10 Mistakes That Can Ruin Our Clothes

Even if we carefully read the instructions on clothing labels and follow all the rules for washing and ironing, there is always the possibility that we can accidentally ruin our favorite item. After all, even the way we wear and take off a T-shirt can affect its lifespan.

At Bright Side, we analyzed typical mistakes people make when wearing their clothes and caring for it, and found out how to avoid them.

Wearing a backpack

Pills can form on clothes made of different fabrics. One of the reasons is that we tend to carry bags and backpacks, or wear layers of clothes. Fabrics rub against each other, which can ruin the item.

Most often pilling can happen on the clothes made of wool, cotton, polyester and acryl. It’s better to avoid wearing a backpack or bag with such clothes.

Spraying perfume right on the clothes

Usually perfume can’t stain clothes, but certain ingredients in perfumes can discolor fabric. To avoid this, you should first apply perfume to the skin, wait until it dries, and only then get dressed.

Regular washing helps get rid of fresh perfume stains on clothes. The main thing is to rinse the stain with cold water first. To remove old stains, mix equal parts glycerine and water, apply to the stain and leave for an hour, and then wash the item.

Ironing clothes made from rayon on the outside

If you iron rayon on the outside, it can become shiny. Unfortunately, there is no way to fix this afterwards. But it’s easy to avoid damage to the fabric: it’s enough to iron clothes on the inside.

But some rayon items are not recommended to be ironed at all, so it’s best to read the label first.

Sorting your laundry only by color

It’s recommended to sort your laundry not only by color, but also by the type of fabric. Thick fabrics can damage thinner fabrics, ripping them. Therefore, it’s not the best idea to wash bed linen and underwear together, or T-shirts and jeans with blouses and shirts.

Washing dark clothes in the wrong way

To make sure your dark clothes don’t fade, it’s better to wash them at a low temperature and on the shortest cycle. It’s also recommended to use a liquid detergent: a powder detergent may not dissolve in cold water completely.

There is another tip to protect your dark clothes — turn them inside out before washing and dry them the same way.

Washing denim rarely

Washing your clothes in a wrong way can lead to their damage, but washing them not often enough is also not an option. For example, the fibers of 100% cotton jeans relax during wearing, causing jeans to stretch over time. Regular washing will help prevent this.

You can shrink denim by washing it in very hot water.

Soaking clothes for a long time

Before hand washing, clothes are usually soaked in water. But if they stay in it for too long, they can lose their color and shape. Lace, for example, should be soaked for only 2-3 minutes, while silk and wool can be soaked for up to 30 minutes. Cotton and other less delicate fabrics can soak for no more than an hour.

Using an adhesive lint roller

Even though adhesive lint rollers make it easy to remove hairs from clothes, they are not that harmless. Rollers can leave a synthetic adhesive residue on the fabric, which attracts even more hairs and dust. This residue can also cause fading of clothes.

It’s better to use a brush made from natural materials instead of a roller.

Pulling off your T-shirt by the neck

Older T-shirts often have necks that are stretched out of shape. Usually, people who tend to pull off their T-shirts over their head by the neck face this problem. It’s impossible to fix them once they are stretched out, but you can save your new T-shirts. Just take them off in a different way: grab them by the hem with 2 hands and pull up over your head.

Ironing linen clothes when they are dry

Linen is almost impossible to iron when completely dry. If you don’t want to ruin the fabric with an iron, sprinkle it with water 5 to 10 minutes before ironing, especially the collar, cuffs and pockets.

Before wearing, let linen clothing dry for 10-15 minutes, otherwise it will quickly wrinkle again. And if you decide to use a wrinkle relaxing fabric spray, it’s best to test it on an inside hem first: some products can leave stains on linen, especially dark ones.

Do you have your own tips for how to care for clothes?