Americans spend more than $82 billion each year on clothing. Many of us spend more than we'd like to admit. These 7 clothing care tips will help you extend the life of your clothing which will keep you looking sharp and may even save you a trip or two to the mall.
* Shorten the wash time. Unless you've just been changing out the oil in your car or playing rugby in mud, a typical wash need not take longer than six minutes. The longer you wash your clothes, the faster they wear out. So shorten it up! Turn off the regular cycle. Your clothes will look great and thank you for it.
* Choose permanent press. What is permanent press anyway? A permanent press is a fabric that has been chemically processed to resist wrinkles and hold its shape. This setting on your washer injects cold water before spinning. On your dryer, this setting allows the clothes to cool down before the end of the cycle.
* Hang dry your clothes. Generally speaking, the more you bleach, heat and agitate your clothes, the faster they will fade, shrink and fray. Hang drying your clothes allows them to dry through evaporation, not oven-like cooking temperatures. Plus, you'll be saving the world and your wallet at the same time! Dryers are the second biggest drain of household electricity (and your budget) after refrigerators. So buy a couple of collapsible clothes racks or a clothes line. Your clothes will look better and last longer.
* Immediately hang clothes. If you're addicted to that Bounty Fresh smell and can't pull the dryer plug, at least hang your clothes immediately after the dryer cycle is finished. This will help them cool faster and avoid wrinkles.
* Inspect your clothes at the end of each day. An unnoticed stain is almost certain to come out of the dryer a permanent one. Make it a relaxing daily routine, like doing the dishes or cooking.
* Remove stains right away. Water-based stains like coffee or wine, usually have a darker ring around the edge. These can be treated with a stain remover and thrown into the wash. Oil-based stains like gravy or a vinaigrette dressing requires hot water, detergent and some scrubbing. With stains, the sooner you clean them, the better.
* Don't use wire hangers. Wire hangers create unnatural creases and stretch your clothing. Buy a good set of wider wooden hangers. They will last longer and will work for most of your clothes. Wider plastic hangers are ok to use but wooden hangers should be used on more expensive clothing. A wooden hanger won't stretch or distort the shoulders.
Author Resource:-
Jon Fotheringham has always loved fashion and clothes. If he's not reading GQ or Men's Vogue, he's wishing he was. He is currently working on a book about male protocol and running http://www.SuiteCloset.com which sells wardrobe valets, chair valets, men's valets, wooden hangers and other closet accessories.
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