Give Your Clothes a Rest
Let’s talk about sex. All genders wear clothes. Therefore, all genders should know how to take care of their clothes. And those clothes see tons of action. All bodies put clothing to work, but so does laundering.
Photo by piotr szulawski @brodatafotografia
Imagine that wash day for your clothes is a raucous off-campus college party that happens once a month (maybe more?). Your clothes get scarred after the mosh pit called the washing machine. Like someone who lives the party lifestyle, your clothes experience the effects of way too many chemicals. The dryer experience for your clothes is like the feeling you get when sunlight hits your face after your long night out. Frequent washing means putting your garment through the gruesome party process which like people, will age your garment over time.
Most garments do not need to go through the laundry cycle after every wear. Although undies, socks, and workout gear (aka the funky bunch) should be washed after every wear. Sniff test your shirts, pants, dresses, skirts, sweaters, and sweats to determine if they really need a wash.
Air out your dirty laundry. Literally. Just hang up your clothes on a hook, rack or chair after each wear for air to flow through and release the odors. I can attest to this. My partner works at a spice company and each day he returns home smelling like a Moroccan market. He hangs up his clothes and lets the air do its work of releasing the funk. No need to spray it with chemicals either. Steaming your clothes with a steamer can also freshen your clothing and sterilize it.
Lint or pilling often makes your clothes look like uncared for closet orphans. Use a lint roller or a fabric shaver to get rid of excess fibers.
Keep baking soda next to your laundry and add a small handful to the hamper when you add something funky to it. This boosts your detergent because the smells are neutralized. Your brights will stay bright too.
Stains Happen
Treat stains as soon as they happen and rub lightly (heavy scrubbing can make the stain set). Remove a stain before you dry in a dryer because the heat might set the stain into the fibers forever. Look out for an upcoming post about stains.
Make doing laundry sexy. It’s pretty dirty, you know.
