Try these five steps and your clothes will stay in shape for years!

When the lid of your laundry basket doesn’t close, you rarely have a moment to think – it’s probably common to throw your laundry in the washing machine and be done with it. Make an exception once and analyse its contents and you’ll find that your clothes will benefit from this change. After all, it turns out that very often we set aside clothes for washing that are only suitable for a light refresh. This can be done with a steam cleaner or airing, for example. You can also spray the garment with water to which you have added a few drops of essential oil, e.g. tea tree, which neutralises odours. So wash your clothes when you need to.

How to segregate: white and light | black and dark, clothes for refreshening | clothes for hand washing or delicate washing in the washing machine | soiled clothes for washing | clothes for dry-cleaning in the laundry, wash wool and natural silk products separately, as they require different detergents, and make sure they can be washed in water.

A washing machine is not a cooker, so don’t cook your clothes in it. Your favourite little black dress becomes grey when you take it out of the drum? It happens. Washing at very high temperatures causes the colours to lose their intensity. What’s more, you consume more electricity, which translates into higher electricity bills and the emission of more CO2 into the atmosphere. Instead of choosing a higher temperature, you can opt for a longer washing cycle. By doing so, you will make the environment a favour, saving water and energy, and your clothes will say ‘thank you’.

Remember that the best washing temperature is the one you find on the label or lower. This is why it is important not to cut the labels off your garments. However, if you think it is necessary, take a photo or remember the guidelines.

When washing in the washing machine, choose the right programme. Long washing cycles at low temperatures are the most economical. It is also worth adjusting the load of your washing machine to the type of clothes you are washing, which better protects your clothes and also saves water and energy.

You can fill the drum of the washing machine almost completely with cotton clothes, leaving only a small space. When you wash garments made of synthetic fibres, wool or that require delicate washing, fill the drum to approximately 50 per cent of the full load.

Use washing agents adapted to the materials in question. Match the amount and type of detergent to the manufacturer’s recommendations based on prior research. These can easily be found on the packaging. If you use too little detergent, your clothes will not get clean. Too much, on the other hand, is difficult to rinse out and can leave marks on clothes.

Laundry detergents also affect the colours of clothes. If you want your clothes to keep their colour for years to come, choose the right detergents for the colours and measure them according to the recommendations. Use different detergents for light-coloured clothes, others for dark-coloured clothes and others for wool and natural silk, as well as for delicate fabrics. And here it is worth mentioning that some detergent manufacturers do not disclose full information about these detergents. Many of these products contain substances that can adversely affect health (allergies) and the environment.

So if you prefer natural products, use them not only in the kitchen, but also in the laundry. An eco-friendly alternative to detergents can be a self-made rinse aid based on vinegar, baking soda and your favourite essential oil. Baking soda is also effective in removing greasy dirt, while vinegar and water eliminate unpleasant odours and keep clothes soft.

A recipe for fabric liquid: Pour half a cup of vinegar into a one-litre jar and pour in a teaspoon and a half of baking soda. The mixture will foam intensely. Once the foaming has stopped, add about 10 drops of essential oil, such as tea tree oil, cap the jar and stir the contents.

 

For a more environmentally friendly wash, on the other hand, you can use Asian nuts, for example. Their cleaning properties were already known hundreds of years ago. All you have to do is put the peelings in a cotton bag and throw them in the washing machine drum. They are all-natural and non-irritating, making them tolerable to the skin of most allergy sufferers. For white items, it’s a good idea to sprinkle 2-3 tablespoons of baking soda on top, which will prevent fabrics/knits from turning grey.

Drying clothes seems like a trivial matter not worth paying too much attention to. ‘After all, it’s so easy’, say those who use a tumble dryer. However, it is much better to dry laundry in the traditional way, i.e. on a clothes dryer. Hanging the wash out reduces the likelihood of damage, while minimising fabric creases and the need for ironing later.

Washing with these five steps has a number of benefits: for the environment, for the household budget, for us and our loved ones and, of course, for the clothes. If you say ‘A’ and sort waste, say ‘B’ as well and do the laundry with your head. Proper care of clothes prolongs their lifespan, while saving water, energy and CO2 emissions into the atmosphere. So when do you do your laundry in an eco-style?