With the right treatment and a bit of TLC, you can keep your cottons smelling great and unstained! And these 5 tips to care for cotton clothing should be in your laundry bible!

 

1. Discolouration

The best way to prevent your clothing item from losing their colour is to hand wash them in cold water.

If using a washing machine, it's always a good idea is to use colour catcher sheets.

 

2. Stain treatment

Use a colour safe stain remover/stick to pre-treat your cotton clothing in specific regions. Focus on the areas exposed to sweat and antiperspirant (the armpits and neckline areas) as well as on stain spots.

This will not only help you combat staining, but will also help eradicate body odours.

Spilled coffee or wine?

If the stain is fresh, run your item under the cold tap through the back of the stain for 3-7 minutes, and then rub the stain gently every minute or so. If the stain persists, repeat this action 2 to 3 times.

To remove older stains, rub in a tiny amount of liquid laundry detergent while the surface is still wet, and then leave it to set for 5-10 minutes. After, gently rub the stain between your fingers again to help loosen it, and rinse thoroughly with cold water.

Alternative treatments suggest using vinegar, lemon juice, hydrogen peroxide or color safe bleach, baking soda, alcohol, and even egg yolk. 

 

3. Drying, shrinkage and stretching

Cotton shrinks very fast on the first wash and in general is notoriously known for its shrinkage.

Always read the care labels on your clothes before washing them for cleaning instructions. If unsure, stick to cold water as its the best bet.

Avoid drying your clothes on a wash line as hanging can inevitably stretch out their fabric.

If you are using the tumble dryer, do not leave your cotton items there until they are completely dry; instead, take them out while still a little damp and allow the moisture to evaporate gradually in room temperature air.

4. Ironing and creasing

Cotton is a fairly tough fabric and can be ironed at higher temperatures without the risk of shininess or burning.

For a neater and smoother look, ensure you iron the back or inside of the fabric as well as the outside. Start ironing the underside, or inside the fabric first, to eliminate creases while ironing the outside.

If there are pre-existing stains/marks on your clothing, you risk setting them into the fabric by ironing over them, however, to avoid this, we suggest not to iron the area, or to iron it using a damp cloth placed over it.

Cotton creases very easily and because of this it’s best if you store your cotton clothing by hanging it up rather than folding. For the better results of keeping their shape, invest in thick, shaped hangers rather than wire or plastic ones.

 

5. Don’t let you clothes be eaten

Yes, you heard it right – eaten! By moths and silverfish.

Like silk and wool, cotton is an organic fabric, and absorbs sweat and natural oils from the skin very easily, it often becomes the prey of these home pests.

In order to ensure that your favourite cotton clothing remains safe and uneaten, don’t leave your dirty clothes lying around for too long – keeping on top of your laundry is one of the best methods of stopping moths becoming a problem. 

Declutter your wardrobe – more space between clothing means there’s less of a chance that moths can eat through multiple clothing at once. Vacuum every corner of your wardrobe. Many people never think to vacuum inside their cupboards, but this is where the moths and silverfish will be hiding.

If you’ve got some old wool lying around, hang that among your other clothing – moths will almost always go for wool above all others.

And don’t forget the last, if not a bit stinky, remedy – mothballs!