We all like to keep our nice things nice. Clothing is put under stress every time it is worn or washed, and it quickly shows signs of wear if you don’t take special care. Here are a few ways to help keep your clothes looking good longer.
- Avoid the dryer if you can. (Especially avoid it for items containing spandex.) Or put your garments in the dryer for a short 5 or 10 minutes to reduce the wrinkles, then hang to dry on a plastic hanger. Heat damages some fibres, shrinks others, and all that tumbling around creates friction that wears the fabric down.
- Remove pills with a special shaving tool. Pills are caused by friction acting on shorter fibres, making them mat into the little balls on the surface of the fabric. Using a manual razor to remove pills works, but often results in cutting the fibres, slicing the garment open and ruining it. (Been there, done that).
- Remove the shoulder bumps(nipples) you get when hangers stretch out your tops and sweaters. Spritz with water once you’re wearing the garment and then pat the bump down, pushing the fibres into place.
- Immediately you come indoors from winter weather, head to a washroom and quickly use a damp paper towel to remove snow and salt residue from your footwear before it has a chance to penetrate and damage the surface. Harsh road salt can cause irreversible swelling and marking, especially on leather.
- Don’t store clothes and footwear that are not clean. (Wipe the insides of shoes and boots with a baby wipe or damp cloth. Allow to dry.) The invisible oils and dirt from being worn will attract moths, as well as causing damage and fibre breakdown over time when things are stored for the season.