laundry tips and garment care

If you seem to have the ability to shrink all you own and the definite knack of turning all that is white into shades of grey, then its time to establish a ‘practice’ of doing the laundry.

Just add water and follow these simple steps to keep your clothes, towels and linen looking good with each and every wash.

1. Always read labels for washing or dry cleaning recommendations 

2. Garments need to be sorted prior to washing. This is to avoid fibre damage and discolouration as well as enable the correct cycle and temperature to be set

3. Separate into groups: whites, light colours, dark colours, jeans, delicate machine washables, woollens and acrylic blends, towels, bed linen, and kitchen tea cloths 

4. Prior to washing remember to close zips, tie drawstrings, empty pockets of tissues and coins, and unroll sleeves.  Turn dark clothes such as denim jeans inside-out to prevent fading 

5. Pre-treat stains: before loading the machine by spraying with stain remover or pre-soaking in the sink or a bucket for an hour

6. Use the correct detergent and amount for your machine

7. Don’t over-load the machine, allowing the clothes to move gives a cleaner wash

8. Choose the correct cycle according to the colour, fabric and how dirty the clothes are

9. Hand-wash delicates like bras with under wires to prevent damage