Happy weekend!! What’s the vibe?— DAY relaxed, casual, laundry-time!
Laundry can be frustrating, even for a laundry enthusiast. It's time-consuming, unceasing and there is so very much that can go wrong. For many of us, it’s one of those chores we learnt to do from our parents, a dormmate, a significant other.
However, it worthy to bear in mind that part of the premise underlying the slow-fashion movement is that we become good stewards of our clothing. If we don’t take care of our clothing, the slow-fashion movement becomes the expensive, burdensome, doomed-to-fail movement. That doesn’t sound remotely fun or sustainable to me! Let’s take a few minutes to talk about how to take care of the pieces we hope to treasure—and use—for years to come.
Do laundry with care
If you’re investing in good-quality clothing, chances are you’re going to find that many of your labels advise hand washing or dry cleaning. This isn’t a bad thing! If we’re building a sustainable capsule, then the time and cost of these more meticulous methods are offset by the fact that we aren’t buying more clothing.
The Machinery
Washers and dryers — and how they work — can vary a lot, but knowing a few general rules can help you put them to best use.
Mastering the Settings
There are three functions — cycle length, cycle speed and water temperature — that can help you better understand washer settings and the effect they have on your launderables.
The cycle length (sometimes just called "timer") is how long the machine will clean your clothes. Use shorter cycles for less soiled and delicate clothing, and longer cycles for heavily soiled and bulky items. Always opt for the shortest possible cycle to get the job done; the less time garments spend being spun around in the wash, the longer they'll last.
The cycle speed refers to the speed and force at which clothes are agitated in the wash and spin cycles. Cycle speeds are sometimes expressed using terms like "regular," "permanent press" or "delicate." Those roughly translate to: "fast/fast," "fast/slow," or "slow/slow." The fast/slow cycle, is the right choice for the majority of your laundry. It simply means that the wash cycle is fast and the spin cycle is slow, making it a good choice for fabrics that are prone to wrinkling, as the slower spin cycle reduces wrinkles.
For the water temperature, you could do hot or cold water. Laundry is personal, and we needn't all make the same choices or have the same feelings.
Mastering the Dryer Settings
You're probably guilty of over-drying your laundry. This can result in fading, shrinking, fraying or worse. But if you can break that habit, your clothing will thank you by lasting longer.
Keeping Your Machines Running
They do a lot of the heavy lifting — make sure you are taking care of them, too.
Hand-Wash
Sometimes a machine is not the best choice.
Hand-laundering is a straightforward endeavour and a great skill to have. Make sure, however, that the place where you'll be doing the washing is clean (a quick wipe-down with all purpose cleaner will do the trick); you won't want to be hand-laundering your underwear's in the kitchen sink alongside remnants of last night's dinner!
The HELP
Well, there are so many laundry services these days. If your purse can dance to their tunes, give it a shot. WHY NOT? You only live once, lol!
The Ins and Outs of Fabric Care
Not all clothes are created equal — and knowing how they behave when wet will help you keep them beautiful. Some fabrics, such as cotton, nylon, and polyester, can do well with machine washing and drying. Anything stretchy like leggings or other workout gear should be kept away from the heat of the dryer, as heat degrades elastic. And some fabrics, such as silk and linen, do best with a quick hand wash.
Stain Removal 101
If you get a stain on your clothing, time is of the essence (cue action movie soundtrack!). You generally don’t want to let it dry, so wet the area immediately, if possible, and put some dish soap on it. However, for more stubborn stains (such as ones that have gone through the washing machine, which sets stains), I’ve used a more intense baking soda method—hasn’t failed me yet!
Tips for Making Laundry Day Less Hideous
If you hate doing laundry, you’re not alone. But here are some ways to make laundry day less horrible.
Gathering a Load of Wash
There are all sorts of laundry disasters that can be averted if you take these steps every time you gather a load of wash.
Sort by colour or fabric type: Sorting the laundry has to happen, and it's a good place not to cut corners by performing a rush job. Sorting is the time when you can treat and prevent all kinds of problems, so make it a habit to practice your due diligence when sorting.
Check pockets: Always check the pocket of your outfits to prevent terrors! Like pen stains, lipsticks (add alcohol to remove) Still, prevention is better.
Turn clothes inside out: Clothing that is prone to fading or odor retention will benefit from being washed inside out. Dark jeans, workout clothes and dark T-shirts should all be washed inside out.
Treat stains: Check clothing for stains or areas of soiling that should be addressed prior to laundering.
Folding and Putting Away Clothes
Here's a hard truth that will make your life easier if you accept it— Putting clothes away is part of doing laundry. Resist that urge and take the two or so minutes (really!) to put the clothes away in their rightful place. Here's why—Those two minutes are far less time than you'll use up during the week trying to find your favourite blue shirt or that pair of pants you want to wear to work on Wednesday in the mangled pile of once-folded laundry you've left.
Do the needful, your laundry has sent you a friend request. After that, all that remains is to tap yourself on the back and say— I DID GREAT.