How to take care of your clothes
The fabrics
- Silk
Wash: Very fragile, silk should preferably be washed by hand, except for exceptions indicated on the label: in this case, program the washing machine on a delicate wash at 30 ° C. If washed by hand, it should be immersed in soapy water, but without leaving it to soak. To rinse, you can add a few drops of vinegar or a little sugar in a little cold water.
Drying: Silk can't stand being squeezed or rubbed. To dry a silk garment, therefore, it is better to spread it evenly on a terry towel. Shirts can also be dried on a hanger.
Ironing: Iron silk still damp.
To know:
- Absolutely avoid exposing silk to the sun as it could turn yellow. To make it lose its yellow color, leave it to soak in ¾ of water and ¼ of hydrogen peroxide with a drop of ammonia, and then rinse it under running water.
- Always avoid moistening it, because the water leaves traces on the silk.
- The linen
Wash: Linen must be stained before being washed. It is best to wash it in the washing machine at less than 50 ° C to preserve its colors and natural fabric. For white linen, use a chlorine-free detergent with bleaching agents to prevent it from yellowing.
Drying: Do not dry the linen in the sun or in the dryer to prevent it from shrinking.
- The cashmere
Even though cashmere doesn't get dirty easily and rarely absorbs sweat, it still needs to be washed. But, being very fragile, the less you wash it, the better.
Machine wash: Put your cashmere garment in a specific bag for washing underwear or in a pillowcase, with a special detergent for wool. Select your cold wool program and avoid spinning more than 600 revolutions.
Handwash: Use a special wool detergent or diluted shampoo. Don't let it soak in warm soapy water for too long. Washing and rinsing must be fast. Gently rinse with running water until the water that comes out becomes transparent.
Drying: Squeeze without twisting the garment but rolling the cashmere in a terry towel and then absorb the remaining water with another dry towel. Never use the dryer.
Ironing: If you need to iron the garment, do not use an iron that is too hot and iron inside out, gently.
- The pashmina
Pashmina is as fragile and precious as cashmere because its wool is just as delicate.
It should be treated with care, like cashmere.
- Cotton should be treated like linen.
- The wool
Wool is very delicate, it should never be boiled or washed with chlorine-based products. Hand washing is recommended, but can be machine washed. Always check the label and choose a short program without spinning.
Handwash: Wash your wool garments in water at 30 ° C maximum without soaking. Rub gently and rinse several times in warm water with a little softener, and then in cold water.
Drying: Absorb the wool without twisting in a terry towel and then let it dry evenly on another towel.
- The viscose
It is a semi-synthetic fabric whose natural fibers have undergone a chemical treatment.
Machine wash: Wash viscose clothes inside out at 40 ° C maximum on a delicate program. The washing machine must be 2/3 full.
Drying: Dry on a hanger without ever using the dryer and iron when the fabric is still slightly damp.
Some specific items
- Underwear keeps better if you wash it by hand. If, despite this, you decide to wash it in the washing machine, protect your underwear with a special net or by washing them in a pillowcase if they are made of satin or silk. Use a special underwear detergent and select a program for delicate fabrics.
- Duvets, quilts and pillows. Put a tennis ball in the washing machine with the duvet to prevent the feathers from clumping. Use a mild detergent.
To know:
- Divide your clothes depending on the colors. All dark garments together, white with white and colors with colors.
- Prevent your garments from losing color. To check if a dress is at risk of losing its color, place a white fabric under the damp garment and iron with a hot iron. If the color remains on the white fabric, the dress should be washed separately and in warm soapy water. The clothes you have just bought must be washed several times separately and with more detergent than normal, so that the excess color goes away. Never leave freshly washed clothes in a pile, to prevent the fabrics from fading on each other.
