One of the best ways to make the most out of your hard-earned money is to take good care of things you already own. The following list of laundry “secrets” of course are for all of us, but I’m thinking that for those of you that do any type of sewing or clothing alteration work, could make your own little “list” of these laundry tips, add your business information to the list and hand it out to all of your customers. In fact, it wouldn’t hurt to give each customer a few extra to hand out to their friends and co-workers. The list of laundry tips will be welcome information to all who get it, AND at the same time is getting word out about YOUR business.
1. Treat stains as soon as possible
The secret to successfully getting rid of stains is to treat them as soon as you can. Vinegar, dishwashing liquid and shampoo are great stain removers! You can also carry a stain removal pen in your pocket or purse for when you’re on the go. Once the stain has been treated, simply wash the article of clothing as you normally would.
2. Keep them closed
Buckles and metal zippers easily snag on other clothing items. Make sure no zippers on jackets and pants are left unzipped during washing and drying.
3. Turn your clothes inside out
When clothing is turned inside out, buttons and zippers of shirts and pants are on the inner side, preventing them from damaging other items of clothing. Pants, especially jeans, are also often turned inside out during washing and drying so that they retain their dark color.
4. Don’t take color separation lightly
If you’ve got loads of laundry to deal with, don’t be tempted to just stuff everything in the machine all at once. Reds and blues tend to fade easily, and the last thing you want is for your favorite white shirt to turn light pink. At the very least, do a separate load of laundry for dark-colored clothes and a separate one for light-colored clothes.
5. Keep delicates in a bag
Underwear is pretty expensive—so you need to make the most out of it! Keep your delicates in a mesh bag or even an old pillowcase closed with two or three safety pins. This is also a great way to keep socks together during the entire washing and drying process.
6. Wash your clothes in cold water
Cold water is much gentler on clothing compared to hot water, since hot water tends to weaken clothing fibers such as elastic. Hot water can also cause shrinking for some fabrics, and can turn temporary stains into permanent ones. Apart from cleaning your clothes, cold water also uses less energy and is a whole lot cheaper!
Doing the laundry may take a little longer now—but the extra effort will definitely go a long way. Follow the tips above and you’ll keep your clothes in great condition for years to come!