These top tips for how to take care of clothes will help you keep your favorite pieces in your wardrobe for years to come.
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Recently, I shared a TikTok featuring pieces that I’ve had in my wardrobe for years and continue to style to this day, and I got a lot of questions about how I’ve managed to make these pieces last. I have pieces in my wardrobe from 7+ years ago, which doesn’t sound like a long time, but with the way I see people cycle through clothes these days, it actually is.
I’ve managed to keep pieces in my closet for so long not only by purchasing clothes that last, but also by taking care of my clothing, even if it is a lesser quality item. In this post, I was be sharing my top clothes hygiene tips to help you extend the lifecycle of your wardrobe.
How to make clothes last longer:
1. Only wash pieces when they are actually dirty
Washing your clothes over and over again causes them to wear out quicker, especially pieces like denim and blouses. To make clothes last longer, I only wash items, especially blouses, dresses, sweaters and jackets, when I know they are actually dirty.
Let’s make this clear – I’m not saying to wear dirty clothes over again. I’m just saying that maybe the sweater you wore for a few hours yesterday could be worn again before you wash it. Use your own discretion to determine which pieces are ready to be washed.
2. Wash clothes on cold
I don’t care what’s going in my washer, I always wash on cold. Warm water can end up shrinking items while cold water is more delicate.
3. Wash bright-colored pieces on their own the first time
If you’ve just purchased a brand-new red top, don’t throw it in the wash with the rest of your laundry, especially the first time you wash it. Some dyes will bleed on the first wash, so its better to play it safe and wash it by itself.
4. Hang items to dry
Items like sweaters, spandex workout wear, delicate, satin or polyester blouses or dresses, tweed, jackets, bras and swimsuits should be hung to dry instead of put through the dryer to avoid shrinking or damage. Honestly, any item you are worried about damaging or shrinking should probably be hung to dry.
5. Utilize lingerie washing bags
When washing delicate items such as bras or pieces with beading or embroidery, utilize a lingerie washing bag. This will keep the items from banging around the washer as hard or snagging on other garments.
Also, wash delicate items on the delicate cycle.
6. Take delicate items to the dry cleaner
Pro tip: If the tag says to dry clean an item to clean it, you should probably take it to the dry cleaners instead of throwing it in the laundry with everything else. Back in the day, I learned this lesson the hard way by washing my silk Lilly Pulitzer tops in my washer at home. Let’s just say they never felt (or looked) the same.
7. Read the care tag
Speaking of the care tag – read it! And try to follow what it recommends!
8. Invest in quality materials and brands
Some materials and items, like faux leather and fast fashion pieces, are known to fall apart over time. By investing in quality materials and treating clothes as a long-term purchase rather than disposable, you are able to keep your favorite pieces longer and not have to buy new pieces each year.
9. De-pill your sweaters
Have you heard of a de-piller? It’s basically a shaver but for your sweater. If you’ve ever seen small balls on a knit item, those are called pills. And a de-piller will safely remove them, making your sweater look brand new!
10. Take items to the tailors
When an item gets damaged, take it to the tailor, You’d be surprised what your local tailor can fix.
This tip also includes purses, shoes and leather goods. There are several leather, shoe and luxury repair shops out there, and some of your favorite brands may even offer repair services.
11. Fold your sweaters
Have you ever taken a sweater off a hanger and noticed that the shoulders are stretched out? This happens because the weight of the sweater is too much for the knit to handle, causing it to stretch. Because of this, try to fold your knits instead of hanging them in your closet.
I would also recommend folding leather shorts, as I have noticed that the shorts hangers I use have left indents.
12. Put garment bags over delicate items or pieces that could damage other items
I recommend covering items that could cause color transfer, such as dark leathers or jeans, and items that could snag others, such as sequin or beaded pieces, or be snagged themselves, like silk and satin items, in garment bags to keep them most protected in your closet. I would also consider storing velvet in a garment bag, since it can end up rubbed the wrong way (which you can get out with a steamer, but it is just annoying).
13. Invest in a steamer
Steamers are less damaging and easier to use on delicate items than irons. Plus, your outfits will look better with that extra attention to detail.
14. Treat stains immediately
The worst thing you can do for a stain is let it sit. My mom always told me, the second you spill something, the best thing you can do is dab the garment with cold water. Another pro-tip for getting out stains is to use Dawn dish detergent. If this doesn’t work, you can also try a clothing stain remover, or if the item is white, you can bleach it. Just remember, the faster you tackle it, the better chance you have of getting it out.
15. Bleach your whites *every once in a while*
Every once in a while, when I noticed that my whites are getting dingey, I like to run a cycle of only white and add a bit of bleach. I will also re-run the cycle without bleach right after to make sure I don’t accidentally end up bleaching my colors with remnants.
16. Store shoes, bags and jewelry in their dust bags
I need to get better about this, and I understand wanting to be able to see everything at once but storing it carefully will help it last longer. I have especially noticed that this is important with jewelry, which I am sure has a whole other list of care requirements that I do not even know the beginning of.