If you are constantly facing a situation where your clothes are damaged or still dirty after washing, there are all kinds of potential mistakes you might be making. If you recently moved from your parents, there is a chance that you might not know enough about the proper methods and how to use the machine in the right way.
For example, different materials require different temperature settings, amount of rounds, and time. Also, some clothes should not be put together in the machine. If you want to read more about washing white clothes, check out AskTeamClean.
The biggest mistake would be thinking that it is a simple process, and you start combining all sorts of clothes while not paying attention to temperature, time of working, or the selection of cleaning products. In this article, we are going to present to you the most common mistakes that lead to damaged clothes and how to avoid them.
It Depends on Various Factors
The best way to avoid damaged clothes is to learn more about the different characteristics of the clothes you are wearing. It is important to know that both washing too often or avoiding that could lead to issues. For example, you should wash your underwear after each time you were wearing it. It is important for your hygiene.
However, combining it with other clothes and washing it at 40 or 60 degrees won’t make it clean. Therefore, you should separate the underwear, and wash it along with towels and socks, but only if they are in the same color, usually white, and do that at the temperature of 90 degrees.
On the other side, if you place different colors together, there is a chance that your white tower or socks might get gray notes or shades of other colors if you combined various clothes together. Chances for this are even bigger if you set a higher temperature.
Moreover, it is crucial to learn about the common practices and standards that are related to different types of clothes. That is the best way to secure a longer lifespan. For instance, there is no need to wash your jeans each time after you wear them for one day. Even if they got dirty, a much better solution is to simply clean the spot with your hands and additional cleaning product. The same is for pants, pajamas, and other similar models.
The main issue is related to blurred color and gray shades that might occur if you are putting the same piece in the machine almost every day. For example, you bought a nice shirt with an attractive colorful print. Keep in mind that this print might get blurred if you are setting a high temperature and wash the shirt more often. Another mistake that can also damage it is in case you are mixing it with other clothes that might damage it, like towels or pieces that release colors.
The material is very important, for instance, lycra and polyester might be great for their excellent resistance and durability. However, you should wash these materials only at 40 degrees. In case that you put different materials and set a higher temperature, the colors from polyester could leave marks on other clothes.
Common Mistakes That Lead to Damage
We already mentioned the importance of sorting the clothes by color and material. Besides that, the amount of cleaning product you are adding to the machine can also make a difference. First of all, adding too much of it won’t make the process more efficient. If you cannot get rid of some dirt marks, a much better solution is to take the piece to dry cleaning.
The way you put clothes in the machine might also increase the chance of facing damages. For example, you leave pants unzipped or button the shirts. Zippers can cut other clothes, while buttoned shorts could get damaged during the cleaning as well.
Furthermore, if you are using the dryer, keep in mind that temperature is also very important. You cannot use the same program for all your outfits. Besides that, it is essential to keep both the washing and drying machine clean and in good condition.
Filling your laundry basket every day with all types of materials is the most common mistake people are making. The best approach that will allow you to keep your clothes in a much better condition for a longer time is to separate different materials.
Another solution is to use different cleaning products, and always set a specific program that is suitable for particular type of clothes. The first step is to start separating white pieces made of cotton. You should wash them on 90 degrees and you it is also recommended to add some stronger cleaning product. There are many products on the market, but you should always choose a formula that is effective but gentler on the skin, but also good for the environment, one of them are TruEarth products.
On the other side, if you don’t have enough time and willingness to separate all kinds of materials, you should get the right products like cleaner and softener, while using a 40-degrees program. Therefore, even if you combine white clothes with colored cotton and polyester, there should not be any issues. Still, washing certain pieces all the time will increase the chance of losing colors, stretching, and other features.
The Bottom Line
The key is to always read the details that can be found on a label of every piece of clothes. It is always on the inside. There you can see the right temperature, recommended frequency of cleaning, and should you use standard ironing or dry cleaning.
The cotton represents the safest material, and the temperature depends on the colors and type of clothes. It is recommended to wash it more often since it will collect the sweat from your body. On the other side, polyester and similar materials are easier for cleaning, but you must select a program with lower temperature since anything over 45 degrees could lead to damage.
The same is for the speed where you should set under 600 rounds. As you can see, the whole point is to learn more about the characteristics of different materials since that is the only way to keep your clothes clean and more durable.
