Could you give me your no1 tip to keep clothes looking nice?

[bigkidsdidit]

After being pregnant / bf / fat for four years I'm getting my act together. I'm finally clearing out my wardrobe and buying new stuff but for the first time ever I'm buying expensive stuff rather than half of new look. Trouble is I'm clearly not looking after my clothes properly now; my bra straps are grey, my jeans fade, my jumpers are bobbly.

Could you give me your tips on how to keep my new posh stuff looking nice?

Thanks :)

Don't use a very high spin in your washing machine

and NEVER use Persil on anything.

Ok. Point taken. I love my tumbler! But will keep it for sheets, towels and the DC's clothes.

Will buy good liquid rather than lidl powder, use colour catchers, buy a de-bobbler from Lakeland, reduce the spin and the temp and iron inside out. And will tell my mother I'm not hand washing my pants!

Don't overwash clothes. I tend to wear them more than once before washing.

Dry clean or hand wash only and drip dry. My nice stuff does not go into the washing machine.

I don't think I am smelly. Just checked with dh - he says I am not smelly.

And don't forget that most of the time it's better to air out wool jumpers instead of washing them, spot treat them instead of washing the whole thing all the time.

You'll find your better quality clothes last longer anyway than the cheap. My dd was bought 2 primark dresses about a month ago they've both had to be chucked the white went bobbly grey and looked about 20 years old after one wash!

Never use fabric softener. Fill the dispenser with smart price vinegar instead.

Fabric softener damages lycra/elastane so your clothes don't last as long.

Bosch washing machine.
Separate into whites, pales, darkens and denim. Use detergent accordingly -I'm using Lidl own bran drabs and they are great. Use half the amount the detergent makers tell you to use- they bump up quantities so you buy more.
Min 40 degree wash for anything not synthetic. Hand outdoors whenever possible, even a short spell between rain is good.

Tumble drying makes things loose fibres so the fabric does not last as long.
Never ever use fabric conditioner, it coats the fabrics with sort of goo and dulls the colours.
Whites powders/tablets contain bleach so never use them on coloured items.

I know all this works because my younger sons school shirts and sweatshirts are the same bright white and mid blue as when I bought them for his older brother. When I get given clothes I often have to put them through several consecutive 60 degree cycles with hardly any detergent and a longer rinse cycle, just to get the build up of powder and conditioner out, and they always look brighter and fresher for it.

Question. Do the clothes really dry that much faster outdoors than indoors even if the weather isn't warm and sunny?

Bran drabs?? Bloody iPad, I typed wash tabs!!!

I put my washing out all year round . As long as there is wind and it's dry then it will dry . Make a space in your airing cupboard to warm them up after a day outside if they are a touch damp .

Brilliant advice. I never ever thought about how i wash my clothes until now!!! Brilliant question op

Definitely separate colours well. I do brights, darks, pales and whites. Friend was bemoaning greyibg pale things the other day and it turns out she just does dark and light loads.

How would I wash something like a Breton top?

With lights , the blue should be colour fast but the dark from other things in a dark wash will taint the white .

The op's who have a Bosch washing machine, what models do you have please?

I have a Bosch but honestly can't see why difference it makes . It's more to do with which detergent and how you sort clothes.

Years ago - when I started my first proper post graduation job - I splashed out on a Burberry trench coat. Black wool. I reasoned that my extravagant purchase would need an equally stupendous brush. So I bought one of these. It was £18 in 1989!

The coat didn't last. I still possess, use and love that clothes brush. I would even say it gives me confidence when I'm buying good clothes because I know I'll be able to look after them properly.

What do you use the brush for Something?

Oh those brushes are brilliant, I've got one too and use it very often.

Yoni

Well.... I've just noticed that on the website they say the shorter bristle side can be used for "brushing dirt from trouser hems." The instructions used to be that the shorter bristles were for de-bobbling of wool items.

If you (or Dp / Dcs) wear a lot of old-school suits a good clothes brush will probably save you the price of a new suit over a few years. In fact they're good for all lovely old fashioned fabrics - cord, velvet, tweed, wool crepe. (My past life....)

I guess people use them less now.

Yes I'm serious! So you use them for de-bobbling and getting rid of dirt?

I've never used One either. Will buy one now, I have a lovely tweed coat.

I use a pumice stone to debobble. I find it quite good.

I think the technical term might be "freshening up". Mine hangs by the front door and I'm likely to whisk the brush over my person as I'm running out of the house. It also extends the time between soul, wallet and clothes destroying trips to the dry-cleaners.

OP Your tweed coat will think it's Christmas. And, while I'm here, I meant to say that in addition to all the excellent advice above, you need to invest in a brilliant iron and a really good ironing board. I find if your tools are helpful and you don't dread using them it's much easier to keep up day to day clothes maintenance.

What have you bought by the way??

Washing does damage clothes. Wear clothes more than once before washing to cut down the number of washes.

I usually wear cheap clothes anyway so if they are wrecked after a year or two, I just recycle and replace with something equally cheap.