How to keep clothes looking nice?

[Notatotalslob]

A colleague dresses in clothes from (higher-end) high street shops but she always looks impeccable. She often has a white sleeveless cotton top under a blazer or cardigan. Cardis are good quality. But it's the top that gets me, it's always spotlessly clean and looks like it's just come off the factory line and creaseless. She is older, no small children, and her husband has a well-paid job. But what is the secret? Even for reasonably good quality clothes (100% cotton from a good brand), mine always look a bit bunged up after just one wash and run through the tumble dryer.

I also buy things on Vinted, sometimes they've been worn once or twice and they're still in excellent condition, and when I wear them they look a wrinkled mess.

I use Ecover liquid detergent and have a new energy efficient washer and a separate tumble dryer. I have young DC (2 and 4) and wash their clothes separately from mine. Any tips?

Switch to Ecover bio powder. Wash white clothes separately to even other pale colours. Ensure buttons are undone and garments inside out. No softener. Iron with steam (but not too hot) on a good thickly padded board - inside-out first over collars, lapels, plackets, pleating, pockets, cuffs, etc. Then on the right side. Hang with plenty of space - don’t crowd things in a wardrobe.

You also have to look after the clothes while you’re wearing them. Keep foundation away from the collar. Same with hair products. And don’t ruin your clothes with some crossbody bag covered in grime.

Obviously take off your ‘good’ outside the house clothes as soon as you get home. Don’t cook in them or play with your dog, or do the housework. If wearable again shake out and hang up in the fresh air. Otherwise put in laundry bin rather than filing on the floor.

Can’t immediately think of anything else for white clothes.

Whites are only ever washed with whites. I have a variety of detergents, including Dylon keratin / colour washes. Hand wash rarely but do on occasion. No tumble dryer owned and items are hung to dry, smoothed on rack or presently line dried. I starch some items prior to ironing. Items folded, rolled or hung and ironed if needed when worn. Careful not to get sunscreen on collars. As clothing I like gets harder to find, I treasure what I have. Oh, I never buy anything that fails the hand scrunch test, as if it creases easily in the hand, then wearing it will make you look like a crumpled mess. I also agree with changing clothes at home, so I have a 'home' chest that contains jeans, tops and fleeces for cooking and gardening etc. in, which keeps good items good.

Ironing plays a massive part, I iron everything - cotton, linen, woollens, in fact anything that needs it to look crisp and smart.

People instantly look messy in non ironed clothes and those that think otherwise are sadly mistaken.

@Blobbitymacblob is there really a difference in iron quality? Not at all something I’ve ever given a second thought to, just have whatever was reasonably priced at Argos, some Russell Hobbs cheapie.

For the people who say to iron everything, do you also do t-shirts, camisoles, socks?

and for those who don’t tumble dry, how do you manage? We’ve got two young children, our machine practically doesn’t stop. If it weren’t for the tumble dryer I’d have laundry up constantly. I’ve also got terrible hayfever and can’t hang anything out at present.

@Notatotalslob I have a steam generator iron, not a very expensive version because ime they all last about three years. Very fast.

Ironing involves most outerwear, certainly t shirts and cotton camis. DH likes his boxers ironed. Not socks or teatowels but duvet covers and pillow cases.

I use the tumble dryer for some things but not shirts, dresses, etc, but bedding, towels, nightwear, etc. I dry on a clothes horse in a spare room.

I am a bit obsessive about laundry. Here are some of my tips. Treat stains immediately with appropriate product. White vinegar and Fairy liquid are invaluable and I like the Vanish roller ball treatment.
Wash delicates in a mesh bag. Use lowest temp and lowest spin cycle you can. Never tumble dry anything except towels. This is my number one advice. Dry hanging up on hangers or flat if the item could stretch and go out of shape. Iron, iron and iron. But again on lowest temp you can get away with. Iron on reverse so fabric doesn’t go shiny.
I also change as soon as I get home.

A decent and reliable iron is crucial, @Notatotalslob. Worth a moderate investment. I bought mine from the M&S Autograph range about fifteen years ago - so it wasn’t incredibly expensive, just the best one they made back then. It’s provided flawless service - only now is the little hatch for pouring in the water becoming a little loose.

I have no idea how much a new one of similar quality might cost now. Though my recent new ironing board was around £100. Together they make ironing joyfully easy, quick and stress free.

Of course, after all this advice - it may be that your colleague simply sends her impeccable white tops to a laundry / dry cleaning service!

I iron T-shirts, camisoles only if they are designed to be visible, not as underwear.
Socks - nope

Drying - inside if it is bad weather but in general I put it outside on dry days, even in winter to get the inital dampness away.
Luckily we have the space to dry indoors.
I do have sympathy about hayfever but I never had any issues with pollen ending on clothes left outside to dry.

I was less cautious with DD's clothes as I knew it would only last for 6 months before she outgrew it and lots was second-hand anyway, especially nursery or holiday camp clothes. So they ended in the dryer if necessary.

I buy cheap white tops in matalan , peacocks etc ,but always looks immaculate. Whites only with whites , and oxy powder in it. Line dry where can or airer. Iron.

4 dcs. 2 adults . 2 min loads a day. Dry outside all year unless raining. Tumble towels and underwear, pj's in winter. Everything else on airer or radiator. Constant cycle of washing folding ironing. I iron all clothes vest tops. Cami tops t-shirt, shorts Everything except pants and socks.
I have a routine. Set a load to turn on so it finishes when I wake up. Put another in. Peg all out. Get dcs up. School run / work whatever needed. After school activities till 6 /7pm . Get it all in. All ironing once a week takes maybe an hour whilst kids all bath / shower.

I love doing laundry, I'm a saddo. I'm also one of them saddos who like to use a different scent of conditioner each load.
Dcs teacher said to me once I know when it's dcs jumper on the floor before checking label as when I pick it up as it always smells amazing.

I iron absolutely everything apart from bras, knickers, and socks. Most of my clothes are cotton, linen, or silk and I don’t own anything that doesn’t look better if it’s ironed.

In terms of drying, I put everything outside if it’s not raining. If it’s wet outside then I’ve got a big heated airer which dries a couple of loads in a few hours.

I just accept that no one is gking to think I look exceptionally smart, I aim for 'making an effort to look appropriate', which is a much easier target, and allows me to use the tumble dryer and not iron anything.

I’ve been trying really hard recently (after a fairly mega weight loss) to look more groomed and I’ve been wearing a lot more light coloured clothes. I mostly try to wash whites with whites but what do you do for eg white tshirt with black stripes? I found a great one recently but it looks distinctly blah after one wash (no tumble dryer)

Honestly? I would mostly decide I didn’t love it enough to live with the increasing frustration of laundering it! (And who wants to dry clean a t shirt?)

Never tumble dried, always air dried. I also get everything ironed (including bed sheets which let me tell you is a life changing treat!)

I have a professional job and need to look smart.

I’ve only got a bog standard steam iron, but have to iron a lot of my summer things - a lot of linen, or a linen/cotton mix.
But I never use the steam function - if it’s too dry (the things nearly always are) I spray it - with the kind of spray bottle they sell for plants. Works absolutely fine.