|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Coming clean about laundry
|
 |
|
Wash your fabric cares away with our handy tips
|
|
|
By Nicola Marc, photos by Donna Griffith
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ABOVE: duvet, patchwork and silk
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4. Duvet
Keep your fluffy down duvet in shape by machine washing. Add soap to an empty washer, then fill with cold water halfway to the top. Submerge the duvet and add towels on top to keep the duvet under water. Fill washer with water and run on the regular cycle. Stop the machine once and press excess air out of the duvet. Dry in the dryer on a low setting, and partway through the drying cycle, remove the duvet and fluff by hand.
5. Patchwork
For delicates with two or more fabrics, wash according to instructions for the most fragile fabric. Machine washing in warm water on a delicate cycle is generally accepted, but be careful of detergents that are not pH-balanced, and avoid fabric softeners. Make sure you lay the garment flat to dry.
6. Silk
Treat stains before you wash silk clothing. First, apply a powdered laundry starch mixed with cold water to the stain; when it's dry, brush the mixture away. Wash silk by hand in a mild detergent such as CheerFree Liquid. Roll garment in a towel to remove excess water and lie flat to dry. To remove wrinkles, iron only the inside of the fabric, and use the lowest heat setting.
7. Linen
Linen is fairly durable, and can be machine-washed and tumble-dried. Make sure you use the gentle cycle with warm water and a detergent that doesn't strip fabrics. Linen tends to wrinkle, so press with a steam iron on medium to high heat. For spot-cleaning linen clothes, Tide 2 Go works for instant stain removal.
8. Embroidery
Wash in cold water with a mild detergent, and remove item from water as soon as it's clean. Squeeze item very gently to remove excess water. Never leave embroidered pieces to soak or lie in a wet pile. Dry flat or on a line and gently iron on the reverse side.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
