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LAUNDRY TIPS
[ Care Labeling Rule | Tips on Sorting
| Tips on Stain Removal | Tips on Washing | Tips on Drying | Tips on Ironing ]
Refer to our Stain Removal Guide for treating specific stains on washable fabrics.
A little common sense and effort in laundering can extend the life of a
garment. While some consumers prefer the economy of buying garments they can wash, others
are looking for the convenience of dry cleaning. Regardless, proper handling and cleaning
will have the following benefits:
- Garments will maintain a fresh appearance longer
- Color fading will be minimized
- Damage to fabric from laundering will be reduced
- The useful life of fabric will be extended, making your money go farther
Care Labeling Rule
To assist consumers in getting proper information about clothing
care, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission's Care Labeling Rule, as amended in 1983,
requires manufacturers and importers to attach care labels giving full instructions for at
least one satisfactory method of care necessary for ordinary use of the garment. The rule
also requires that the manufacturer or importer possess, prior to sale, a reasonable basis
for care instructions. So, read the label!
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TIPS ON SORTING
If you have a tip to share, let us
know.
- Sort articles by color, keeping whites, darks, and medium colors together. Lighter
garments can pick up dyes from darker colors.
- Separate man-made fabrics, like polyester from natural fibers such as cotton. Man-made
fibers can attract the oils that are released from natural fibers during washing. These
oils can build up and make spots more noticeable.
- Wash heavily soiled, dirty, items separately from slightly soiled items. This will help
prevent fading and keep colors brighter.
- Try to have large and small items in each washer load. This will let the items move more
freely during the washing cycles.
- Sort delicate fabrics and loose knits from "tougher" fabrics.
- Garments which generate lint, such as fleece sweat shirts and towels, should be washed
separately.
- It used to be you could help make dyes colorfast by adding 1/2 cup of WHITE vinegar to
the washer, before adding the clothes. However, this does not work on today's dyes. If
dyes bleed, continue to wash the garment separately until no color bleeds in the wash
water.
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TIPS ON STAIN REMOVAL
Refer to our Stain Removal
Guide for treating specific stains on washable fabrics.
- Deal with the stain as soon as possible. The longer you wait the more time the stain has
to soak in and/or dry, making it more difficult to remove.
- Lift or gently scrap off any excess material from the fabric. Use a cloth or a towel to
gently blot and soak up any liquid. Don't rub! Rubbing can spread the stain and cause it
to penetrate deeper into the fabric.
- Identify what caused the stain. In order to know what to do for the stain, you need to
know what caused it.
- Follow the instructions on any presoak, prewash or stain removers. It's best to test a
small out of the way area of the fabric first.
- If stains aren't entirely removed after washing, try rewashing the item. Allowing the
item to dry, or putting it in the dryer, can set the stain for good.
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TIPS ON WASHING
- Be sure to check the label for proper care instructions, including the water temperature
and wash cycle to use.
- Don't overload the washer. If the washer is too full, the clothes won't get enough
agitation, and may not get clean. Also, all the detergent may not be dissolved, leaving
globs of detergent paste on fabric.
- Make sure the items are equally distributed around the tub of the washer to keep the
load balanced during spinning cycles.
- To minimize wrinkling when washing fabrics containing man-made fibers, wash in hot/warm
water using a permanent-press cycle. If your machine does not have a permanent-press
cycle, use warm/cool water.
- Very important tip - Always be sure to check the pockets of all garments before washing
and drying. The stains and damage which can result from one hidden lipstick, lip balm,
stick of gum or crayon goes beyond words!
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TIPS ON DRYING
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TIPS ON IRONING
- Use the washing and drying tips to reduce the amount of wrinkles from laundering.
- Be sure you read the care label for the proper ironing procedure and temperature setting
to use.
- Do not iron items which are dirty or stained. Heat from the iron will set stains.
- Keep the iron and the ironing board cover clean to avoid soiling the clean
garments/fabric being ironed.
- Garments which are drip-dry should be pressed while damp on the wrong side, using a cool
iron. If finishing the right side, use a pressing cloth.
- Circular knits and sweaters should be laid flat to dry.
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