Keep your clothes looking like new with some general tips for at-home laundering

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Wash in cold water
Hot water wears out fabrics more quickly.  Save the hot water for really soiled loads—kids' baseball uniforms, gardening clothes, dirty sheets and wash everything else in cold. Even if a garment says wash in hot water, washing in cold won't hurt it (washing a cold water garment in hot, however, can be damaging). Your clothes will be just as clean and the threads will stay stronger longer.
 

Invest in a front-loading washer
Most Americans use top-loading washers, which have an agitator inside that pulls your clothes around. Front-loading washers use gravity to tumble clothes in and out of the water, much like the motion of a dryer. This is much gentler on your clothes and helps to prevent snags and tangling.
 

Wash clothes inside-out
Protect the important part of a garment—the outside—by simply turning it inside out before you toss it in. It may not seem like much, but embellishments on the outside of a garment, even screen printing, can be worn away or snagged by the inside of the washer. Items with beading, embroidery, appliqués and other details should always be washed inside-out.
 

Don't use chlorine bleach
Vinegar is a natural brightener that won't wear out the fibers of your clothing the way chlorine bleach will. Plus, it's better for the environment—we love that!
 

Air dry
Dryer heat damages fabric over time. Electric dryers cause shrinkage, color fading and weaken the material fibers. Instead, line dry clothing outside, or indoors on a drying rack. You can also hang garments on plastic hangers in your shower or on a tension rod in an alcove. If you simply can't air dry, use the lowest heat setting on your dryer.
 

Follow care label directions
Most people know they should read garment care labels, but something many people forget to read is the directions on their laundry detergent too. Don't use too much—too many suds means the rinse cycle might not get all of the soap residue out of your clothing. Also, use the right kind—gentle detergent for delicates and regular detergent for sturdier items.
 

Treat stains the right way, and right away

With the right tools and methods, most stains can be removed from washable clothes. When a spill or stain happens, blot—do not rub—with a clean towel right away. If the garment is dry clean-only, then bring it to Nature's Touch Cleaners, make sure you point the stain out and tell us what it is so we can treat it properly. For machine-washable items, try treating the stain yourself, but always use caution. If a stain is severe or you are afraid of ruining the item, bring it to Nature's Touch Cleaners. 
 

For all stains

• Always read care label instructions before attempting to remove the stain.

• Scrape off dried or crusty matter with a dull knife before treating the stain.

• If the stain persists after treating and laundering, do not put the garment in the dryer—heat could permanently set the stain. 

• For colored garments, test stain-removal technique on a hidden area first to make sure it won't bleach or fade the fabric.

• Read instructions on stain-remover packaging—make sure it is safe to use on the fabric.

• If attempts to remove the stain do not work, bring the item to Nature's Touch Cleaners.

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General tips for dry-clean only clothing

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Don't try it at home
If an item is labeled "dry clean only," there's a good reason for it. Don't put anything in your washing machine that doesn't belong there—it could shrink or become discolored, and the agitation from the machine will wear out the fabric faster. Don't try to remove stains on dry clean items either; Nature's Touch Cleaners knows how to treat them based on the fabric and the stain.
 

Keep up with regular cleanings
Many garment manufacturers warn against cleaning too often—that's because traditional dry cleaning can be hard on fabric over time.  GreenEarth, however, is different. Our gentle solution will not harm fabric fibers as it cleans them because unlike petrochemical dry cleaning fluid, GreenEarth is chemically inert; it does not swell or rub fabric fibers during the cleaning process, it simply carries the detergent to your clothes and carries the dirt away without hurting the fabric itself. Regular dry cleaning with GreenEarth will actually help your clothes last longer. Solid materials left behind after perspiration evaporates can be especially damaging to the life of a garment, as can storing them without cleaning first to remove visible and invisible food and beverage stains that attract insects. Clean suits and formal dresses every 2-3 wearings to prevent dirt and oil build up that can corrode the material. In between cleanings, hanging clothes near the steam from a shower will help refresh them and allow them to keep their shape longer. Let us know about stains before having them cleaned. Do not try to remove stains yourself. Blot spills without rubbing and bring it to Nature's Touch Cleaners as soon as possible. Attempting to remove stains from some fabrics, like silks, can cause permanent damage.
 

Clean before storing
Stains from seemingly clear substances like body oils, perspiration, white wine and sugary substances may not appear for some time.  Once these have a chance to oxidize, they may show up as light brown or yellow splotches that are difficult to remove. Before putting away seasonal items for long-term storage, have them dry cleaned. Dry cleaning to remove visible and invisible stains before insects find them is important to prevent unexpected surprises a few months down the road.

Hang safely
Use wide, padded hangers for delicate fabrics so the material of the shoulders doesn't stretch or wear out. Don't cut hanger straps out of tops and dresses—use them to reduce stress on the rest of the garment. Hang suit jackets on wide wooden hangers to help them keep their shape. And give things room to breathe in your closet—they can touch, but don't cram them in.

Don't use plastic
Do not store clothing in plastic garment bags. The plastic breaks down over time and can interact with the fabric, which can weaken it or change the color. Plastic can also trap in humidity that can lead to mildew damage. Garments need to be able to breathe, so wrap them in plain cotton sheets or a cloth garment bag to keep them safe.

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