How to Take Care of Your Clothes
Sort your laundry., Get ready to wash. Now that your clothes are sorted you are almost ready to start washing., Choose your wash cycle., Wash your clothes., Know what to do for clothes that cannot be washed at home., Sort your laundry again., Decide...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Sort your laundry.
This seems intuitive, but it more difficult than most people think.
Sort laundry based on cleaning instructions, type of laundry, and color.Make sure that you are only washing dirty clothes, as unnecessary washing of clean clothes can shorter their life.
Set aside any dry-clean only articles of clothing.
Group together any delicates or cold-wash only clothing.
Group towels and heavy linens.
Separate the rest of your clothes into whites and dark or colored groups.
Turn T-shirts inside out to prevent the outside from wearing out and fading.This is especially important with graphic tees. -
Step 2: Get ready to wash. Now that your clothes are sorted you are almost ready to start washing.
Review cleaning instructions for whichever group of laundry you want to begin with.
Pre-treat any stained items with a stain removing spray or pen.Add detergent and fabric softener (if desired) to the washing machine. , Some washing machines have various preset cycles.
If yours does, select the cycle that applies to your group of clothes.
If yours does not, follow cleaning instructions on the tags of your clothes and follow a few guidelines.
Delicates and cold-wash only clothing need cold water and a gentle spin cycle.
Towels and linens can generally tolerate a warmer temperature and heavy spin cycle.
Whites will get cleanest using hot water, making it ideal unless any whites are not pre-shrunk.Hot water can cause some color bleeding for dark or bright colors, so use warm or cold water., This step is simple.
Close the lid or door and press start! Be sure to observe the wash time
- you'll want to dry your laundry quickly after washing it, lest it start to become stale. , Never wash the clothes marked as ‘Dry Clean Only’ at home, as these delicate clothes/ fabrics may lose their color, shine, texture or embellishments on washing.
Ones marked ‘Dry Clean First Wash’ should be given to professional cleaners the first time.
Subsequently, you can wash them, using detergents meant for delicate clothes and tepid/ cold water.
Give them to professional and trusted dry cleaners for ‘petrol wash’.
Ethnic clothes like heavily embroidered Lehengas, delicate sarees and silk kimonos must not be washed/ dry cleaned frequently. , When the washing machine is done, you'll need to get ready to dry your laundry.
If you plan to use an automatic dryer some items may need to be sorted out.
Bras, sports jerseys, and athletic wear are among items that often benefit from manual drying. , If you live in a temperate climate with low humidity and available outdoor space, you'll need to decide whether you want to hang your clothes outside or use an automatic dryer.
If you live in a less ideal climate or don't have space, you'll need to opt for an automatic dryer.
Hanging items to dry prevents them from shrinking.
If you have the time, drying in natural sunlight and air is usually best.
Sunlight is a natural disinfectant, and drying outdoors is both eco-friendly and will save you money., If you are naturally drying your laundry outdoors, bravo! Simply check on it every few hours.
If you are using an automatic dryer you will need to clean the lint filter, add a dryer sheet or two (if desired) and select your drying cycle.
Start up the machine and return when it is done.
Just like you carefully selected a wash cycle, carefully select a dry cycle that is appropriate for your clothes.
Higher heat and a rougher tumble get the job done faster, but are harder on clothes. , If you used an automatic dryer it is important to remove clothes from the dryer immediately.
If you dried your clothes naturally there is less of a rush, but you shouldn't leave them out longer than necessary either.
Leaving clothes in the dryer for too long can cause them to wrinkle.
Clothes are much easier to hang and fold wrinkle-free when they are freshly dried. , You'll want to get nice shirts, dresses, trousers, sweaters, and any other hanging clothes on a hanger and onto the rack.
Be sure to use an appropriately sized hanger.
If you spot creases in your garments, try smoothing them out by hand.
If the clothes are still warm this will often be successful.
If smoothing out by hand does not work, consider using a clothes iron. , Neatly fold and store your clothes.
When possible, try to fold along the seams of the garment.
It is necessary to fold pants by lining up their seams and creases.
If a garment is not amenable to folding, consider gently rolling the garment and storing it to ensure that it does not wrinkle.
Don't pack stored clothes too tightly. , If you have clothes that you do not use often
- particularly if they are in a closet
- consider using pest deterrents like mothballs and dryer sheets to dispel moths.
If clothes have been sitting unused for some time air them out rather than washing them again.
Washing adds wear and tear to your clothes.
While necessary when clothes are dirty, unnecessary washing shortens the life of your garments., If you drop or spill an item on your clothes, dab ice water or seltzer immediately so that the stain does not set.
Make sure that you dab rather than rub.
Before washing spray the area with a stain pre-treatment. , Hot sauces, grease, and food can splash and cause damage to clothes.
Don't start making your favorite marinara or standing in front of your deep-fryer without an apron on. , Rather than pulling on them and ruining more stitches, you should snip loose strings and thread as soon as possible.
If the seam has already lost too many stitches, consider learning how to stitch or sew, so you can fix the small problem before it becomes a bigger one. , Proper washing and drying methods will prevent pills in the first place, but if you already have pilled clothes you can try to fix them yourself, rather than throwing the garment out. -
Step 3: Choose your wash cycle.
-
Step 4: Wash your clothes.
-
Step 5: Know what to do for clothes that cannot be washed at home.
-
Step 6: Sort your laundry again.
-
Step 7: Decide on your drying method.
-
Step 8: Dry your laundry.
-
Step 9: Remove clothes from the dryer ASAP.
-
Step 10: Hang nicer clothes.
-
Step 11: Fold and store the rest of your clothes.
-
Step 12: Care for your stored clothes.
-
Step 13: Address stains and spills immediately!
-
Step 14: Wear aprons or old "junk" clothes while cleaning and cooking.
-
Step 15: Snip loose strings and threads.
-
Step 16: Take care of pills.
Detailed Guide
This seems intuitive, but it more difficult than most people think.
Sort laundry based on cleaning instructions, type of laundry, and color.Make sure that you are only washing dirty clothes, as unnecessary washing of clean clothes can shorter their life.
Set aside any dry-clean only articles of clothing.
Group together any delicates or cold-wash only clothing.
Group towels and heavy linens.
Separate the rest of your clothes into whites and dark or colored groups.
Turn T-shirts inside out to prevent the outside from wearing out and fading.This is especially important with graphic tees.
Review cleaning instructions for whichever group of laundry you want to begin with.
Pre-treat any stained items with a stain removing spray or pen.Add detergent and fabric softener (if desired) to the washing machine. , Some washing machines have various preset cycles.
If yours does, select the cycle that applies to your group of clothes.
If yours does not, follow cleaning instructions on the tags of your clothes and follow a few guidelines.
Delicates and cold-wash only clothing need cold water and a gentle spin cycle.
Towels and linens can generally tolerate a warmer temperature and heavy spin cycle.
Whites will get cleanest using hot water, making it ideal unless any whites are not pre-shrunk.Hot water can cause some color bleeding for dark or bright colors, so use warm or cold water., This step is simple.
Close the lid or door and press start! Be sure to observe the wash time
- you'll want to dry your laundry quickly after washing it, lest it start to become stale. , Never wash the clothes marked as ‘Dry Clean Only’ at home, as these delicate clothes/ fabrics may lose their color, shine, texture or embellishments on washing.
Ones marked ‘Dry Clean First Wash’ should be given to professional cleaners the first time.
Subsequently, you can wash them, using detergents meant for delicate clothes and tepid/ cold water.
Give them to professional and trusted dry cleaners for ‘petrol wash’.
Ethnic clothes like heavily embroidered Lehengas, delicate sarees and silk kimonos must not be washed/ dry cleaned frequently. , When the washing machine is done, you'll need to get ready to dry your laundry.
If you plan to use an automatic dryer some items may need to be sorted out.
Bras, sports jerseys, and athletic wear are among items that often benefit from manual drying. , If you live in a temperate climate with low humidity and available outdoor space, you'll need to decide whether you want to hang your clothes outside or use an automatic dryer.
If you live in a less ideal climate or don't have space, you'll need to opt for an automatic dryer.
Hanging items to dry prevents them from shrinking.
If you have the time, drying in natural sunlight and air is usually best.
Sunlight is a natural disinfectant, and drying outdoors is both eco-friendly and will save you money., If you are naturally drying your laundry outdoors, bravo! Simply check on it every few hours.
If you are using an automatic dryer you will need to clean the lint filter, add a dryer sheet or two (if desired) and select your drying cycle.
Start up the machine and return when it is done.
Just like you carefully selected a wash cycle, carefully select a dry cycle that is appropriate for your clothes.
Higher heat and a rougher tumble get the job done faster, but are harder on clothes. , If you used an automatic dryer it is important to remove clothes from the dryer immediately.
If you dried your clothes naturally there is less of a rush, but you shouldn't leave them out longer than necessary either.
Leaving clothes in the dryer for too long can cause them to wrinkle.
Clothes are much easier to hang and fold wrinkle-free when they are freshly dried. , You'll want to get nice shirts, dresses, trousers, sweaters, and any other hanging clothes on a hanger and onto the rack.
Be sure to use an appropriately sized hanger.
If you spot creases in your garments, try smoothing them out by hand.
If the clothes are still warm this will often be successful.
If smoothing out by hand does not work, consider using a clothes iron. , Neatly fold and store your clothes.
When possible, try to fold along the seams of the garment.
It is necessary to fold pants by lining up their seams and creases.
If a garment is not amenable to folding, consider gently rolling the garment and storing it to ensure that it does not wrinkle.
Don't pack stored clothes too tightly. , If you have clothes that you do not use often
- particularly if they are in a closet
- consider using pest deterrents like mothballs and dryer sheets to dispel moths.
If clothes have been sitting unused for some time air them out rather than washing them again.
Washing adds wear and tear to your clothes.
While necessary when clothes are dirty, unnecessary washing shortens the life of your garments., If you drop or spill an item on your clothes, dab ice water or seltzer immediately so that the stain does not set.
Make sure that you dab rather than rub.
Before washing spray the area with a stain pre-treatment. , Hot sauces, grease, and food can splash and cause damage to clothes.
Don't start making your favorite marinara or standing in front of your deep-fryer without an apron on. , Rather than pulling on them and ruining more stitches, you should snip loose strings and thread as soon as possible.
If the seam has already lost too many stitches, consider learning how to stitch or sew, so you can fix the small problem before it becomes a bigger one. , Proper washing and drying methods will prevent pills in the first place, but if you already have pilled clothes you can try to fix them yourself, rather than throwing the garment out.
About the Author
Christine Baker
Christine Baker has dedicated 11 years to mastering lifestyle and practical guides. As a content creator, Christine focuses on providing actionable tips and step-by-step guides.
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