A recent US report suggests that over 11 million tons of textiles go to waste annually, posing a significant environmental crisis. But what if you can extend the lifetime of your clothes and make a positive environmental impact? Textiles are created from diverse materials, which may be sensitive to environmental conditions, including humidity, light, and airborne dirt. Below are the four best ways to care for your clothes.
4 Practical Ways to Care For Your Textiles
1. Proper storage
Keeping your clothes in good condition begins with proper storage. Always use high-quality hangers, such as wood. Hanging clothes in your closet helps preserve their form and avoid wrinkles. As much as possible, avoid using wire and plastic hangers. Folding and storing heavier clothing, such as sweaters, on a shelf is an excellent alternative. These types of clothing may expand out and break their form if kept on hangers. Avoid putting away your clothes until they are entirely dry. When partly damp clothing is stored in a cabinet, it may acquire a bad odor. Mold and germs thrive in damp environments.
2. Less washing
Consider your options before washing your clothes. Doing laundry too frequently can cause harm to the fibers and so limit the lifespan. This is particularly true regarding dry washing, which involves using harmful elements that could flatten the natural fiber follicles in some materials. If an item isn't unclean but needs to be freshened up, consider handing it in a steamy bathroom or outside to dry instead of throwing it in the wash.
3. Don't ignore the care labels
Your laundry approach should vary depending on the material. For instance, you should wash wool only when necessary, using a wool cleanser by hand or on a soft cycle. Delicate textiles like silk and cashmere require proper care and handling since they are prone to harm from heat and strong chemicals. Pay close attention to the label instructions, which will tell you the maximum suggested temperature for washing an item. Without an appropriate care or content label, it would be impossible to know the best way to care for certain garments, reducing the fabric's lifespan.
4. Always sort laundry
When washing your clothing in the washing machine, they mix as they spin around. Sorting your laundry protects your garments from color transfer, being tugged by metal zippers, and other problems. If you do not organize your laundry, it may harm the delicate fabrics. Additionally, avoid over loading your washer machine since it can cause your appliance to fail prematurely. In severe circumstances, your garments may become caught between the machine's door seal and inner drum, tearing or permanently damaging them. Learning to fix your machine can be useful if your washer won't drain, is clogged, or is jammed. This will go a long way to ensure your clues aren’t damaged and your machine can serve you longer.
The statistics provide a hard reality behind the significance of properly cleaning and caring for your clothes. A garment's whole life cycle is environmentally harmful, from manufacture to upkeep through disposal. It is, therefore, essential to take proper care of your clothes to ensure they last longer.
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What tips do you have for extending the life of your clothes? Share in the comments.
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