Make Your Clothes Last Longer With These 3 Easy Steps

There’s nothing worse than when your favourite item of clothing can no longer be worn.

This might be because you stained it, or it shrunk in the wash, or it just plain started to rip apart. Don’t get me wrong, there are times where clothes reach the end of their lifespan, and you need to get new ones. However, it’s always frustrating when a nice item reaches a premature end, and you can’t wear it anymore.

So, it got me thinking, how do you make clothes last longer and take better care of them? I did a bit of research and found that it’s so simple. In fact, I realised I was doing silly things that were damaging my clothes without even knowing it! To help all of you avoid making mistakes, here are some steps to follow if you want to make your clothes last longer:

Handwash Your Delicates

If you’re like me, then you probably throw everything in the washing machine without thinking twice about it. This includes all your delicate items such as your underwear. Don’t do this! Your delicates are delicate for a reason, they’re very easy to break and tear. If you throw them in the washing machine, the pressure inside can take its toll and lead to rips. Wash them by hand instead, it’s super easy to do. Fill a little tub with water and washing powder, soak your delicates, and the job is done. There’s less chance of the material wearing down, and they’ll last longer.

Wash at a Low Temperature

One of the biggest mistakes I make is that I wash my clothes at too high of a temperature. As a result, they shrink easily, and I can only get a few wears out of them before they’re ruined. Instead, you need to drop the temperature and wash on one of the lowest settings you can find. If your washing machine at home doesn’t let you wash at 30 degrees or less, you need to find somewhere that does. There are so many places like Dell Laundromat that offer washing machines with eco settings and allow you to use a low temperature. As long as your clothes aren’t heavily stained, they’ll be completely clean and won’t shrink.

Use Fabric Conditioner

Finally, you can use fabric conditioner to make your clothes feel brand new whenever you put them on. This stuff will condition your clothes much like hair conditioner does to your hair. It makes them softer, provides more bounce, and keeps them feeling new. Clothes washed with fabric conditioner will last longer than those washed without. I didn’t know this, I thought fabric conditioner was only for towels and bed sheets!

Follow these three easy steps, and you’ll make all your clothes last a lot longer. This means your favourite top won’t need to be thrown out after a couple of wears. It gives you more value for money when you buy clothes as you get more use out of them.

Take care of what you wear, and you can hold onto your most fashionable items for longer!

.

This is a contributed article written for WhimMagazine.com