How do you maintain H&M clothes?

[Ironfloor269]

I love H&M due to the style, affordability and how the clothes have an appearance of good quality, at least in the shop.

But after a couple of washes, they look like rags. Especially the tshirts - the fabric looks so soft and premium at purchase but after two wears, it looks so thin and almost threadbare.

I expect that with Primark clothes as they are dirt cheap so I know I compromise quality. Some of the tshirts even look poor quality in the shop. But I pay more for H&M and they look so good in the shop.

How do you maintain your H&M clothes? I'm thinking less washing but in the summer, I sweat a lot and clothes need washing.

Just because they retail at a higher price than Primark doesn't mean they don't cost the same to make.
H&M really varies, you can get the odd nice piece but generally it's mass produced for a low price. Not judging you for shopping there as I have loads of H&M but it always goes holey!

sorry, to answer your question, I don't really 'maintain' it, I just assume it'll fall apart. Annoying when I finally find something that fits and suits me...

But they are cheap? Tops are only about £9, dresses can be £15/20 I don’t expect tons of wear out of them. I buy some basics from there but they rarely make it to the next year.

I keep all my clothes for ages and H&M has always been my go-to shop. These are the things I do:

• regularly bleach white tops back to white
• check everything for loose threads and those little holes you get in t-shirts and mend them
• iron everything properly
• debobble jumpers with a little debobbling machine
• stick hems of trousers into place with little bits of wonderweb

Nothing fancy! I just realise that for cheapy clothes, I put quite a bit of effort into keeping them nice. I like a good ironing/mending/box-set binge every couple of weeks.

I don’t generally have a problem with them at all. Mine generally last v well

Main thing I do find though is that if you iron them they do look so much better

Hand wash it if it's cheap and gong to fall apart or fade in the machine.

they look fine to me after many washes!

Cold wash

I dont really have this clothes falling apart problem. My cheap clothes from primark h&m Zara last me many years. I wash 40 at most. Often 30. And we dont use a dryer. Threads coming loose is my only issue, try to cut them or sew them back quickly. Bras and knitwear go in laundry bags and in a delicate cycle. I do get holes but after a longwhile or if moths get at the woolies but to be honest the moths have expensive tastes and prefer cashmere to my cheapie knits sadly.

Thank you for your helpful responses. I'm glad to know that most people's H&M clothes wash and wear well. It must be my washing/drying method then.

I'll start washing only when absolutely necessary and then also, in cold water. And drying on the line or on radiators in the winter. I have one tshirt (one of those £3.99 cheapies) that has bubbled a lot. Maybe because I tumble dry it.

I do hope I can make them last longer as i really love H&M clothes - they are so trendy and so affordable.

I have one tshirt (one of those £3.99 cheapies) that has bubbled a lot.

All knitted fabrics tend to bobble but with natural fabrics like cotton and wool, where the yarn is weaker than with synthetics, the bobbles come off more easily.

So a polyester / cotton mix is likely to bobble more than pure cotton, for example.

Tumble drying is your enemy.

OP I have the same problem with H&M t-shirts and tops. They do stretch out of shape and nothing seems to be able to restore them to their former glory. I do think their stuff is cheap and the quality is reflected in that though.

I've honestly found primark t-shirts last and wear better. (Can you tell I don't like spending a lot of money on t-shirts?!). The primark ones have got more stretch in them which helps them keep their shape. I don't even have to iron them.

Tumble drying kills clothes!

I have a couple of Primark tshirts and tbh, they are no better than the H&M ones.

I often wonder whether H&M does some kind of starch sparying-ssteam ironing regime to their tshirts before putting them on display because they look so, so good on display and completely different after a wash it two. Maybe I should start a similar routine at home?

Good point about the 100% cotton thing. Thanks.

I have some lovely t-shirts from H&M in viscose that I got a couple of years ago. They're still going strong but I wash them on the hand wash machine cycle with liquid detergent and I dry them outside or above a radiator in winter on a hanger. Sounds a faff but I never iron them. They haven't developed the mystery holes at the front that I usually have either.

I wash my cheap clothes more carefully than my expensive ones. I’m too lazy to literally hand wash but I machine on a delicate or wool setting inside a pillow case.

And I know a tumble dryer can be a lifesaver but it’s also a clothes killer.

Mind you H&M quality has tanked.

Drying directly on radiators isn't great either, although not nearly as bad as tumble drying. I don't have a tumble dryer so have to use radiators but only for sportswear, underwear, jeans. Anything I value I hang on an airer and position next to the radiator instead.

-I always shake and give everything a tug and a small stretch to reshape and avoid shrinkage before I hang.
-handwash or delicate cycle anything I really love at least for the first few washes and I can be sure they won't shrink
-sew and mend
-iron. I also iron between wears if I don't need to wash. I also have a steamer for heavy stuff like coats.
-avoid washing frequently. Unless it directly touches my armpits, or underwear, I hang to air, then iron, as above and rewear as much as I can. Jeans last ages between washes.
-Wear thin tops under jumpers and sweatshirts to prolong wear
-clean and polish shoes and get them resoled and reheeled regularly.
-spot clean stains instead of chucking into the wash if I catch it quick

To be honest though, I don't buy often from the cheaper end of the market. I'm not one of these people who can chuck anything on and look fab, I need all the help so tend to spend more, which in turn incentivises me to look after it and make it last longer. You do get what you pay for, it's just nowadays we've been conned into thinking H&M prices are the right price point for quality. It's not.

I wash everything at 30 and don't tumble dry. Our H&M stuff lasts for years but I do iron most things and I think that helps!

I have a friend who gives me hand me downs sometimes and loads of her stuff is absolutely ruined (faded, bobbled, shrunk). She washes everything on a hot wash and tumble dries. I wash on 30 or 40 degrees and use the clothes horse or line where possible. The difference is huge!

I bought a philips debobbler for about £15(?) it's amazing, makes bobbled jumpers / tshirts look like new again.

Ah, I wondered why cheap clothes last so long for me when everyone complains they fall apart! Definitely tumble dryer.

Since moving to this house which has an integrated washer dryer I have noticed that when I use it over winter that it destroys clothes. Holes appear, hems drop, bobbling, graphics come unstuck and cracked.

Hand wash on cold. Gentle spin.

Wash similar type fabrics together.

Turn clothing inside out to wash

Always separate whites, lights and darks.

No tumble drying ever.

Also when I buy I feel the fabrics carefully and avoid certain types. It's just something I've learned to do over the years.

I have several H&M linen t shirts that have lasted well. I wash them with a delicates detergent in a wool wash cycle and then dry on a hanger. Ditto with several cotton shirts and last years Blue & white maxi skirt.
But just why would you expect a cheap t-shirt to last? Buy a better quality pure cotton or linen and that will. I don't buy H&M knitwear as I don't like manmade fibres in my jumpers. They also look cheap and wash and bobble badly.