Every closet holds some one's favourite item of clothing. It may be that pair of jeans that fits just right or the shirt that goes with anything. They get worn more than any other item and therefore get laundered most often. After several cycles of washing and drying, they no longer look as bright or the decals start to crack and peel. Here are some ways to help extend the life of your clothes and keep that favourite shirt looking brand spanking new.

It is important to use a detergent that is right for your clothes. Most brands now carry a cold water detergent. Cold water detergent is made to dissolve fully in the colder temperature guaranteeing cleaner darks. Build up from detergents and fabric softeners can cause your colors to become dull and faded. To avoid this, follow the manufacturer's recommendations for amount of detergent to use in each load. During the rinse cycle, a chemical reaction between the added fabric softener, detergent, and detergent suds can create white deposits on clothes. If you insist on using fabric softener, it will help to dilute it with warm water in the fabric softener dispenser cup. Using dryer-added fabric sheets is a sure way to avoid this build up on clothes.

The dryer is the worst enemy to your clothes. In the dryer, high temperatures and constant motion wears out fabrics in a flash. For your favourite items, try hanging them out to dry. You can dry them outside, weather permitting, on a clothes line. An added bonus to line drying is the fresh outdoor scent, assuming you don't live next to the dump or a neighbour that barbeques everything. For inclement weather, you can try a drying rack indoors. These are nice because when not in use they can be collapsed for easy storage. If you only have one or two items they can be put on plastic hangers and hung on your shower curtain rod to dry. Besides being gentler on your clothes, hanging your clothes to dry will reduce your utility bill. A drawback of indoor drip drying is that it takes longer, 24-48 hours depending on the type of material. A space heater positioned safely away from dangling clothes can reduce the time it takes by lower a room's humidity.

If you need your favourite shirt for a job interview in the morning you will probably need to use your dryer. There are a few things you can do to protect your clothes in the dryer. Clothing with decals or lettering should be turned inside out to decrease their exposure to heat and friction. Always check your dryer settings. A recent study conducted by the American Chemical Society showed that cotton fabrics tear more easily when repeatedly machine dried at high temperatures. Newer dryers allow you to adjust the temperature at which your clothes are dried. Tumbling of fabrics while still wet causes more damage than tumbling them when partially dry. If possible, set your clothes to tumble dry during the cool down phase of the dryer cycle.

Your favourite shirt, pair of jeans, or irreplaceable marathon finisher t-shirt will last a little longer when you take the time to care for your clothes the way they care for you.

Article Source: http://www.ArticleBlast.com