Handle with care

Throughout the semester, I have given fashion advice and kept you updated with the latest styles and trends. But you’re not going to make a positive statement if your wardrobe is ruined in the wash.

So I thought it was appropriate to provide some care tips to wrap up this semester.

For those of you who just buy new clothes once you run out of clean ones or bring a year’s worth of clothing home for mom to wash, let’s start with the basics.

Proper separation is the key. Make three piles and organize them by colors, darks and whites.

If it is the first time one of your colored items is being washed, make sure to wash it separately or with like colors because a new textile is more likely to bleed.

I know tie-dye is back in style this season, but let the designers handle that.

You can further separate your loads by fabric type. For example, terry cloth and corduroy tend to give off lint in the wash, so unless you want to look like a lint magnet, I would suggest washing them separately.

When washing knits, especially cardigans, turn them inside-out. By doing so, the tiny fiber balls that build up on clothing, known as pilling, will be less visible and keep your knits looking newer.

It is also smart to button buttons and zip zippers. This will keep your buttons in place and prevent your zippers from curling.

Although some people say to tie any ties that serve as accents on your clothes, I say untie them. That way, you will avoid permanent creasing.

Two popular textiles to handle with extra care are silk and wool. Generally speaking, neither should be machine-washed.

Most silks are dry-clean or hand-wash-only, and wool is known to mat together when exposed to heat, water or alkalis. There is a textile known as washable wool, but play it safe and read the care label.

Now that you have the basic laundering tips down, be even smarter by thinking green.
It might be difficult to go completely natural, but every little decision matters.

You can use cold water instead of hot to reduce energy, and wash with a detergent made from renewable resources instead of one that is petroleum-based.

And you cannot say these soaps are hard to find, because local stores such as Bloomingfoods sell organic laundry detergents that have no chemicals.

You can use vinegar and baking soda as an economical alternative to pre-washing and stain-removal products. Just be sure to avoid using vinegar on linen, because it will burn and eat away at the fabric.

If your whites are starting to get a yellow tint, use lemon juice instead of bleach. You can stay eco-friendly and still help your whites look whiter.

Having a good sense of fashion is all about being smart. Keep up-to-date on the current trends, show off your style and even keep sustainability in mind.

Then just wash, rinse and repeat.