If only doing laundry was as easy as throwing all of your clothes into the washing machine, but it requires a bit more effort than that. Each type of fabric should be handled differently, so your tees and tanks can uphold the same quality as when you first bought them.
Before you potentially ruin your favorite dress, here’s your guide on how to wash specific types of clothing.
Silk
Although silk is very delicate, you don’t always have to bring it to the dry cleaner. To wash it at home, start by testing the clothing for colorfastness by dabbing a small area with a damp cloth. If the color bleeds, take it to the dry cleaners. If not, try hand-washing your item in the sink. Use cold water, add a gentle detergent, and let the item sit for just a few minutes. Rinse when done, then let it air dry.
Polyester
Polyester is actually pretty easy to take care of because it’s very resilient. You can throw it in the washing machine, but remember to always wash the items in warm water instead of hot. If there are any stains on your item, try spot cleaning it with a stain remover before putting it in the machine as polyester can be stubborn when it comes to stains. Make sure to avoid high temperatures in the dryer as well.
Linen
Linen is decently durable and doesn’t always need to be dry cleaned (although you should always read the label because it can depend on the blend). Always wash your linen clothing on a delicate or gentle short cycle with cold water. If you really want your linen clothing to stay intact, hand-wash the items in cold water. Wash your pieces with similar fabrics and colors for best results.
Denim
You may have heard you don’t need to wash denim jeans, but that isn’t true. To start, turn it inside out before putting it in the washing machine. Use cold water and avoid putting denim in the dryer if you know it has a tendency to feel tighter afterward.
Wool
Your best bet is going to be to hand-wash your wool clothing. Turn the item inside out, submerge it in cool water, then soak it for 10 minutes before rinsing twice and pressing out the water. Don’t wring or hang-dry the item because wet wool stretches.
Cotton
Cotton is fairly easy to wash, although it can shrink if you use hot water or high dryer temperatures. Avoid over drying your cotton items so they don’t become misshapen and always read the label.
Have a pesky stain on your favorite shirt? Here’s the right way to remove every type of stain.
xx, The FabFitFun Team
