The Art of Clothing Care (make your wardrobe last)
The Art of Clothing Care is a book of tips to make clothes last. Check a garment’s quality, avoid over-washing, make simple clothing repairs, remove stains, prevent mothballs and shop for pre-loved clothing. For synthetic fibres (including recycled plastic bottles), launder in a microfibre filter.
Wash Less Often
Washing too often wears out fibres fast. Most clothes, unless stained or sweaty, can go a few wears before washing. Airing them out on a hanger does wonders for freshness.
Jeans, jumpers, and jackets love a bit of breathing space rather than a spin in the machine after every use.
Choose Mild Detergents
Strong detergents and synthetic fragrances can break down fabrics and irritate skin. Instead, pick natural laundry powders (unscented for pregnancy/nursing, baby and pet bedding).
These options are kinder to clothes, your skin, and water systems alike.
Wash in Cold Water (not for weak immunity)
Hot water puts stress on fibres and uses more energy. Cold water is gentler and prevents colours from fading. Modern detergents clean just as well in cold cycles, and you’ll save power with every load. Whites and delicates especially benefit from a cooler wash.
Laundry should still be at 60 degrees for babies, pets and people with weak immune systems (including for pregnancy/nursing).
Treat Stains Naturally
Skip the harsh bleach. For most stains, apply a paste of baking soda and water. For stubborn marks, oxygen bleach works a treat. Always test on a seam before treating more visible spots. Read more on removing stains naturally.
Ditch Fabric Softener for Vinegar
Fabric softener can coat clothes with residue, weakening fibres over time. White vinegar softens fabric, removes smells, and doesn’t leave build-up. Add half a cup to the rinse cycle. Your clothes will feel soft and smell fresh, with no hint of vinegar once dry.
Air Dry When You Can
Tumble dryers use a lot of energy and make fibres brittle over time. Hanging clothes outside lets sunlight naturally kill germs and freshen fabrics. Retractable washing lines are safer than rotary lines (store well away when not in use, to avoid tangling for children, pets or wildlife).
Indoors, a drying rack works well and saves space. Even flat-laying knits on a towel will help keep them in shape and avoid stretching.
Store Clothes Properly
How you store your clothes can mean the difference between crisp and crumpled. Use wooden or padded hangers for shirts and jackets. Fold heavy jumpers and keep them on shelves to avoid stretching.
Make sure drawers and wardrobes are dry, and add cotton bags of lavender or cedar to keep out moths without chemicals. Keep lavender and cedar moth prevention balls away from pets.
Mend and Repair Small Issues Early
Loose threads, missing buttons, or tiny holes can be fixed easily with a little effort. A basic sewing kit lets you patch up damage before it becomes worse.
Hand-mending with natural threads keeps your clothes wearable and cuts waste. If you’re interested, there are simple tutorials online that make repairs almost fun.
For big stains and tears, you can ask a tailor to do small repairs. Or book online and send to online tailors like Make Nu.
Refresh Clothes Between Wears
Instead of rewashing, freshen clothes by hanging them in a steamy bathroom. It’s a quick way to get rid of musty smells and help fabrics feel new.
Be Gentle When Ironing
Too much heat or pressure can scorch and flatten fibres. Use a lower heat setting and a clean cotton pressing cloth to protect delicate fabrics.
Let clothes hang up straight after ironing to cool, which helps keep lines and creases crisp without re-pressing.
How to Prevent Mothballs, Naturally
Only two moth species eat animal fibres (wool, feather and fur). So the easy way to prevent them are to wear cotton, hemp and linen. To reduce risk for other fabrics, deep-clean clothes, then store in vacuum bags.
A bit of simple living wouldn’t go amiss (rather than buy too many clothes to ‘store away for winter’). If using red cedar balls to prevent moth balls, keep away from pets and children.
