What if we told you that you can’t blame your washing machine for this irritating problem? Nope! The reason for stretched and out-of-shape clothing is often because the way the garment is being folded and stored is incorrect.
Follow these simple tips on how to retain your clothing’s shape for longer and which fabric conditioner can actually help care for your fabrics too.
Why Do Clothes Lose Their Shape?
There are two bugbears when it comes to clothes losing their shape; shrinking and stretching. Let’s learn about why these happen;
Why Do Clothes Shrink?
Clothes shrink usually because of incorrect washing. Certain fabrics can only be washed under certain circumstances and if you don’t follow the care instructions properly, they can easily shrink. The most common reasons for shrinking are washing clothes in water that is too warm, putting clothes that shouldn’t go in the tumble dryer and washing certain fabrics in the washing machine when they require dry cleaning or hand washing.
If you want to know how to prevent clothes from shrinking, the best way to do that is to wash every garment according to its care label instructions. Use a cold or cool wash cycle and dry outside in the sun rather than a tumble dryer. These tips will help you avoid clothes shrinking.
Why Do Clothes Stretch?
Clothes stretch out sometimes because of incorrect washing. As above, when you wash fabric at the incorrect temperature or with the incorrect detergent, it can lead to the fabric fibres stretching out.
Clothes also stretch because they have been incorrectly folded and stored. For example, wool jerseys should never be hung up but should rather be folded in a cupboard. When you hang clothing that shouldn’t be hung, it can lead to the clothing stretching out over time.
How to Store Clothes Correctly?
If you want to prevent shrinking and stretching, you’re going to need to store your clothing well. When you store your garments correctly, you are essentially extending their life. Here are our top tips for storing your clothing well:
For fabrics like wool, cotton, polycotton and the like don’t hang up. Rather fold and store in a cupboard
For fabrics like synthetics, silks and lace it’s best to hang up. Do not use wire hangers for your clothing but rather use padded hangers, wooden hangers or good quality plastic ones
If you store clothing seasonally, never vacuum seal them. If any moisture is locked inside, this can cause mould or mildew to grow in your fabric fibres and ruin them
If you want more tips on how to care for garments, read our blog on Tricks to Fold Clothes Without A Board now.
How Can You Get Stretched Clothes Back to Shape?
Is it possible to get stretched clothing back to its original perfect shape? Yes, it is! When you use good quality fabric conditioners like the Comfort Fabric Conditioners, you’re actually helping your clothing regain its shape. Here’s how:
Comfort fabric conditioners offer signature garment care features like roughness prevention, colour care, anti-wrinkle properties and less static which all help to bring the fabric back to its original state.
Luxurious fragrances in the Comfort Core range – including Morning Fresh, Elegance and Uplifting, last longer in your fabrics, ensuring that your clothing can retain their fragrance both while they’re being worn and being stored.
If you follow these tips for caring for your garments, you’ll be able to enjoy your favourite clothing pieces for years to come. All you need is a bit of time, information and some great products to help you do it.
For more clothing care tips such as these, visit Cleanipedia.