Fabric Finesse
Not all fabrics are alike, and not all fabrics can be cleaned alike. Although you should always check the care label in a particular garment, here are some specific tips for cleaning some of the most common fabrics:
Acetate. Used often in linings because it does not pill or suffer from static cling, acetate is also made into dresses, suits, and sportswear. Most acetates are dry-cleanonly, but some are washable. For the washable variety, you typically hand-wash in warm water with mild suds. (Don't soak colored items.) Do not wring the item dry. Instead, lay it flat to dry. While it's still damp, press it inside out with a cool iron. If you are finishing the right side, use a pressing cloth. When removing stains from acetate,
never use acetone or a nail polish remover that contains acetone. The acetone will dissolve the fibers.
Acrylic. Known for its ability to wick moisture away from the body, acrylic is a popular material for socks, as well as other clothing items. Garments made from acrylic can be washed or dry-cleaned. Generally, you should machine-wash, using a warm water setting. Add a fabric softener during the final rinse. Acrylics are heat-sensitive, so tumble dry at a low temperature. To avoid wrinkling, remove from the dryer as soon as dry. When handwashing is required, as with delicate items, use warm water and a mild detergent. Rinse and gently squeeze out the water, smooth out the garment, and dry on a rustproof hanger. Lay sweaters and knits flat to dry. For ironing, use a moderately warm iron.
Alpaca. Made from the fine, soft hair of the alpaca, a cousin of the llama, alpaca is gaining in popularity in this country as a substitute for wool. Nearly all alpaca can be dry-cleaned, and some can be gently washed. Woven items should be dry-cleaned, the whereas knitted garments, such as sweaters, should be washed by hand in cool water with a mild, undyed soap or shampoo. Don't twist or wring. Lay it out flat to dry, pressing with a dry towel to remove excess water. Touch up with a cool iron as needed.
Cashmere. A fine wool made from the undercoat of the cashmere goat,cashmere is as soft as it is expensive. Most cashmere can be dry-cleaned, and some can be gently washed. Most woven cashmere requires dry-cleaning to retain its shape. But knitted cashmere, requires dry-cleaning to retain its shape. But knitted cashmere, such as sweaters, can--and should--be hand--washed. Careful washing helps them retain their luster and loft. Use a natural, undyed soap and cool water. Move the sweater around in the cool water for a few minutes. Rinse repeatedly--until the rinse water is clear. Lay out the sweater to dry, pressing it with a dry towel to remove excess water. If you need to touch it up with an iron, do so carefully, using a pressing cloth.
Cotton. By far, cotton is the most widely used fiber found in today's clothes closets. Since not even boiling hurts the fibers, cotton can be machine-washed in high temperatures using any good detergent. You can use chlorine bleach safety on cotton whites (but never soak for more than 15 minutes, since the bleach will break down the fibers) and all-fabric bleach on dyed cottons. Cotton is an absorbent fiber and requires lots of drying time. Because it wrinkles easily, it often requires pressing. Use a hot steam iron.
Linen. Linen is made from flax, one of the oldest textile fibers. (It dates back to at least 5,000 B.C.!) Today, you can wash some varieties of linen, but others should be dry-cleaned.
Sometime's it's up to you. Linen has a natural pectin that keeps it stiff and crisp. Washing removes the pectin, making is softer. If you prefer crisp linen, then have your linen dry-cleaned. Otherwise, machine-wash it in warm water and tumble dry. It tends to wrinkle and often requires pressing. Use a steam iron on medium or high heat.
Nylon. The second-most common synthetic after polyster, and the strongest fiber available, nylon is relatively easy to care for. It can be machine-washed in warm water. To reduce static cling, add a dryer sheet to the dryer and remove clothes from the dryer as soon as they have finished drying. If you need to iron nylon, use a warm iron.
Polyester. strong, durable, shrink- and wrinkle-resistant, polyester is a miracle fiber, the most common of the synthetic fibers. It does tend to take on oily stains easily, however. In general, polyester is easy to clean, which helps account for its popularity. Most polyester items can be washed or dry-cleaned. Wash in warm water and tumble dry at a low temperature setting. To prevent pilling and snagging, turn knits inside out. To reduce static cling, use a dryer sheet and remove garments as soon as they have dried. when ironing, use a moderately warm iron.
Ramie. A vegetable fiber similar to flax, ramie comes from the stem of a shrub that originated in Asia. The fibers are strong (but they have low twisting and bending strength), do not shrink, and
have a lustrous appearance. Much like linen, ramie can be machine-washed in warm water and tumbled dry or dry-cleaned. It tends to wrinkle and often requires pressing. Use a steam iron on medium or high heat.
Rayon. Developed in 1910, rayon was the first synthetic fiber. Originally, most rayon was dry-clean only, but there are more and more washable rayons on the market. Check the care label for any rayon garment you're unsure Of. Dry-clean-only rayon that gets wet (even in the rain) can bleed dyes, shrink, and grow stiff. Washable rayon is typically hand-wash only. (since it loses up to 50 percent of its strength when wet, rayon can be destroyed easily by the agitating action of most washers.) Wash in lukewarm or cool suds, squeezing the suds through the fabric, and rinse. Never wring or twist rayon. Shake out or smooth the garment and hang it on a rustproof hanger to dry. Lay sweaters flat to dry. While the garment is still damp, iron inside out on low heat. For finishing on the rightside, use a pressing cloth.
Silk. Made from protein fiber produced by the silkworm (the finest silk fiber is produced by worms that eat mulberry leaves), this ancient material connotes fabulous wealth and exotic locales. It is expensive and must be treated accordingly. Most silk is dry clean only, since laundry detergents can harm silk. If the care label says that hand-washing is Ok, use a mild soap and luke warm water. Never use bleach with silk. When ironing, iron inside out on low heat.
Spandex. Developed in the late 1950s, spandex is lightweight, durable, and known for being flexible. That's why it turns up in bathing suits, panty hose, and tights. (Lycra is simply a brand name of spandex.) You can machine- or hand-wash spandex. Don't use chlorine bleach, however. Either let drip dry or put in a dryer on a low setting. When ironing spandex, use a low temperature setting and iron in swift strokes, never letting the iron linger in one spot.
Wool. A natural fiber that comes from sheep, wool has been around for thousands of years. It is
known for its warmth and ability to shed
wrinkles. There are many types of wool and different ways to care for
it. Generally speaking, you should dry clean wool. Do it atleast once a
season or when needed. You can also hand-wash wool. Since wool loses
its shape when wet, when washing a wool sweater, first lay the
sweater out on a piece of clean paper (wrapping paper works well) and
trace the shape. You'll use this for laying the sweater out while
drying. Use warm water and a mild detergent that contains no bleach.
Don't soak. Rinse well. To dry, roll the sweater in a clean towel and
squeeze.
out excess water. Put a piece of plastic (an old dry-cleaning bag, for instance) over the pattern you made, to prevent dyes from the paper from bleeding onto the sweater. Pat the sweater out to fit the shape. Smooth out wrinkles. If the item needs pressing, use light steam and a press cloth.
Problems and Solutions
Sometimes clothes just don't turn out right. Here are some common problems and the likely solutions to the problems.
Your clothes come out gray or yellow. You may need to increase the amount of detergent in the next load, use a detergent booster, or increase the temperature of the wash water. However, the gray
could be from dye that has bled from darks to lights, suggesting you need to sort better. Bluing added to the wash load sometimes corrects graying in white fabrics.
You notice detergent residue on clothes. Your powdered detergent isn't dissolving properly. Make sure the loads aren't too full. Use liquid detergent with cold-water cycles. Try letting the washer fill
with water, adding the detergent, and then adding the clothes. If the problem in the next load. To remove hard-water residue from clothes, soak them in a solution of 1 cup white vinegar per 1 gallon warm water. Rinse and rewash.
There's a lot of lint on your clothes. You probably need to sort better. Separate lint producers, such as fleece sweat suits, chenille items, new terry cloth towels, and flannel pajamas, from lint attractors, such as corduroys, synthetic blends, and dark fabric. To remove the lint, use a lint roller or pat with the sticky side of masking or packing tape. Check to make sure pockets are empty of tissues and other paper before you wash. Make sure the washer and dryer lint filters are clean.
You have a problem with pilling. This is most common among synthetic fabrics. Try turning synthetic clothing inside out before washing. (pilling is causeb by abrasion of fibers, and this cuts down on abrasion during the wash and dry cycles.) You can also wash your synthetics together in a gentler, shorter cycle. Using a liquid detergent will help. To remove pills, snip them off with a battery-powered pill remover (available at sewing stores and discount retailers) or pull the fabric tight over a curved surface and carefully shave the pills off with a safety razor.
Not all fabrics are alike, and not all fabrics can be cleaned alike. Although you should always check the care label in a particular garment, here are some specific tips for cleaning some of the most common fabrics:
Acetate. Used often in linings because it does not pill or suffer from static cling, acetate is also made into dresses, suits, and sportswear. Most acetates are dry-cleanonly, but some are washable. For the washable variety, you typically hand-wash in warm water with mild suds. (Don't soak colored items.) Do not wring the item dry. Instead, lay it flat to dry. While it's still damp, press it inside out with a cool iron. If you are finishing the right side, use a pressing cloth. When removing stains from acetate,
never use acetone or a nail polish remover that contains acetone. The acetone will dissolve the fibers.
Acrylic. Known for its ability to wick moisture away from the body, acrylic is a popular material for socks, as well as other clothing items. Garments made from acrylic can be washed or dry-cleaned. Generally, you should machine-wash, using a warm water setting. Add a fabric softener during the final rinse. Acrylics are heat-sensitive, so tumble dry at a low temperature. To avoid wrinkling, remove from the dryer as soon as dry. When handwashing is required, as with delicate items, use warm water and a mild detergent. Rinse and gently squeeze out the water, smooth out the garment, and dry on a rustproof hanger. Lay sweaters and knits flat to dry. For ironing, use a moderately warm iron.
Alpaca. Made from the fine, soft hair of the alpaca, a cousin of the llama, alpaca is gaining in popularity in this country as a substitute for wool. Nearly all alpaca can be dry-cleaned, and some can be gently washed. Woven items should be dry-cleaned, the whereas knitted garments, such as sweaters, should be washed by hand in cool water with a mild, undyed soap or shampoo. Don't twist or wring. Lay it out flat to dry, pressing with a dry towel to remove excess water. Touch up with a cool iron as needed.
Cashmere. A fine wool made from the undercoat of the cashmere goat,cashmere is as soft as it is expensive. Most cashmere can be dry-cleaned, and some can be gently washed. Most woven cashmere requires dry-cleaning to retain its shape. But knitted cashmere, requires dry-cleaning to retain its shape. But knitted cashmere, such as sweaters, can--and should--be hand--washed. Careful washing helps them retain their luster and loft. Use a natural, undyed soap and cool water. Move the sweater around in the cool water for a few minutes. Rinse repeatedly--until the rinse water is clear. Lay out the sweater to dry, pressing it with a dry towel to remove excess water. If you need to touch it up with an iron, do so carefully, using a pressing cloth.
Cotton. By far, cotton is the most widely used fiber found in today's clothes closets. Since not even boiling hurts the fibers, cotton can be machine-washed in high temperatures using any good detergent. You can use chlorine bleach safety on cotton whites (but never soak for more than 15 minutes, since the bleach will break down the fibers) and all-fabric bleach on dyed cottons. Cotton is an absorbent fiber and requires lots of drying time. Because it wrinkles easily, it often requires pressing. Use a hot steam iron.
Linen. Linen is made from flax, one of the oldest textile fibers. (It dates back to at least 5,000 B.C.!) Today, you can wash some varieties of linen, but others should be dry-cleaned.
Sometime's it's up to you. Linen has a natural pectin that keeps it stiff and crisp. Washing removes the pectin, making is softer. If you prefer crisp linen, then have your linen dry-cleaned. Otherwise, machine-wash it in warm water and tumble dry. It tends to wrinkle and often requires pressing. Use a steam iron on medium or high heat.
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Nylon. The second-most common synthetic after polyster, and the strongest fiber available, nylon is relatively easy to care for. It can be machine-washed in warm water. To reduce static cling, add a dryer sheet to the dryer and remove clothes from the dryer as soon as they have finished drying. If you need to iron nylon, use a warm iron.
Polyester. strong, durable, shrink- and wrinkle-resistant, polyester is a miracle fiber, the most common of the synthetic fibers. It does tend to take on oily stains easily, however. In general, polyester is easy to clean, which helps account for its popularity. Most polyester items can be washed or dry-cleaned. Wash in warm water and tumble dry at a low temperature setting. To prevent pilling and snagging, turn knits inside out. To reduce static cling, use a dryer sheet and remove garments as soon as they have dried. when ironing, use a moderately warm iron.
Ramie. A vegetable fiber similar to flax, ramie comes from the stem of a shrub that originated in Asia. The fibers are strong (but they have low twisting and bending strength), do not shrink, and
have a lustrous appearance. Much like linen, ramie can be machine-washed in warm water and tumbled dry or dry-cleaned. It tends to wrinkle and often requires pressing. Use a steam iron on medium or high heat.
Rayon. Developed in 1910, rayon was the first synthetic fiber. Originally, most rayon was dry-clean only, but there are more and more washable rayons on the market. Check the care label for any rayon garment you're unsure Of. Dry-clean-only rayon that gets wet (even in the rain) can bleed dyes, shrink, and grow stiff. Washable rayon is typically hand-wash only. (since it loses up to 50 percent of its strength when wet, rayon can be destroyed easily by the agitating action of most washers.) Wash in lukewarm or cool suds, squeezing the suds through the fabric, and rinse. Never wring or twist rayon. Shake out or smooth the garment and hang it on a rustproof hanger to dry. Lay sweaters flat to dry. While the garment is still damp, iron inside out on low heat. For finishing on the rightside, use a pressing cloth.
Silk. Made from protein fiber produced by the silkworm (the finest silk fiber is produced by worms that eat mulberry leaves), this ancient material connotes fabulous wealth and exotic locales. It is expensive and must be treated accordingly. Most silk is dry clean only, since laundry detergents can harm silk. If the care label says that hand-washing is Ok, use a mild soap and luke warm water. Never use bleach with silk. When ironing, iron inside out on low heat.
Spandex. Developed in the late 1950s, spandex is lightweight, durable, and known for being flexible. That's why it turns up in bathing suits, panty hose, and tights. (Lycra is simply a brand name of spandex.) You can machine- or hand-wash spandex. Don't use chlorine bleach, however. Either let drip dry or put in a dryer on a low setting. When ironing spandex, use a low temperature setting and iron in swift strokes, never letting the iron linger in one spot.
Wool. A natural fiber that comes from sheep, wool has been around for thousands of years. It is
out excess water. Put a piece of plastic (an old dry-cleaning bag, for instance) over the pattern you made, to prevent dyes from the paper from bleeding onto the sweater. Pat the sweater out to fit the shape. Smooth out wrinkles. If the item needs pressing, use light steam and a press cloth.
Problems and Solutions
Sometimes clothes just don't turn out right. Here are some common problems and the likely solutions to the problems.
Your clothes come out gray or yellow. You may need to increase the amount of detergent in the next load, use a detergent booster, or increase the temperature of the wash water. However, the gray
could be from dye that has bled from darks to lights, suggesting you need to sort better. Bluing added to the wash load sometimes corrects graying in white fabrics.
You notice detergent residue on clothes. Your powdered detergent isn't dissolving properly. Make sure the loads aren't too full. Use liquid detergent with cold-water cycles. Try letting the washer fill
with water, adding the detergent, and then adding the clothes. If the problem in the next load. To remove hard-water residue from clothes, soak them in a solution of 1 cup white vinegar per 1 gallon warm water. Rinse and rewash.
There's a lot of lint on your clothes. You probably need to sort better. Separate lint producers, such as fleece sweat suits, chenille items, new terry cloth towels, and flannel pajamas, from lint attractors, such as corduroys, synthetic blends, and dark fabric. To remove the lint, use a lint roller or pat with the sticky side of masking or packing tape. Check to make sure pockets are empty of tissues and other paper before you wash. Make sure the washer and dryer lint filters are clean.
You have a problem with pilling. This is most common among synthetic fabrics. Try turning synthetic clothing inside out before washing. (pilling is causeb by abrasion of fibers, and this cuts down on abrasion during the wash and dry cycles.) You can also wash your synthetics together in a gentler, shorter cycle. Using a liquid detergent will help. To remove pills, snip them off with a battery-powered pill remover (available at sewing stores and discount retailers) or pull the fabric tight over a curved surface and carefully shave the pills off with a safety razor.
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