How to Care for Different Types of Fabrics

By | February 21, 2020

It’s a wonder of modern life that there are so many different types of fabric. It’s what enables you to have heavy curtains, light summer clothes, and even sweat absorbent exercise gear.

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Of course, each different type of material requires its own care routine; it’s the best way of ensuring it lasts for as long as you want it to. 

Knowing the rightspecially formulated laundry detergentis a great first step towards caring for all the different types of fabric. But, the following tips will help:

Delicates

Silk is one of the most delicate of all fabrics and can go yellow if exposed to the sunlight. If you have done this by mistake you can soak your item in a mixture of 3 parts tap water, 1 part oxygenated water, and a drop or two of ammonia. 

Stains in silkneed extra special treatment.

To care for silk normally you need to hand wash it in water no warmer than 122°F. Rinse in cold water with a few drops of white vinegar and always spread it out flat to dry; preferably on a towel. 

Linen & Cotton

This is quite a common material for clothing and can be washed in a machine at less than 122°F, any hotter than this and the color will fade.

It is okay to use a whitening product to stop the material yellowing and you should line dry this inside to prevent it from shrinking in the dryer or the sun.

Wool

Although wool is excellent at keeping you warm, it is a surprisingly delicate fabric. It’s best to wash wool products by hand but they can be placed in a machine as long as you pay attention to the instructions on the label. Wool shouldn’t normally be washed above 86°F.

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Again, this should be dried flat and avoid twisting the material as this will stretch and damage the fibers.

Cashmere

In general, cashmere doesn’t pick up smells but that doesn’t mean that it shouldn’t be washed. However, it is an exceptionally delicate fabric and should be washed as little as possible.

Always put your item inside a pillowcase or specially designed mesh bag if you’re going to put it in the machine. Keep the spins low and the temperature below 86°F.

You can wash it by hand but you shouldn’t leave it to soak as this will damage it permanently. 

To dry you should, again, avoid twisting it and dry it flat. 

It’s worth noting that pashmina should be treated in the same way.

Denim

You may have heard that denim should never be washed. Of course, it’s a good idea to wash them sometimes. Denim is actually very tough but it is still a good idea to wash it regularly; although not as often as your other garments.

Keep the wash cycle cool and, where possible, dry them flat on a towel or drying rack

The key to caring for any type of fabric is keeping the water cool, using the right detergent, and drying them flat. With a little care, your garments and other materials can last much longer than you think!

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