This simple mistake could permanently damage your clothes.
Hanging your washing outside is among life’s straightforward joys when warmer weather arrives. It’s economical, faster than drying indoors and provides your garments, bedding and towels with that delightfully fresh outdoor scent.
However, there’s a frequent mistake that numerous people make whilst undertaking this task. Fashion specialists at Superdry caution this error could potentially ruin your cherished items, reports the Mirror.
The retailer has put together useful guidance on correct clothing care to help garments endure longer, whilst highlighting unexpected methods that may be inflicting harm.
Concerning clothes drying, one crucial approach is to ‘utilise the strength of nature’ by moving items outdoors – although you may wish to abandon the conventional pegs and place your drying rack outside instead.
The experts stated: “This helps extend the lifespan of your clothing by minimising wear and tear caused by heat exposure.
“Sunlight offers natural antimicrobial properties and acts as a gentle whitening agent for fabrics. Take caution when using clothes pegs, as they can leave unsightly and potentially permanent pressure marks on delicate fabrics.”
“To protect delicate items, avoid using clothes pegs altogether, and be careful not to leave items outside in the wind, as they could be blown away.
“Additionally, you can enhance the whitening effect further by lightly spritzing clothes with white vinegar before hanging them outdoors, helping the sun to keep your whites looking fresh.
“However, some fabrics will become stiff if dried in this way, especially those made from natural fibres like cotton.
“To avoid this, trying partly drying outside and finish off with a few minutes in the tumble dryer.”
You can also carefully reshape garments to eliminate creases before hanging them outside or positioning them on the clothes horse – and you’ll reduce the amount of ironing needed, which is always beneficial.
This advice was reinforced by the laundry specialists at Vileda, who have gone one step further and outlined precisely how to hang particular items of clothing so that they don’t become damaged on the washing line.
- Trousers: The best way to hang trousers is to fold them over the clothesline at the waistband. This helps to reduce creasing.
- Jumpers: Avoid hanging jumpers by the shoulders, as this can cause stretching and misshaping. Instead, fold your jumper lengthwise and drape both sides evenly over the line.
- Dresses: You can fold the dress in half lengthwise and hang it over the line like a pair of trousers.
- Sweaters: Treat sweaters the same way as jumpers, folding them in half lengthwise and draping them over the line.