How to Take Care of Your Clothes to Make them Last!

What does your clothing mean to you? If you're like most people, your clothes hold a special place in your heart. Without that pretty pink dress or that scarf you can’t stop wearing, how would you go about your day feeling your best?

While your clothes may feel like family, it’s genuinely heartbreaking when your favorite items have troubling stains, rips, or other issues. After countless attempts to make repairs and save your clothing, you’re left crying in a puddle of your own tears with a sweater that has a massive chocolate stain. Luckily, there’s hope!

What if I told you there are some simple tricks to eliminate some of the world’s toughest stains? It’s true! From red wine to blueberries, there are many unique hacks to remove these frustrating spots. Keep reading for tips on how to take care of your clothing properly.

Remember These Stain-Fighting Hacks

Everyone hates stains, including that wine-stained dress you bought for hundreds of dollars. Luckily, there are some secret hacks to tackle these annoying issues. Check them out below:

Red Wine

You’ll want to flush the stain right away with club soda. Then, blot the wine and cover the stain with a good heaping of salt. Wash as normal and the spot should lift right up!

Makeup Stains

A unique tip to remove makeup stains involves spraying the area with hairspray, letting it soak for 10 minutes, then wiping it away with a damp cloth. Crazy stuff, but it works!

Grease Stains

As another surprise, white chalk can help lift away those troubling grease stains. The chalk powder actually helps to absorb the grease, allowing your washing machine to effectively eliminate the spot during a normal cycle.

Wash Your Clothes Less

Who knew a great tip for long-lasting clothes involves washing them less often? But it makes a lot of sense; if you wash your clothes after each and every use, they’ll wear out faster. However, if you have a serious sweating problem, it might make sense to wash your clothes more consistently. But if you don’t, try cleaning them periodically to extend their life. However, this isn’t true for all of your clothes.

Follow this guide to determine when and how often to wash your clothing items:

Workout Clothes: After 2-3 uses (depends on your sweat levels)

Underwear and Socks: After every wear

Denim: Every 4-6 months

Cotton Pants: When they get stained or super wrinkly

Cotton or Linen T-Shirts and Tank Tops: Every 2-3 uses

Cotton Button-Down Shirts: After 3-4 uses

Cotton Sweaters or Sweatshirts: Hardly ever. It’s encouraged to dry clean sweater fabric.

Rinse After Dipping

Do you enjoy a lovely day at the beach? Or how about a warm, sunny day by the pool? Whatever the case may be, you probably like taking a dip. However, you may think it's safe to go months without washing your swimwear. I mean, if you don’t sweat in it or cause a stain, it’s fine, right?

No... it’s not. I mean, you’ll survive, but your bathing suit may not make it past the summer. It may sound like a surprise, but swimwear will wear out quickly if it isn’t washed after each use. Saltwater and chlorine break down the fibers and elastic in your swimsuits, which causes them to deteriorate sooner rather than later.

Wash Your Clothes Differently

If your clothes aren’t lasting that long, it may result from how you’re washing them. If your common practice is to bundle up your dirty clothes pile, throw it in the washer, and choose the same setting every time, we may have found your problem…

As clothes are made with various materials, many of them have specific steps for washing them properly. While this isn’t true for all types of clothes, there are a few clothing categories that have their own requirements for effective washing:

Whites

Remember that white t-shirt you bought last year? Yes, that same shirt you threw out months ago because it started changing to a white-yellowish color. If you’ve ever had a white shirt, you know what I’m talking about. You probably also notice those dreadful armpit stains that make their home on these clothing items. When you first buy a white t-shirt, try not wearing deodorant for the first few uses. The yellowing you experience is caused by your sweat mixing with the aluminum found in antiperspirant deodorant.

However, as many people can’t skip out on deodorant (those who can, I envy you), you can still work to prevent these troubling stains. After wearing the shirt a few times, pre-treat the clothing with Oxiclean before throwing it in the washer with warm water.

Denim

Some people wear jeans on a daily basis -- and for a good reason! Denim is comfortable, looks great with pretty much anything, and it's pretty easy to keep clean. However, you do need to wash jeans eventually. To do this effectively while ensuring long-lasting benefits, wash them in cold water after turning them inside out. Also, add a detergent designed specifically for darks.

Swimwear

While you now know you need to wash your swimwear after each and every use, there are a few other steps to consider:

• Wash immediately after your swim session
• Rinse in cold water ASAP!
• Wash normally with regular detergent after rinsing

Follow these best practices to keep your favorite swimsuits clean and functioning for many years to come!

Lingerie

Lingerie, a key component in a woman’s closet, must be cared for properly. As these clothing items are very delicate, they can tear and break apart easily. This is just one reason why these must be carefully washed. Another reason is that it’s sometimes extremely difficult to find lingerie that actually fits comfortably. This is why it's best to always hand wash these clothing items.

Follow these simple steps to effectively clean your lingerie and make it last:

• Place items in warm water with regular detergent
• Let soak for 90 minutes; swish clothes around periodically
• Rinse carefully

Tired of your bras falling apart after two months? Follow these easy tips to keep your favorite lingerie lasting for years!

If you have worn-out or stained clothing, it can really weigh you down. To feel like your most confident self with vibrant, fresh-looking clothes, follow these simple tips!