What are some ways to preserve the colors of your clothing?
- Separate your clothes before you wash them.
- Follow the cleaning instructions.
- Wash clothes inside out.
- Don’t overload the machine.
- Set your machine to a gentle washing cycle.
- Wash in cold water.
- Use fabric conditioner.
- Add salt or vinegar to your load.
- As much as possible, hang dry your clothes.
- Once clothes are dry, take them out of the sun.
When regularly washing your clothes in a washing machine, you might notice that over time, clothes that were once vibrant and bright become faded. This is because the laundry process, when done with a machine, often causes the fabric of the clothes to lose its dye. The more you wash, the more often this happens.
Fortunately, there are some ways to prolong the beauty of your clothing. Here are 7 tips to preserve the color on your clothes:
Separate your clothes before you wash them
If you wash clothes often, you’ll know that you need to separate them according to lights, darks, and delicates before every wash.
But why do you do that? Not only does it reduce the risk of colors mixing together in the washer and staining all your white clothing, but it also prevents vibrant fabrics from fading and losing their color.
So make sure to sort out your clothing properly before loading them up in your washing machine!
Follow the cleaning instructions
Very few people know how to clean specific articles of clothing better than the people who actually created the piece.
Fortunately, every piece of clothing you buy should come with care instructions from them! Included here is a quick list of cleaning rules, which you should always follow when washing your clothes.
These instructions are indicated on your clothing item’s tag. If you aren’t familiar with what the symbols mean, feel free to check this guide to find out.
Wash clothes inside out
It’s not just the soaking and detergent that can make your clothes fade. The friction that happens in a washing machine among fabrics can cause their fibers to loosen, releasing the dye trapped inside.
There are fewer places less likely for your clothes to rub against each other than in a washing machine, so avoid as much friction as you can by turning your clothes inside out when you wash them.
Don’t overload the machine
Again, this is to lessen the friction among your clothes, but it also has other benefits. If you keep your load to the recommended weight, you will likely also be using the right amount of detergent. Too much detergent could be damaging to your clothes rather than beneficial for their cleanliness.
Set your machine to a gentle washing cycle
Another way to prevent friction is to observe the settings of your machine and set it to a gentle wash. As long as you didn’t overload the machine, there shouldn’t be a cleanliness problem even if you’ve chosen the gentle setting.
Wash in cold water
Just like pores on the human body, the cold temperature keeps the fibers of your clothing closed, whereas the hot temperature loosens and opens them.
Going back to what we said earlier, loose fibers let dye bleed into the water of your wash. This is fine if all the clothes are of the same color or hue, but not a good idea if you want them to retain their original colors.
Use fabric conditioner
Fabric conditioner, much like its shower equivalent, improves overall when used on your clothes. It helps keep the fibers smooth and lubricated, which helps in reducing the friction that they experience in your washing machine.
In short, it helps lessen the wear on your clothes! And as we saw in the previous sections, less friction equals delayed fading.
Add salt or vinegar to your load
A quick life hack for those who want to keep the color on their clothes is to add a cup of vinegar or ½ cup of salt to the load before you wash. These household items actually help fabrics hold in colors!
As much as possible, hang dry your clothes
If you’re the type who wants to use the dryer in addition to the washing machine, you should take into consideration the fact that there will be even more friction inside the dryer, and this could damage your clothes.
Once clothes are dry, take them out of the sun
Don’t leave clothes out for too long where they can absorb the sun’s UV rays over and over, since this regular exposure could also cause the dye to bleed. Bring them inside as soon as they’re dry.
Key Takeaway
Now that we’ve shared our tips to preserve the color of your clothes, we hope you’ll have an easier time taking care of all the great shades and details on your favorite items!
If you want more household tips, check out the best tips from the best online appliance store in the Philippines! At Hanabishi, we make sure to provide both the appliances you want — and the advice you need to make the most out of them.
If you’re looking for other appliances for sale in the Philippines or would like to make a purchase, be sure to contact us today!
