If you own a dress made out of a delicate fabric, do you know how to wash it without causing damage? Or can your washing machine handle a full load of heavy curtains, if you just dumped it in?
Our clothes are an expression of ourselves, and we're always careful to keep them in excellent condition. In this guide, you'll learn how to wash different types of fabrics safely and effectively.
Our clothes are an expression of ourselves, and we're always careful to keep them in excellent condition. In this guide, you'll learn how to wash different types of fabrics safely and effectively.
The first rule of washing clothes
Read the label. At the very least, a label tells you what you should not when washing a piece of clothing, some curtains or a carpet. If you're unsure, always contact a professional laundry service provider in Singapore.
Acrylic
As you can guess from its industrial sounding name, acrylic fiber is indeed made from acrylic acid. Weaving together, this fabric feels like wool, and is used in sweaters and scarves to keep the wearer warm. Acrylic is machine washable, and can be used with warm water and a fabric softener.
After that, you can also press out the wrinkles using an iron at medium heat.
After that, you can also press out the wrinkles using an iron at medium heat.
Cashmere
Cashmere is an extremely comfortable material for a scarf or sweater, but to wash it takes a lot of care. By far, the best way to clean it is to send it to a dry cleaner, but you can also try to use baby shampoo or a mild detergent to handwash. Don't iron, tumble-dry or wring the cashmere though - it'll damage the fabric easily.
Also, keep your cashmere folded and kept, as hanging the fabric might cause it to lose its shape.
Also, keep your cashmere folded and kept, as hanging the fabric might cause it to lose its shape.
Cotton
Durable, cheap and versatile, washing cotton is a breeze. It can withstand the spinning and wringing in a washing machine, take multiple ironing and endure countless drying cycles. But the thing to note is the temperature of the water used - generally, cold water works best for colours, while hot water can be used for whites.
Leather/Suede
While the look and feel pretty, leather and suede are very easily damaged by dirt, drying and by chemicals. Use a leather dressing to keep the leather fresh and soft, or use some soap and warm water to give it a good wash. For suede, use a suede dressing to repel water, and wash it using wool detergent.
Denim
So what exactly is denim made of? Surprisingly, cotton, woven tightly to create a tough fabric. And also contrary to what most people do, you should not wash your pair of jeans in the washing machine!
When you subject denim to churning water and detergent, the fibers of the fabric gradually break down, the stiffness reduces and the blue dye starts fading away, which is a key feature of why you got that pair of jeans in the first place. Instead, you can use a damp cloth to rub out stains, and air the jeans in the sun to remove any smells.
By some accounts, you can also soak the denim in a mixture of vinegar and cold water to remove odours without damaging the dye. The smell will go away once you dry the fabric.
When you subject denim to churning water and detergent, the fibers of the fabric gradually break down, the stiffness reduces and the blue dye starts fading away, which is a key feature of why you got that pair of jeans in the first place. Instead, you can use a damp cloth to rub out stains, and air the jeans in the sun to remove any smells.
By some accounts, you can also soak the denim in a mixture of vinegar and cold water to remove odours without damaging the dye. The smell will go away once you dry the fabric.
Linen
Linen is great for keeping cool in hot weather, and is durable like cotton when machine washing. If you want to be more specific, wash your linen fabrics with chlorine-free bleach and warm water, and let them air dry. If you're using a dryer, use medium heat.
Nylon
Strong, cheap and durable, nylon is a popular synthetic fabric for many clothes. You can safely wash nylon in the washing machine, and in both cold or warm water. But for machine drying, use low heat to prevent wrinkling, or you'll spend more time ironing them out later.
Polyester
Less durable than nylon but nevertheless strong, polyester is also a popular synthetic fiber. Additionally, this fabric is cheap and wrinkle-resistant, which makes it a favourite material for clothing makers.
Clean polyester clothes the same way as nylon, but use you can use warm water in the washing machine.
Clean polyester clothes the same way as nylon, but use you can use warm water in the washing machine.
Rayon
Rayon is a synthetic fiber made from wood pulp, and hence is not as durable as other chemical-based fabrics. Using heat or machine washing will make it shrink and lose colour. The best way to wash it is through dry-cleaning or or washing it in cold water and air drying afterwards.
Silk
A luxurious fabric that demands utmost care, few materials can match to its soft and regal feel. In most cases, dry cleaning is the best way to wash silk garments. You might also hand wash silk with warm water and a gentle detergent, or get away with machine washing on a Delicate cycle setting - at your own risk, of course.
Spandex
Super-stretchy Spandex is commonly used in undergarments and sportswear, and is known to stretch up to 5 times its size!
Despite its perceived durability though, spandex is susceptible to damage from heat. The best way to clean it then is with cold water, and to avoid ironing and dry cleaning. The colors may bleed too, so separate whites from colours before washing.
Despite its perceived durability though, spandex is susceptible to damage from heat. The best way to clean it then is with cold water, and to avoid ironing and dry cleaning. The colors may bleed too, so separate whites from colours before washing.
Wool
A popular natural fiber sheared from sheep, wool is one of the most popular material for winter wear. Most wool garments can be washed in the washing machine's Delicates cycle, since it may be stretched out of its shape or shrunken at high temperatures. Some washing machines even offer a Wool setting for this.
It goes without saying that woollen garments do not belong in a dryer!
It goes without saying that woollen garments do not belong in a dryer!
