The Washington Post

Grow your best tomato tomatoes !! illustration Shikha

ho-duvettest

Topper for Why it is easier for some people to stay organized

ho-squirrelcoexist

Cabinet colors

For The Washington Post

Topper for We bring lots of hang-ups into the kitchen. Here’s how design can help 

palisades home renovation 

FTWP

price tag on TV

Contributor

other

Concept paper illustration of a woman multitasking with many arms holding different cleaning supplies.

ho-overwhelmingcleaning

van life

Cars parked 

GarageAritaville

Black Bear in Town

Greenroof in Brookland

For the Washington Post

Weekends are meant to be spent spoiling yourself

Shopping for a refrigerator

External Roller Blinds Outdoor on Panoramic Windows.

 cleaning gold jewelry ring with micro fiber fabric

Respond to prefers-color-scheme dark in app web views

Follow section front redirects in Spectrum

Enable NLP source in PCS for load testing

Switch off the News Alerts Survey Widget when we have enough responses

Poll to determine if new LUF updates are available

Allows the winning A/B test variant to be turned on without Spectrum deployment

Show infinite scrolling sections in Assembler MultiView

Show option for NLP article summaries in Action Bar

Show NLP summaries collection recirc on article pages

A general feature flag for Recipe Features that aren't yet released

Feature flag for media team features that aren't yet released

Use new Orca video player for preroll plugin in Spectrum

Show the snow tracker (instead of the heat tracker) on Spectrum

She finished chemo then got a medical degree: ‘The dream is real now’

Puppy abandoned with heart-rending note is adopted, named Minerva

Man, 91, shocks tiny firehouse with $500K gift: ‘Nobody knew how much I’d saved’

Lawyer preparation suggests Trump won’t testify in New York trial

How Jim Jordan tried to connect the dots on Biden’s $8 million book deal

‘Never Trump?’ ‘Never Biden’ voters might loom larger.

Biden’s false claim that inflation was 9 percent when he took office

Did Obamacare ‘massively’ increase the cost of health care?

Blue Origin to fly again as space tourism struggles to get off the ground

These ISIS news anchors are AI fakes. Their propaganda is real.

Boeing delays spaceflight again as it continues to struggle with leak

The world’s coolest hotels want to tell you a story

6 Airbnb red flags to spot before you make a booking mistake

Cruise ships to return to Baltimore two months after bridge collapse 

In photos: The 149th running of the Preakness Stakes

Book Tour: At home with Amor Towles

Trump cameos in campaign ad filmed during N.Y. trial recess

Kyle Finnegan’s rare hiccup helps Phillies to a 4-3 win in 10 innings

Joey Gallo returns, but Nats endure another quiet offensive night

Walter Johnson’s jersey from 1920 showdown with Babe Ruth sold at auction

Russia shows resilience. There is more to do for Ukraine.

Trump promises tax cuts and fewer rules. CEOs shouldn’t fall for it.

Tariffs against China hamstring the transition to a clean energy future

The other side of Punta Cana: A crackdown on Haitians

Top White House aide to meet Netanyahu, who is under political pressure

With its energy network nearly destroyed, Ukraine already fears the winter

Carolyn Hax: Friends say to break other plans to avoid offending new man

Ask Amy: Should my husband get a say in what I do with my inheritance?

Carolyn Hax: Is it weird to ask other people to care about you?

Trump

iStock

When it comes to cleaning a beloved silk blouse, wool sweater, velvet jacket or lacy bra, you want to give these “delicate” items the TLC they need. But you may not know what that means.

Should you have them dry-cleaned? Could you hand-wash them? Does the delicate cycle on your machine make a difference? If you put them in the washing machine, are they destined to emerge as tattered rags or child-size clothing?

The answer to all of these questions is: It depends. We spoke with several laundry experts about what makes clothing “delicate” and how to properly care for those items. Here’s what they had to say.

Clothes can be delicate because of the fabrics they’re made of, the way they’re made or their age, says Patric Richardson, a textile expert in Minnesota and co-author of “<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Laundry-Love-Finding-Common-Chore/dp/1250235197" target="_blank">Laundry Love</a>.” The item itself isn’t always a tip-off. “Some lingerie is delicate,” he says, “but some is made of polyester and is very durable.”

To determine whether your piece requires special care, read the label. If it suggests hand-washing, dry-cleaning or washing it in a machine with cold water on a delicate cycle, you’re dealing with a delicate item.

There are other clues. Vintage pieces or items with sequins, embroidery or other embellishments, for example, are particularly delicate. Items made with delicate fabrics may be thin or lightweight, pliable or stretchable. If washed incorrectly, silk and wool clothing could weaken, shrink, fade or become damaged in other ways. Lace or chiffon can develop tears or holes. Or a delicate piece could pucker or lose its luster.

“The things that can break fibers [in wool and silk] and cause clothes to age prematurely are heat, agitation or friction,” says Jessica Ek, senior director of digital communications at the American Cleaning Institute in D.C. That damage is often irreversible; for example, when you wash a wool sweater in hot water and it shrinks, its new size and shape are permanent.

If you want to wash delicate items in the washing machine, choose the delicate cycle, which uses less agitation and has a shorter cycle, and opt for cold water. That helps preserve the color vibrancy and the shape of the clothes. “Delicate fabrics can become more fragile or vulnerable with hot water,” says Marilee Nelson, a cleaning expert and environmental consultant in Hunt, Tex., and a co-founder of Branch Basics cleaning products. “Heat causes expansion, which can be damaging. Cold is more contracting.”

Separate and sort delicate clothing by color (to prevent the color from transferring in the wash) and keep loads small to reduce friction. You may want to put particularly fragile items, such as bras, swimwear, lacy pieces or lingerie, in a mesh bag so they don’t tear or snag during the spin cycle. To protect delicate fabrics, turn the items inside out, and make sure zippers are closed and buttons are fastened.

Be sure to use a detergent that’s designed for delicate fabrics. “These detergents don’t contain enzymes, whiteners and other additives that could cause damage,” Ek says. Don’t simply dilute your regular detergent, because “the enzymes could still do damage to a delicate fabric,” she adds.

Another option is to use a baby detergent that contains fewer chemicals and rinses clean, Richardson says. Avoid detergents with fragrances, because they can leave an oily residue. “You want something that rinses completely clean,” he adds. “You don’t want to use something that leaves a residue behind, because then you’re losing something about the fabric — that soft, cozy feeling — that you appreciate.”

Shutterstock

Hand-washing is a viable alternative to your machine’s delicate cycle. If you go this route, fill a clean basin or sink with cool water, add a little bit of delicate detergent and gently mix it with your hands, Nelson says. Then add one or two pieces of clothing and gently push them down to submerge them. Let them soak for 10 to 20 minutes, then rinse well with clean water.

“Never wring or twist delicates,” says Hannah Yokoji, head of marketing for the Laundress, a line of specialty fabric-care products. “Instead, press down on the fabric to get the water out.” If that doesn’t feel like it’s getting enough water out, she says, “lay your delicate item on a clean [white] towel and roll it up like a sleeping bag to help absorb the moisture faster.”

A final note: If the care tag says “dry clean only,” it’s best to heed that guidance. “If you’re going to dry-clean, use a service that uses less toxic chemicals,” Nelson says. “When you bring the garment home, remove the plastic and hang the item on a covered porch outside or in a garage until it can off-gas the chemicals.” This will help you avoid creating a toxic closet or dresser drawer.

Don’t even think about putting delicate items in the dryer. “Air-drying is the safest method for drying delicate garments,” says Hyacinth Tucker, owner of the Laundry Basket in Bowie, Md. “Lay items flat on a clean towel to air-dry, reshaping them as needed to maintain their form.” It’s best to flip them once or twice while they’re drying to expose both sides to air.

Other than lightweight blouses or lingerie, it’s a mistake to hang most delicate items to dry; this can lead to stretching, Yokoji says. This is particularly true of heavy items, knits and natural fibers, such as wool.

Instead, you can lay lightweight items flat and in their natural shape, then place them on a drying rack to air-dry. “Place your drying rack in a space with good ventilation like an open window to maximize drying efficiency,” Yokoji suggests.

Over time, taking these steps can help you avoid unnecessary wear and tear on delicate clothes and preserve the integrity and longevity of their fabrics. “The small things you do can make a difference in the life span of your clothes,” Nelson says.

Emotional Inflammation: Discover Your Triggers and Reclaim Your Equilibrium During Anxious Times

Stacey Colino is a writer specializing in health, science and lifestyle issues. 

Stacey  Colino

washpost

How to wash and care for delicate clothes

the-washington-post

Hanging clothes to dry 

The Home You Own

Small space living

Plants and outdoor living

Renovations and maintenance

Decorating

Cleaning and organizing

Home & Garden

prism://prism.query/site-and-discussions-not-future,/lifestyle/home-garden&limit=20

The Washington Post Home &amp; Garden section provides tips and advice for homeowners interested in home improvement and gardening. Resources and coupons for homes and gardens in DC, MD and VA. Guides for organizing, cleaning, planting and caring.

prism://prism.query/site-articles-only,/lifestyle&limit=20

Lifestyle

Washington Post Lifestyle gives you the latest fashion and beauty trends, home d&eacute;cor pointers, food and recipe ideas and reviews, relationship advice, travel ideas, wellness tips and much more.