Summer may be great for backyard barbecues and long evenings, but it’s not always friendly to your clothes.
Between heat, sweat, sunscreen, and deodorant, even your favorite things start looking bad very quickly.
According to Syed Obaidullah, CEO of jacket manufacturerMost of the damage occurs when people wash clothes too often or too harshly in an effort to keep them fresh.
“In the summer, people naturally want everything to be squeaky clean, but the washing machine isn’t always the solution. If a jacket, shirt or pair of pants still smells good and no marks are visible, give it a little airing before putting it through another cycle. Too many washes and too much detergent can cause the fibers to deteriorate and make the clothes look older,” he says.
Don’t keep clothes dirty, even if they look clean
Summer can be surprisingly hard on clothes, even if they don’t look dirty. Sweat, deodorant, perfume and sunscreen can all accumulate in the fibers after wear, especially around the collar, cuffs, underarms and waistband.
This does not mean that it is necessary to wash every item after wearing it once. If an item still smells fresh and doesn’t have any visible marks on it, you can let it air out before washing and wear it again, rather than putting it straight in the laundry basket. The main thing is not to mix worn clothes with freshly cleaned items, so keep them on a separate rail, chair or stand until the next time they are worn.
According to the expert, people often put clothes back in the wardrobe because there are no visible stains on them, but the residue may still remain there. That’s when you start seeing yellowing, musty odors or insect damage later on.
This matters most with clothing that comes up only occasionally, such as summer blazers, linen shirts, evening dresses, knitwear, and leather jackets. If they are going away for more than a few weeks, they should be cleaned first, not just folded or hung up and forgotten.
“Before storing anything for the season, make sure it’s completely dry. Even a little moisture can lead to mildew, odor, and fabric damage. Leather should also be wiped gently and kept away from plastic and direct heat,” he says.
Fix small problems before they become costly
Loose buttons, small cracks and frayed seams are easy to overlook, but Obaidullah says this is where the deterioration of many clothes begins.
“A small repair usually takes five minutes, but leave it for months and suddenly a seam breaks, the lining is torn, or a button gets pulled along with a piece of fabric. You don’t need to be good at sewing to save your clothes. Reattaching a button, properly trimming a loose thread, or closing a small seam can save years from a garment.”
The same applies to shoes and jackets. People often wait until something is obviously damaged before dealing with it, but by then repairs are usually more expensive. A little maintenance early on is always better than emergency repairs later.
Use cold water to freshen up quickly in summer
Obaidullah recommends using a cold water refresh for clothes that are still in good condition but look a little stale after wearing in hot weather.
Obaidullah explains, “The cold water trick works very well on summer shirts, linen dresses, light trousers and anything that has accumulated a little sweat around the underarms, collar or waistband. Run the affected area under cold water, gently squeeze out the excess and then hang the item in an airy place until it is completely dry. This is not a substitute for laundering, but This will help freshen the garment until you can wash it properly.”
This can help cut down on laundry, which is important for linen, cotton, denim and items that lose shape easily.
Obaidullah explains that washing your clothes wears out their fibers and hence, eventually makes them less wearable. The longer you go without washing certain items, the longer your clothes will last, since you’ll be washing them periodically instead of after every wear.
He also recommends letting the clothes ventilate properly between wearings. He adds, “Many times in the summer a jacket, shirt or pair of trousers just needs to be hung near an open window for a few hours. Most people don’t realize how much airing out their clothes can help freshen them up.”
Drying is as important as washing
According to experts, drying clothes is the fastest way to shorten their life if used carelessly.
He explains, “High heat is very damaging to clothes. It shrinks the fibers, weakens the elastic, fades colors and makes the clothes rougher over time.”
They suggest you should use air drying whenever possible, especially for delicates, denim, knitwear and anything that has elastic. “If you use a dryer, use a low heat setting, and remove clothes from the dryer when they are slightly damp. Over-drying makes your clothes stiff, dull, and more likely to tear or lose shape.”
He also recommends avoiding hanging woven clothes to dry, as the weight of water will cause the fabric to stretch. Place the object flat on a towel and reshape it by hand.
