Chiffon is a delicate lightweight fabric that is made from silk, nylon or polyester. Whether it’s a chiffon blouse, a flowy skirt, or a dreamy evening gown, caring for chiffon properly is essential to maintain its elegance and longevity. In this guide, we’ll explain how to care for chiffon.
Fabrics need no introduction; they are great accessories in our wardrobes and their material is long-lasting. However, there are ways to preserve the fabric. This guide will walk you through the dos and don’ts of washing fabric.
Stains on our clothes are certain to happen, no matter how careful we are. Thankfully, they are easy to remove. Whenever food stains land on your fabric, pre-treat the stains immediately and don’t let them settle.
You’ve probably heard of the number one rule in laundry; always separate the colours but it’s also important that you don’t mix heavy clothing with fabrics to avoid damage to the fabrics.
Fabrics are a delicate material and therefore, they need to be washed cautiously. If you have dark clothes, wash them inside them out to prevent them from fading.
The tumble dryer is a great appliance but unfortunately, it’s not made for every clothing. Don’t ignore the care labels when washing fabrics because the heat inside the dryer can overwhelm the fabric.
If you’ve read the care labels and it says the fabric type is okay for tumble drying, you must still take caution and separate clothes. This is because if you dried heavier and lighter garments together, it could cause problems such as one garment coming out over-dried and the other one still remaining damp.
There are a few ways to remove stains from fabrics but using soap isn’t one of them. The general rule of thumb is to pour liquid detergents on the stained area and let it settle for 15 minutes. This way, your fabric is preserved better.
Hot water doesn’t work when you are removing a diary-stained from your clothes but do use hot water when washing lighter fabrics and towels because it will increase the chemical reaction of the detergent and kills bacteria.
If you want your coloured fabrics to remain in the best condition, don’t use chlorine bleach because it will cause the colours to fade and white stains will appear.
As always with any laundry chore, read the labels. Fabrics such as wool, silk, leather and spandex should never be washed with bleach. If your fabric’s care labels say ‘bleach-safe’ or show a triangle symbol then you can use bleach. Otherwise, don’t use chlorine bleach on your fabrics.
We hope this guide will make your laundry easier next time you are taking care of fabric!
If you are still unsure or need help, just in touch with Laundryheap and we’ll wash your fabrics for you!
Book a service with us – we specialise in laundry, dry cleaning and ironing!
To learn more about Laundryheap, visit our website or download the free app on iOS or Android.
Fabric softener can be a very useful addition to your laundry routine, but it shouldn’t be used all the time. So, when should you use fabric softener?
Before answering the question of when you should use fabric softener, we need to first understand what it is. To begin with, as the name implies, fabric softener softens your clothing and leaves it smelling fresh. Asides from this, it will strengthen the fabric of your clothing, therefore making your clothes easier to iron.
Many people believe that fabric softener should be added to your washing at the same time as detergent. This is incorrect. You should add your fabric softener during your rinse cycle. Adding softener during a wash cycle will remove the chemical residue that makes your clothing soft, therefore making it ineffective.
Fabric softener should be used for the following situations.
If you live in a hard water area, you may notice that your clothing comes out of the washing machine feeling rough. This is because the mineral content in hard water is high and attaches to the fibres in your clothing, making the fabric stiffer than in soft water areas. Adding fabric softener to your wash can remove some of those harsh minerals, resulting in softer clothing.
Everybody loves crisp, soft, clean-smelling sheets. When washing your bed linen, add some fabric softener. The next time you get into bed you will be met with soft sheets and a heavenly smell that will make it even harder for you to get out of bed.
It’s awful when you put your favourite jumper in the wash and it comes out unravelled and with a hole in it. Fabric softener smooths the fibres in your clothing, reducing the friction caused when washing, and therefore reducing wear and tear. Adding a small amount of fabric softener to your washing can prevent the loss of your favourite clothing, and keep your clothes looking newer for longer.
For those that suffer from sensitive skin, be careful with the fabric softener that you buy. Some softeners are perfumed and can, therefore, cause additional irritation. That being said, if you buy a sensitive skin friendly fabric softener, it can eliminate irritation caused by rough clothing rubbing against your skin.
Bobbles on clothing can really damage the aesthetic of your favourite look. They occur when friction causes the fibres on the surface of your clothing to rub together, resulting in small, irritating, balls of loose fabric. Fabric softener strengthens the fibres in your clothing, preventing bobbling from occurring. Now, you can strut down the street in your best outfit, completely bobble free.
If you’re still not sure when to use your fabric softener, leave it to us. Book your contactless delivery slot on the Laundryheap website or by downloading the free Laundryheap app.
