Most of the people trust professionals for cleaning their costly fabrics, but in many cases, it is just a waste of money. You can also tackle this job if you give it some time and care. The basic guidelines that you must follow to clean your fabrics efficiently are given below.
- Remove the loose dirt by vacuuming or brushing. Do not let it stay for longer, as it will go deep into your fabric.
- You can use adequate stain repellant methods if you fail to remove it by simple bloating and brushing method.
Different fabrics are made of different fibers and hence none of them can be cleaned by using the same methods. Below are some methods for cleaning different fabrics.
Cotton
Cotton fabrics tend to shrink after washing unless they are pre-processed or preshrunk. So read the instructions on the label well before washing the fabric. Usually, cotton fabrics that are preshrunk can be cleaned using hot water, warm water, or cold water according to the color of the fabric. You can also tumble dry them.
Chlorine Bleach can be added while washing white cotton to remove stains and also washing in cold water will preserve the color of your fabric. Additionally, dry your cotton clothes over medium heat and do not forget to take them from the dryer while they are fairly cool.
Linen
Linen is comparatively a costly fabric, so check the instructions on the label before washing them, as most of them must be dry-cleaned. If the cloth is machine washable, clean them according to the labeled instructions and also make sure to use the appropriate water according to the garment color.
Linen absorbs more water than other fabrics during washing time. So always try to prevent overcrowding in the washer and dryer. Additionally, take care to keep the steam in a hot iron setting while ironing fabric and also iron them inside out only.
Silk
Silk is one of the most expensive fabric and people try to clean it themselves only in rare cases. Read the instruction carefully before washing this because some of the silk fabrics will pucker or tighten if washed. If they are washable, then use a mild shampoo or delicate detergents to wash them, as it will revitalize the fiber.
It is best to hand wash them rather than machine washing. You should also try to use washing agents without any conditioning additives of oil and wax. Take care not to tumble your silk fabric in a dryer, instead roll them in a towel, and hang them to dry after pressing the moisture out. Furthermore, use a warm iron to press them.
