These days, many of us are buying fewer clothes. The CoVid crisis is partly responsible for this. None of us are going out as much, so we need fewer clothes. Plus, a lot of people have less money than usual, which means they cannot afford to buy as many anyway.
Therefore, it is not surprising that in some countries clothing sales have dropped by 25%. People are having to make their clothes last longer. With normal washing, over time grime builds up gradually on fabrics, which is why after a few weeks clothing items like white shirts start to look a little grey. In the past, most of us would have thrown those pieces away and bought something new. Now that we can’t always do that, we need to get better at cleaning the clothes we have. Here are a few tips to help you to do that.
Keep your washing machine functioning properly
The first tip is to learn how to clean your washing machine thoroughly. Doing so will ensure that it functions as it should. That way it will always make as good a job as possible of cleaning your clothes. It also means that grime and bacteria from the detergent dispenser and pipes are not being recirculated. The cleaner the water is, the better.
If you live in a hard water area, consider using an anti calcification additive. This will help to stop limescale building up inside the machine. It will function as it should and be more likely to clean your clothes properly. If you are short on money and cannot afford to do that, instead use one of the suggestions made in this video.
Deal with stains and marks immediately
If you spill something on your clothes, attend to it immediately. As well as scraping off the residue, take the item off and scrub out the stain. Doing that will ensure that it does not become fixed into the fibers. If that happens, getting rid of it becomes much more difficult.
Take better care of your clothes
Years ago when people only owned a few items of clothing, they took good care of what they had. They always hung them up and protected them while doing dirty tasks. These days we tend not to do that as much. How many times have you ruined a top by wearing it while cooking? If you are not already doing so, start wearing an apron when preparing food and a coverall when doing things like repairing your washing machine.
Learn how to laundry strip
Despite doing the above, if you keep clothes for long enough they will get grubby. So, now and again you will have to deep clean them to revive them. This laundry stripping article explains how to do it.
With a bit of extra care and attention, you can get even old clothes sparkling clean. Enabling you to get far more use out of each item, which is good for the environment as well as your pocket.
