You can never have too many clothes! Many of us dream of a wardrobe filled with an outfit for every occasion. However, this dream can turn into a nightmare when you’ve got to wash countless fabric types and have no idea where to start. Lucky, as the leading self-service laundromat in New Zealand, we know a thing or two about our washing. We have created the ultimate fabric washing guide to help prevent any clothing catastrophes.
Cotton
Cotton is everyone’s favourite fabric when it comes to clothing. It’s in everything from towels and sheets to jeans and t-shirts; cotton will likely make up most of your closet. So, how do you wash it?
While cotton prefers a cold wash on a standard cycle, you can usually get away with washing whites in warmer water. Cotton can be a bit temperamental while drying. It tends to shrink if over-dried, so in this fabric washing guide, we recommend taking these items out a little earlier than usual.
Linen
Though it’s common for linen care labels to recommend dry cleaning only, you can wash a lot of linen can safely at home. As the goldilocks of fabric, linen needs to be washed in water that’s not too cold or not too hot; it needs to be just right (which is usually a lukewarm setting).
Linen tends to absorb much more water than other fibres, so you’ll want to avoid overcrowding these items in the washer and set it to a gentle cycle.
Wool
Woolly wear is a lifesaver come wintertime but can cause headaches on laundry day. Wool and washing machines don’t mix overly well, but the good news is they don’t have to! There’s no need to wash woollen clothing after every wear; just air it out, then pop it back into the closet.
If you need to throw your wool in the wash, use the gentlest cycle possible and a mesh washing bag. Mesh bags add further protection to the items, preventing warping, snagging, and tearing when inside the washer. Always use wool-specific detergent to clean your clothing without putting it through unnecessary stress.
Leather
Nothing is quite as cool as a leather jacket, but keeping your leather digs looking their best will require a little special treatment. You should not use the washing machine to wash leather. Instead, use warm soapy water and a sponge to wipe the dirt off gently. Oversaturating and rubbing can damage the leather, so you’ll want a light touch.
If the leather looks a little tired from its rockstar lifestyle, use some leather conditioner to rejuvenate the outfit. Leather is prone to dehydration, and the conditioner will help with this.
Become a Washing Wizard with Liquid Laundromats
With our ultimate fabric-washing guide, you’ll be able to avoid any laundry miss steps during your next trip to our Campbelltown laundromat or any of the other Liquid Laundromat locations across Australia and New Zealand. Visit your nearest Liquid Laundromats location today to get started!