Wear + Care
A few simple laundry care tips to help your family’s clothes enjoy a longer life.
TIP #1 Sort it
Darks, lights and whites… Laundry 101: sorting by colour keeps darks dark, and whites from becoming pinks. Avoid temptation to skip this step by speeding up the process. Creating a colour-sorting station can get even young family members sharing in the responsibility of caring for their clothes.
TIP #2 Flip it
Your printed tees and dark jeans will thank you. Turning clothes inside out before washing is an effective way to prevent your favourite clothes from fading or pilling prematurely. This extra step is also helpful for discovering surprise ketchup stains.
TIP #3 Zip it
Reduce wear, and possible tears, by zipping up zippers, sticking together velcro closures and putting anything with a hook (bras or sports gear) into a mesh bag before laundering. If you enjoy mending during Family Movie Night, skip this step.
TIP #4 Cool it
Washing clothes in cold water will help keep dark colours from fading, prevent hidden stains from setting in and save you $$.
Modern washing machines and detergents are designed to clean effectively with cold-water. However, if you are declaring all-out war on a flu bug... choose hot.
TIP #5 Dry it...for FREE
Well, almost free. A clothesline or drying rack will cost a few dollars up front but this is absolutely one of the best investments you can make for your family’s clothes.
Hanging clothes to dry takes a few extra minutes - but this is an excellent excuse to grab a few minutes of fresh air - or sneak a few minutes of your favourite podcast.
Don’t let stiff jeans deter you. This is where your dryer comes in handy – throwing dry or nearly-dry clothes in the dryer for a few minutes will leave clothes soft and wrinkle free. (We’re still working on a hack for folding.)