18 Clothing Care Tips Straight from TikTok Experts - Yahoo Lifestyle Canada

Including how to sort your clothes and when it's time to go without your bras.

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The beauty of TikTok is that it's more than just scrolling through cute cat videos while putting off falling asleep every night. In fact, you can learn a lot from the app.

If you haven't made it to the corner of TikTok for home tips yet, don't worry, we'll get you there. Spring is the perfect time to refresh your wardrobe. This means you need to ensure that all of your clothing items are properly cleaned, properly stored, and in top condition. And that starts with knowing how to do everything.

If you still don't know how to wash and store your clothes properly, you can take a cue from the magic of TikTok and its experts. Check out some of the best clothing care tips to kick off spring.

Wash towels separately

If you live alone, it may not be easy to wash towels separately. So alternate just a few of them. But if you can manage it, cleaning expert Caroline Solomon recommends washing only towels to prevent lint from building up on the rest of your clothes. She adds that separating it from the rest of your clothing "preserves the quality of your clothing."

Melissa Pateras, cleaning expert and author of A Dirty Guide to a Clean Home, explains exactly why this happens in the TikTok above, calls towels "lint removers" and explains why they can cause problems when washed with other items.

In addition, it promotes even greater separation of garments during washing by breaking them down by weight, color, type of washing, etc. If you can.

Store bags in dust bags.

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Bags in a row

Handbags come with dust bags for a reason, says Solomon, and that's to prevent rust and dust buildup on the bags. Both can destroy the materials and cause your bags to break, and that's not what you want! If your bag has one, use it. Otherwise, consider saving some to use.

It's also a good idea to add padding to your bags so they retain their shape during storage. To do this, you can use crumpled newspapers or paper napkins. You can also put small labels on your dust bags if you don't remember which bag they are so you can easily find them when searching (especially if you have them stored on a high shelf in your closet). ). ).

What to do with the straps and handles may vary depending on the bag. Chain straps and long, easy-to-store straps can often be stored in the bag. The short, structured handles can be left unchanged. For others, you may need to experiment. Some people like to hang their bags (which is possible even if they are in dust bags!), but if you do that we recommend you be very careful because if the bag is too heavy, too many things can fit in it. Over time, pressure can be placed on the strap or handle and it can become damaged. It's also a good idea to add padding to the hanger.

Store your bras properly

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Hanging bras and underwear

Bras aren't cheap and deserve proper treatment after spending so much money on them. Phoebe Kunitomi, founder of bodywear brand okko , recommends storing them by stacking them "vertically or flat on top of each other."

"Don't fold bras in half or stuff them too tightly into a bin or drawer," she advises. "Together, these measures help the molded cups retain their shape (and avoid permanent wrinkles). Also fasten the back clasp of the bra, if there is one, so it doesn't get caught on other people's clothes in the drawer."

You can hang sweaters!

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Clothes hang in a closet

You've probably always been too afraid to hang up your sweaters (we were too). We've long been taught that it's necessary to fold them to prevent overextending the shoulders, and while stacking sweaters in the closet seems like the safest option, many sweaters can be safely hung, according to Pateras. This is like.

"Sweaters can be hung on a hanger if necessary, but always avoid hanging them by the shoulders to avoid bunny ears," he explains. "The sweater can be folded and hung on the center rod or wrapped around the hanger. However, keep in mind that anything hanging on a hanger for an extended period of time can form wrinkles on the hangers and collect dust if left untouched on the hanger in the same position."

Use a rust remover on antiperspirant stains.

Visible white antiperspirant stains on dark shirts can be really disappointing and very difficult to remove. (These pesky stains are different from deodorant stains, as Pateras points out in a TikTok video, because antiperspirants typically contain aluminum, which makes this surprising trick work.)

First treat the shirt with dish soap and water. Next, apply undiluted rust remover, apply with a brush and leave for 15 to 30 minutes. Then throw it in the washing machine. If you don't have a washing machine, wash it by hand in the sink as usual.

More detergent does not mean more cleaning

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Linen room

You might be tempted to add more detergent to your washing machine if you have very dirty clothes, but Pateras says this could do more harm than good.

"Most people think that more detergent means more cleaning, but the more detergent you use, the harder it is for the machine to rinse it out. Any residue on clothing attracts dirt," says Pateras.

Using too much detergent can also wreak havoc on your towels. Too much can irritate them because towel fibers are never completely rinsed out. So if you notice that your own towels have become rough over time, there's a good chance you've been washing them too often!

A good stain remover helps a lot

Stains happen to all of us, but all you need is a good stain remover to remove them all. (Okay, you'll probably need a few items in your arsenal, but a powerful item will be very helpful.)

With a product like OxiClean Max Force, you can spray the stain when it appears and toss it in the laundry basket for later washing. You can leave it on for anywhere from five minutes to seven days. For busy people who don't have the luxury of doing their laundry right away, this is a real game-changer.

For a quick fix, use an iron

If your fabric belt has wrinkles after hanging for a long time, iron it quickly and easily with Melissa Maker of @cleanmyspace 's tip of using an iron.

Standard precautions apply: make sure you use an appropriate heat setting and that your iron doesn't contain any hair products. Do not iron fabric belts with an iron that you would not iron with a regular iron.

(Les fers plats propres can also be an excellent quick solution to get a terry cloth or a sample of a shirt - soon you can go for a ride, just at a moment when you are facing the door and the time that You don't need to open it.) again. )

Your dryer can help remove pet hair

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Linen room

If you've washed your clothes several times and there are still traces of your pets stuck to the fabric, Pateras recommends putting your clothes in the dryer first to loosen pet hair. If the ideal scenario (removing all pet hair before washing clothes) is not possible because you are in a hurry, throw the clothes in the dryer to remove the pet hair and then run the regular wash cycle.

Everything can be washed cold.

Do you really have to follow the temperature recommendations on clothing care labels? Maker says you can skip this and set everything to tap temperature.

She points out that the clothing care labels (those that say "wash warm" or "wash hot") are ones whose materials have been "thoroughly tested." This means that these are the highest water temperatures these materials can withstand, but all washable materials can tolerate cold water. And newer washing machines are so efficient that they don't require hot water to clean, except for the disinfection setting.

Plus, Solomon says, cold washing is a "great way to save the environment and reduce your electric bill."

Pateras further adds that hot water is actually the "leading cause of fabric fading."

Optimize the storage of your clothes

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Clothes in a closet

You've already put together your capsule wardrobe , but how do you keep it in top condition, especially when you need to change for the season?

"When storing clothing like sweaters for the off-season, store them in breathable fabrics like canvas or canvas bags to preserve them and prevent mold from forming," says Pateras. "Also, avoid storing clothes in the dreaded dry cleaning bags! These can trap moisture and cause them to yellow over time."

Pateras adds that moths are attracted to dirty clothing. So make sure everything is clean before putting it away. Additionally, "clothing should be protected from direct sunlight to prevent fading and discoloration."

Be kind to delicate products

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white bra

Delicate things are called delicate for a reason, and Kunitomi wants you to treat them as such. She recommends always handwashing your bras. However, if you insist on putting them in the washing machine, use a mesh bag (and the gentle cycle!).

"This tool prevents clothes from snagging or pulling during the wash cycle. My pro tip is to only fill the toiletry bag halfway so that there is enough room for the water to move around and clean clothes," she says.

To dry your bras, hang them or lay them flat - do not put them in the dryer! This could break the cups and damage the hooks.

As for your underwear, it says it can go into the vending machines. It's not so important to be so delicate with her! Simply wash and dry in cold water.

Be careful with leather

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Boots

"All leather items should be conditioned [with leather conditioner] at least once a year or before storage," advises Pateras. "Most leather manufacturers recommend using only water and a soft cloth to clean. Never use chemicals on leather unless directed to do so by the manufacturer."

Use vinegar as a fabric softener.

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Linen room

If you want a natural fabric softener, try vinegar. Not really! Solomon likes it as an alternative. "Vinegar can be polarizing, but if you can get past the strong initial smell, it's a great softener for clothing, linens, and towels," says Solomon. "Add 1/4 cup to the fabric softener dispenser and clothes will return to their original softness."

And don't worry, your clothes won't smell like vinegar. The smell dissipates as it does its work!

Keep bags in bags

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Bags stacked in a closet

If you're short on space, Pateras recommends storing bags in bags. This can be particularly helpful in maintaining the shape of the bag so that it doesn't collapse and wrinkle. She also recommends rotating them from time to time to further prevent wrinkles.

You may be wondering how to remember where to store your suitcases when they are stored like this. Consider making your own "treasure map" and taping it to the side of the shelf for quick reference.

Most sneakers are machine washable.

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White shoes

For small stains on sneakers, dish soap and warm water or a magic eraser should do the trick. However, if your sneakers seem less wear-resistant, many can go straight into the washing machine, says Pateras. (Of course, use your best judgment: As long as your sneakers aren't super fancy shoes that you're too afraid of damaging, and aren't made of real leather or suede, they're generally machine washable.)

Wash them in warm water (too hot at most, otherwise you could damage the glue on the shoe) on a gentle cycle with a few towels to avoid throwing them in the machine. You can also remove the laces before washing. To dry the shoes, stuff them with newspaper to keep their shape and allow them to air dry.

If your sneakers are from a designer you spent a lot of money on, that's a different story. You may want to contact your preferred shoe supplier about this.

Know when to get rid of bras and underwear

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pink bra

Nothing lasts forever, including bras and underwear. Although there's no hard and fast rule for when you should throw away your bras and underwear (it depends on how often you wear and wash them), Kunitomi gives a good rule of thumb: The general rule of thumb is every six months for underwear and underwear for Bras.

"You should also replace delicate items if physical wear and tear impairs their functionality," he adds. "Holes, tears, or stretched fabric are sure signs that it's time to replace it."

Okko even offers a bag recycling program to help you recycle your underwear and make room for new ones when the time comes.

You can bring white clothes without bleach

Some of us are afraid of bleach, okay? But that means: When white clothes get dirty, we need an alternative. Solomon soaks his white clothes in OxiCleans White Revive for six hours and they are as good as new.

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