Being a single or a stay-at-home parent can be difficult. We know you adore your children and want them to wear high-quality clothing, right? However, if you do not wash delicate fabrics with extreme care, they will rip and wear out prematurely.
Laundry experts agree that all lightweight fabrics — including synthetics containing polyester, lace, chiffon, silks, velvet, fine knits, and more — should be treated as delicates. Cleaning items that are made of specialty fabrics — such as lace bras and silk ties — necessitates a different method than the way you wash your other garments. Handling delicate fabrics with care is required to retain their form, appearance, and durability over time.
Some delicate items can be machine-washed, but most of them must be washed by hand with special care. Some items might even need to be dry-cleaned. Follow these expert recommendations to give your delicate clothing the attention it deserves.
Read Care Labels
Carefully read the wash care labels on your clothes. They usually give you detailed instructions on adequately washing, drying, and ironing your clothes. If you follow the care label instructions, your clothes will be in perfect condition after every wash. You can use Diva Glamorous Wash for washing because it contains technology that fights wear and tear on your clothes, keeping them looking and feeling new.
Immediately Treat Stains
For the best results, treat stains on delicate clothing as soon as you notice them. You can take extra steps to make stains more manageable before tackling them.
Use a commercial stain remover sparingly, especially on silk items. The same is true for bleach. Instead, use a natural stain remover, such as white vinegar, baking soda, or lemon juice. Even with natural cleaners, work slowly and only use what you need to do the job. Dab the solution on the stained areas and gently rub it with your finger. Lacey trim and other delicate areas will take a little more time, so be patient. Allow the stain remover to soak into the stain for five minutes before rubbing it in.
If you aren’t washing the garment immediately, lay it flat on a clean, white towel. Before it dries completely, move on to the hand or machine washing phase.
Learn How To Hand Wash Delicates
Create separate piles for your lighter and darker delicate items of clothing. When you sort your clothing first, you can wash multiple items at once without worrying that they will fade or bleed onto other fabrics. Never use hot water to wash your clothes because it can cause them to shrink or fade. Instead, use cold or warm water.
You may choose to use Diva wash, a detergent explicitly formulated for hand washing delicate items. After using the hand washing method, give your clean delicates a gentle rinsing in a separate container filled with clean water or with the sprayer attached to the kitchen sink.
The Correct Way To Wash Delicates in the Washer
Begin by sorting your clothes, just as you would with hand washing. However, in addition to sorting by color, you must also sort by fabric. If you mix cashmere with lace, knitwear with polyester, and so on, your delicates will lose their shape. Avoid mixing in clothes with zippers and metal closures to avoid snagging and tearing.
Turn your delicates inside out and double-check all zippers and other closures for tightness. Place your delicates in a mesh washing bag, add detergent, and wash them in cold water on the “Delicate” or “Gentle” cycle. Use the lowest spin cycle on your washing machine to avoid damage.
Conclusion
When it comes to laundry, the goal is to be as efficient as possible while also getting your clothes clean. Nonetheless, it is all too easy for busy parents to skimp on specific essential laundry steps.
While it’s understandable that busy parents don’t read every care label with every wash load, they should still be aware of delicate fabrics. Failure to follow care label instructions — especially for expensive fabrics like fine knits and silks — can ruin your favorite pieces of clothing. Overall, you can save a lot of money by being extra careful with your expensive, fragile items.
If you know how to wash delicate items and care for them properly, your clothing will last longer, and you’ll spend less time doing laundry by hand. You can safely clean fragile items in a washing machine by following simple best practices, such as using the appropriate detergent. If you do a little pre-sorting, carefully wash your delicates, and use the right products, then washing will be a breeze. You’ll never have to feel self-conscious about wearing and enjoying your delicates again!