Many things can affect the longevity of your clothing. One of these is how you wash and dry them. The type of fabric that it is made from can also affect how long it lasts. With this in mind, we would like to share tips on keeping your clothes looking great for longer by following a few simple steps when washing them.
What is Involved in The Process of Cleaning Laundry?
Cleaning laundry is a multi-step process involving many steps to ensure that the clothes are clean and ready to wear again.
The first step in the process is sorting, which involves separating clothes into loads based on the fabric type. This can be done by color, fabric type, or combination. The next step is washing, which involves soaking the clothes in water and detergent for some time before rinsing them off and then spinning them dry with a washing machine. The final step is drying, which can be done either by hanging the clothes up to dry or using an electric dryer.
Eco-Friendly Household Cleaners
There are many eco-friendly household cleaners that you can use in your home. You can make your laundry detergent much cheaper and more environmentally friendly than the store-bought variety.
Eco-Friendly Laundry Detergent Recipe:
- 1/2 cup of borax,
- Two teaspoons of washing soda,
- 1/4 cup vegetable glycerin
- A quarter teaspoon of citric acid.
Combine ingredients and store three tablespoons in each jar.
The bulk recipe makes about eight jars.
Laundry Tips on keeping your clothes looking great for longer
In this section, we will discuss tips on keeping your clothes looking great for longer.
- Wash your clothes in cold water: Cold water is better than hot water because it prevents the colors from fading and shrinking.
- Use a gentle detergent: It’s essential to use a detergent that is not too strong so that it doesn’t damage the fabric of the clothes.
- Dry your clothes on low heat: Low heat helps prevent colors from fading and shrinking and keeps the fabric soft and supple.
- Take care of your garments: This includes washing them inside out, turning them inside out before drying, using a garment bag when traveling to avoid snagging or ripping, avoiding overloading the washer or dryer with too many items at once and storing them properly after being washed, so they don’t get wrinkled or stretched out
10 Ways to Save On Energy Costs While Doing Your Laundry
There are many ways to save on energy costs while doing your laundry. Below are some of the most popular ones.
- Wash full loads of laundry: The more clothes you put into the washing machine, the less water and detergent it will need. You can also use cold or warm water, as hot water is not necessary for most types of clothing.
- Use cold water: Laundry does not need to be washed in hot water to get clean. Cold or warm water is just as adequate and can save you up to $100 a year in energy costs!
- Hang dry clothes: If you have an outdoor space that gets enough sun, hang your wet clothes outside on a line instead of using the dryer, which will use more energy and cost more money over time!
- Consider buying a front-loading washer: Front-loading washers use less than half the amount of energy and detergent compared with top-loaders.
- Buy a low-flow showerhead: A low-flow showerhead uses 35 gallons of water compared to the traditional 60, saving you tons of money on your monthly utility bill.
- Check with your local utility company: Your local electricity, gas, or water company might be able to offer rebates for installing energy-efficient appliances and connecting them correctly, saving you even more!
Laundering 101 – The Complete Guide for Drying Clothes in the Sun and Protecting Them from Bugs & Moths
Line drying clothes is an old-fashioned way of drying that is both cost-effective and environmentally friendly. It also has the added benefit of getting rid of bugs and moths.
Drying clothes outside is a great way to save money on your energy bills and reduce your carbon footprint. Line drying clothes is a green alternative to a dryer, which uses more electricity than you might think. Line drying clothes can be done in any weather, but it’s essential to know how to do it right when it gets cold or rainy.
This guide will cover the basics of how line-drying clothes like to be dried outside.
The process is simple:
- Line up your clothes on a tarp or other surface that is open to the sky and hang them from branches or similar structures, so they have room to dry.
- Once they’re dry, fold them into a bundle and put them in a garbage bag for storage.
- Depending on weather conditions, drying clothes outside can take between one hour and 24 hours.
5 Clever Ways You Can Wash Your Clothes Without Using Laundry Detergent!
Washing clothes is one of the most time-consuming and complex tasks. But there are a few tricks and hacks that can make it much more manageable.
1) Dryer Sheets:
Dryer sheets are not just for your dryer! Please put them in your hamper to help keep your clothes smelling fresh and clean.
2) Dish Soap:
Use dish soap to wash those greasy pots and pans! Dish soap can also be used in place of laundry detergent. But be careful not to use too much, or it will leave a residue on your clothing.
3) Vinegar:
Vinegar is a natural fabric softener, so use it sparingly when washing clothes to avoid damaging them with too much acidity. It can also be an alternative to bleach or fabric softener when you want to whiten whites or soften fabrics.
4) Baking Soda:
Baking soda is excellent for removing stains. It can be used in place of laundry detergent, but be careful not to use too much, or it will leave a residue on your clothing.
5) Baby Wipes:
Baby wipes are another great way to keep your clothes clean, especially if you don’t have access to laundry detergent or dish soap.
The Different Types of Laundry
Different types of laundry are not just about the fabric. It is also on the kind of washing machine and detergent used.
The most common type of laundry is called “wet laundry.” This includes clothes that are not yet washed or dry cleaned, as well as wet towels and bed sheets. Wet laundry must be washed with a detergent containing enzymes to break down proteins and other stains. This can be done by hand or in a washing machine, which typically has a “wet” setting to accommodate this type of laundry better.
Dry clean-only clothes must be handled differently because they cannot be washed in a washing machine with water or detergent. Instead, dry cleaning needs to go through a process that uses chemicals like perchloroethylene (PCE) or tetrachloroethylene (PCT) instead of water and detergent for cleaning purposes.
FAQ
You can do a few things to make your clothes last longer. First, you should wash them in cold water. Second, you should use a gentle detergent like Woolite Everyday Detergent or Tide Original Clean Laundry Detergent PODS. And third, you should use a fabric softener such as Downy Unstoppables Fresh Scent Fabric Softener or Gain Liquid Fabric Softener with Downy Infusions.
It is recommended to sort the clothes before washing them into six different classes: black clothes, dark clothes, white clothes, light clothes, bedding and towels. Each category must be washed separately to ensure that the color does not transfer between the clothes.
The common mistakes people make when doing laundry are not sorting clothes by color and fabric type, not checking for stains or dirt before washing, and not using the right amount of detergent.
Sorting clothes by color and fabric type is essential because different colors and fabrics require other detergents. For example, dark colors need an extra detergent than light colors. I am not checking for stains or dirt before washing can result in clothing items being ruined in the wash cycle. Using the wrong amount of detergent can result in clothes coming out with a residue.
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