C is for Care: Part II – Clothes

Good HouseKeeping

The more you sort, the cleaner your clothes will be. First, read the care labels. Then sort clothing by washing method, color and type of fabric.

1) Turn clothing items inside out to prevent fading and reduce pilling.

2) Wash bulky items (like bed linens) in one load and small items (like socks or underwear) in another.

3) Separate items that produce lint (like towels) from those that pick it up (like synthetics or knits).

4) Don’t wash slightly soiled garments with grimy ones.

5) When a garment is very precious and you feel like you would be devastated if it were ruined, break down and take it to the dry cleaners or hand wash it.

6) For the life of your bras, laundering by hand is best. But for those of us living in the real world, machine-washing items on cold water/delicate cycle in structured mesh zipper bags will do. Clasp bras before bagging them. Avoid putting bras in the dryer — heat wreaks havoc on their construction. Smooth out lumps or dents in padded cups. Then, drape bras over coat hangers (or lay flat) to dry.

7) Shake out damp items before placing them in the dryer to help reduce wrinkling and ensure that garments will dry completely.

8) Keep hangers near the ironing board. Hang shirts and other permanent-press items on them as soon as they come out of the dryer – makes ironing easier/faster.

My best laundry pal is a mesh bag: Put delicates inside it before washing to prevent them from catching on the washer’s drum machine or other garments.