The average person spends upwards of $3000 a year on clothing, so after such an investment t’s in your best interest to make your clothing last as long as possible. Not only are you getting the most bang for your buck, but staining or destroying your clothes is downright wasteful for the earth. Why throw clothes away after a few wears, when you could make it last for potentially decades? Here are some of the best tips for making your clothing stand the test of time.
Read The Label
It’s important that you read the washing instruction label on the clothing you buy. Some people assume that the same washing machine cycle works for everything, but it’s not the case. Some items of clothing should only be washed at a cold temperature, and some should be dry cleaned only. Failing to follow the washing instructions could lead to your item of clothing being destroyed in one quick wash.
Carry A Stain Remover
It’s incredibly handy to keep a stain remover pen on you at all times. The key to removing stains is to treat it as soon as possible. By carrying a stain remover in your purse, you can ensure that the stain doesn’t have time to stick around. However, they won’t remove the stain alone. You’ll still have to wash the item of clothing after treating it with the stain pen. Think of a stain pen as kind of like a spare tire before you eventually put on a real one.
Don’t Overpack Your Washing Machine
Just because you can technically fit a certain amount of clothing in your washing machine doesn’t mean that you should. Don’t fill your machine up so much that it’s crammed to the brim with clothing. Make sure that you follow the capacity instructions your washing machine if you hope to make your clothing last.
Wash Colors Separately
We get it, you hate laundry day and you just wanna get it over with as quickly as possible. But, you should make sure that you do smaller loads of like colors. Sorting different loads of laundry based on their color will ensure that everything stays looking the way that it should.
That means putting your blacks with your blacks, your whites with your whites, and your bright colors with your brights—you get the idea.
Buy High-Quality Detergent
Believe it or not, not all laundry detergent is created equally. Make sure that you use a high quality laundry detergent that won’t eat away at the fabrics on your clothing. In addition to choosing the right detergent, he should also make sure that you choose the right amount. Using too much detergent can start to leave residue in your clothing, and result in fading, or a stiff feeling instead of soft.