First of all make sure you have a family initial that you can use to identify all your clothes. Use a Laundry marker pen and mark that initial on your garment in a place that is not seen on the outer side, yet easily findable by your Launderer. (Eg: If your name is Jackie Chan, keep the initial as ‘JKC’ – 3 letters best)
The moment you have a doubt in cleaning a Garment, give it to a professional Launderer / Dry Cleaner.
If you have already tried removing a stain yourself and it spoils the garment, don’t expect it to come back to its original condition.
Please remember, the Launderer or Dry Cleaner is human and not God. Hence do not expect miracles to happen to your clothes. If it is old or weak, it will tear. If it is stained, it will fade. If the colour is not fast, it will run.
Always show your laundry any specific stain or damage that may be there while giving it to them, thereby you help them treat it & fix the issue.
Please read all the terms and conditions of your Laundry / Dry Cleaner carefully.
Just as we would apply an anti-septic cream to a bruise on our hand as First Aid, we need to do the same to our clothes when they ‘Get Hurt’, meaning stained or damaged.
Treating a stain as soon as it happens, in the right method, has already solved half your problems.
Stains caused by most natural material can be initially treated with water (Not Hot Water) and few squirts of washing liquid / detergent. For eg:
Fruit & Vegetable Juice or Stain – Immerse in cold water
Ketchup or other sauces – Rinse under running water
Blood – Dip in cold water & gently rub with finger
Red Wine – Drop Salt on the stain and then soak in water
Grass & Mud – Soak in warm water
Hair Dye – Immediately soak in cold water & rub stain with sponge
Stains caused by synthetic or unnatural material need a little different treatment. Most often a solvent or best rush it to a professional Dry Cleaner.
Nain Polish – Apply a colourless nail polish remover on the reverse side of the fabric
Ball point Ink – Spray an alcohol based hairspray / body spray from the reverse side of the fabric
Chewing Gum – Put Ice or place garment in Freezer. Chewing gum will peel off from fabric when frozen
After this first line of treatment has been given, make sure you give it to a professional to make sure the entire stain is removed. But remember, the professional cleaners is not God, hence, don’t expect miracles to happen to your garments.
The garment manufacturer knows what your clothes are made off and knows how to clean it. Listen to the Label.
If ever you are confused with a care logo, make sure you Google the meaning of it. This happens since different Country’s have different logos that have various interpretations.
Hanging clothes to dry is the best for them. In a dryer, they go through further wear n tear and friction.
If you are using a dryer, shake the garment loose before putting it in.
Do not over load a dryer.
Drying in the open is the best option. Sunlight is a natural disinfectant. But do not keep for too long under direct sunlight, as it will fade the garment.
Hang Dry sweaters and knits on a hanger to bring them back to original shape.
Sort out clothes according to the heat settings required before you start ironing. This way you avoid using a very hot setting for a delicate synthetic fabric.
Fabrics with delicate work, embossing, printing, etc need to be ironed on the reverse.
Iron out smaller areas like the collar, cuff and sleeve before you press larger areas to avoid wrinkling.
Sweaters and delicate knits should never be hung on a hanger since they will start sagging. They should always be folded.
It’s not always good to store the clothes in the garment bags that your Laundry gives it to you in. Since the moisture buildup can cause harm to the clothes, it better to keep them in a cool & dry storage place. If you still want to keep it in the plastic bags, make sure you make holes on the bag for better airflow.
Avoid tightly packing clothes together in your cupboard – Let your clothes breathe.
Always make sure you wash / dry-clean your seasonal or special clothes before storing them away for months.
It is best to mend a small tear or darn a peeping hole before they become much larger problems.
Buttons and hooks are another issue that will need fixing.
We would like to mention that these are basic guidelines to take care of your clothes. We are not responsible for any of your actions or reactions on your clothes.
