Tips & Tricks for Taking Care of Your Clothes

You have a favorite t-shirt, now what?


Most of us own that favorite t-shirt we’ve had forever and always keep in the back of our closet. The rest of the clothes are probably a variety of tees you got for all of those 5K races you ran, dress shirts or polos embroidered with the logo of the company you work for, and that comfy hoodie you wear around the house. But are we really taking care of our favorite items? Here are some tips and tricks for taking care of your apparel.

Start with quality. Some of our favorite t-shirt brands include Bella+Canvas, Next  Level, and Comfort Colors.  

Ladies, hold off dressing until after your hair and makeup are done. Cosmetics seriously stain garments, and hairspray is a big culprit for fading clothes. Also, don’t forget the aluminum in deodorants can turn clothes yellow, so always make sure your antiperspirants are completely dry before pulling on that shirt.

Tips to take care of your favorite clothes


TIP: Still get makeup or deodorant on your garment? Gently rub the protective foam used on hangers over the stain, or if you’re really in a pinch, use another section of the same shirt and rub together. The mark should disappear!

If you have to iron, make sure you iron in the correct order: collar, cuffs, and then the rest of the shirt. Never put the garment on immediately after ironing because it could cause new wrinkles. Let it sit for five minutes and cool down, then you will be good to go! You can also ask about all of the non-iron shirt options available and skip the iron all together!

In the laundry room, make sure you zip up those zippers before throwing them in the washer. The metal teeth on zippers can ruin the material of the garment or the other items in the washer with it. Always check the fabric description on the tag and wash appropriately, and you can help prevent shrinking by not over drying. Pull those clothes out of the dryer while still slightly damp and allow the garment to finish air drying, if possible, and to maintain elasticity in spandex and lycra, skip the dryer completely and hang to dry.

TIP: When washing darks, throw in a cap full (approximately a tablespoon) of vinegar into the wash to lock in the colors. This helps prevent clothing dye from bleeding and keeps your darks staying dark.

Following some of these easy tips and tricks along with your clothing tag care instructions, all your clothes should last as long as that favorite t-shirt.