Putting together a wardrobe takes a lot of money, so you want your clothes to last as long as possible. A recent study showed more than 30 percent of people plan to wear their most recently purchased clothing item more than thirty times, however, more than 40 percent throw away an item after wearing it less than ten times. The main reasons for throwing an item of clothing away were it lost its shape, began to look old, or the color began to fade.
If you want to learn how to make your clothes last longer and prevent laundry mistakes that take your clothes from the closet to the trash bin, here are some ways to protect your wardrobe investment.
1. Purchase Quality Clothing
Buying cheap clothing items is going to cost you more money in the long run because they just won't last. Investing in unique, quality clothing items will not only make you look better, but it will also save you money. Higher-quality clothing is made from higher-quality materials and will last longer.
2. Read the Care Labels
You should be carefully reading all your clothing items's fabric care labels. Some will require you to wash them in cold water, others might require dry cleaning. There are also a lot of clothing items that recommend hand washing, but as you become experienced in clothing care, you will learn some of these can be machine washed on the gentle cycle. And if you are washing one of our rhinestone bodysuits, make sure to turn the bodysuit inside out before washing!
3. Wash Clothing Items Less
Experts recommend if you've worn an item and it has not been stained, or you have not sweated while wearing it, you should wear an item about three times before washing it. When you wash an item less, you reduce the number of times it can be stretched and tumbled and increase the life of the item. This recommendation is especially true for hoodie type clothing as you most likely have another clothing item between your body and the hoodie, so the hoodie is not exposed to temperature changes you might experience.
4. Sort Laundry Appropriately
When clothing items are washed, they move around a lot with each other. For this reason, you would not want a lace clothing item twisting and turning around a zippered item. Another benefit of sorting appropriately is to match colors so one color does not fade onto a lighter item. Additionally, some clothing requires more drying time than others, so you don't want to 'cook' certain clothing too long.
5. Use the Correct Laundry Detergent
Chemical-filled laundry detergent is hard on your clothing. Using Eco-Friendly detergents will be gentler on your fabrics and prevent them from fading and tearing. These types of detergents will also be more gentle on your skin than conventional laundry products.
6. Close Buttons and Zippers Before Washing
Closing buttons and zippers on your clothing before washing will prevent them from snagging on other clothing items while in the machines. Another tip after closing the item is to turn it inside out to prevent wear and tear on the outer finish of the item. Turning clothing inside out before washing will also help to prevent the 'pilling' of the fabric and reduce color fading. If you have delicate items, make sure to put them in a laundry bag before throwing them in the wash. This makes sure they won’t twist around any other items.
7. Air Dry Clothing When Possible
Dryers are notorious for shrinking and overheating clothing items. Whenever possible, you should hang your clothes outside to dry or use drying racks instead of throwing it into a dryer machine. Activewear and intimate apparel can lose their elasticity if they come into contact with excessive heat and should always be air-dried.
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