Laundry tips to keep your clothes looking new

Americans spend a healthy chunk of their earnings on clothes yet not many people put any effort into keeping those clothes nice. Think of how much money you put into each load of laundry next time you turn on the cycle.

Problems such as laundry tears and fading are easily avoidable. These laundry tips will help you keep your clothes looking good wash after wash.

Vinegar

Vinegar is a woman’s best friend. With uses all over the home, vinegar can just about do anything. Best of all, it is completely natural and you can safely use it around children. So next time you want to demolish a stain or clean out your washer, try vinegar first. Here are some other ideas on how to use vinegar on laundry day.

Remove sweat stains, ketchup, spaghetti stains and more by dipping affected areas in white vinegar. Add to an empty wash cycle to clean machine. Make socks white again by boiling water and one cup of vinegar in a large pot. Turn off heat and let socks soak for a few hours. Add 1/2 a cup of white distilled vinegar to a load of laundry to make clothes brighter. Add 1/2 a cup of distilled white vinegar to laundry to remove smells and manufacturing chemicals.

Salt

Salt is another natural choice that should become a staple in your laundry room. You can addd 1/2 cup of salt in laundry to stop color bleeding and keep clothes bright. To remove build up on an iron, put salt on the ironing board and run the hot iron over it. You can even use a washcloth and mixture of water and salt to brighten up rugs.

Lastly, here are a few extra ideas to keep your clothes looking great for years to come. Wash clothes in cold water whenever possible, it makes them less likely to fade. Turn jeans inside out before washing. Secure bra closures so they do not snag during washing. Use a mesh bag for delicate underwear. Wash clothes with stains immediately, the longer you wait the harder it is to remove the stain.

Separate clothes based on color and never wash dark colors with light, bleeding may ruin clothing. Clean washer with a vinegar solution often to avoid oil stains on clothing. Hang dry shirts that are dark or have large logos.

Remove clothes immediately after drying. Check pockets of all pants and shorts, it is almost impossible to get out stains from washed crayons. Do not use fabric softeners as they will add unnecessary chemicals and weaken clothing.