like sweaters and T-Shirts keep their shape better when folded, as hangers can stretch out the shoulders over time. Hang pieces like dresses, dress shirts, slacks and silky blouses in your closet to prevent wrinkles and preserve shape.

And save yourself from future frustration by storing suits and weighty jackets on heavy-duty hangers. Heavy clothing can bend flimsy wire hangers over time, causing shoulders to lose their shape.

When storing clothing for the season, keep folded garments in sealable bins and zip garment bags around hanging pieces to stave off dust buildup, mildew and moths. To prevent those trendy tall boots from sagging over the summer months, store them upright with a rolled-up magazine or newspaper inside, and keep other out-of-season shoes on a shoe rack to ward against damage.

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Want more tips?

You can easily extend the life of every garment in your closet by washing in cold water. This not only saves energy, but also preserves the color, shape and size of your clothing.

Overloading the washer can also damage clothes. So, split large loads in half to reduce wear-and-tear.

Whenever possible, nix the dryer to prevent shrinkage, color fading and fabric corrosion. If you don’t have a clothesline, hang clothes to dry on hangers or a drying rack instead.

And go easy on the laundry detergent and fabric softener. Using more than the suggested amount won’t get your clothes any cleaner, and can leave them looking dull and stiff

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(Earth911.com)

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