When it comes to doing laundry, there are some simple rules that most of us know to follow – from separating light and dark garments in the washing machine to turning jeans inside out when washing to prevent the colours running.
1. Using the wrong sort of hangers
‘Depending on how long clothes hang on them in the wardrobe, the wrong size hangers can easily distort the shoulders and shoulder pads,’ Andy tells us.
‘The hanger should sit just at the end of the shoulder where it meets the sleeve seam, and you should never use metal hangers with damp clothes, as the moisture can cause discoloration or rusting of the hangers, which leaves marks on the garments that are nearly impossible to remove.
‘We recommend using good-quality wooden or plastic hangers.’
2. Over-washing your clothes
‘There is certainly such a thing as over-washing clothes, especially with dyed cotton fabrics,’ Andy comments.
‘A handy tip: when you wash your darks (black, navy, red, etc), turn them inside out and wash them on cold with a low spin of around 800rpm
‘This should make the clothes and colours last much longer, as damage tends to be caused by excessive mechanical action.’
3. Using too much detergent
‘It is also important to avoid overloading your wash with too much detergent, especially when cleaning dark colours, as the detergent will cause the colours to fade over time,’ Andy informs us.
‘If your garments are stained, the best advice really is to take them to a good dry cleaner. They have specialist tables with steam wands and special chemicals to remove even the toughest stains,’ he adds.
4. Not using the most effective sort of detergent
Andy advises to always use liquid detergent or gel capsules.
‘By the time the powder dissolves in the main wash cycle, it can cause abrasion on the fabrics.’
5. Overfilling your machine
This rule is widely known, but Andy is sharing a top tip for how to measure when your machine is full.
‘When your clothes are loaded in, you should still be able to put two fists in the top of the machine without difficulty,’ he tells us.
‘If you overload your machine, you will often get white streak marks on your garments.’
6. Not zipping and buttoning up clothes before putting them in the washing machine
‘The chances are that nothing will happen if you forget, but we would recommend doing up all zips and fastening buttons or clasps to avoid them catching on the drum or other garments, causing damage,’ Andy says.
7. Storing garments inorrectly
If you store your clothes in the clear plastic bags thatdry cleaners deliver clothes back to you in, you may want to listen up.
‘These are okay to store clothes in, as long as they are not sealed at the bottom [trapping in humidity],’ Andy says.
‘The best solution is a good quality, breathable garment cover.’
8. Not moth-proofing your storage space
‘Moths are becoming an ever-bigger problem,’ Andy tells us.
‘We cannot tell of the damage a moth infestation can cause in a matter of months.’
Uh oh! The solution?
‘All storage spaces should be moth-proofed with a good quality moth killer sachet or hanger, and these products should be regularly refreshed.
‘All good dry cleaners will have a range of moth products on offer – Colibri, Acana and Modelli are all good.’
