How to care for and wash your clothes properly - tips and tricks
They are annoying, scratchy and are often cut off immediately after purchase: the sewn-in labels on our clothes, affectionately called the clothing bible 😉
Not only do they contain information about the origin of the clothing and the composition of the fabric , they also serve as washing instructions . When buying a piece of clothing, many people rarely pay attention to the label. But when you're faced with a pile of laundry, the labels come into play again.
Clothes are only sustainable if we wear them for a long time! Especially with timeless collections like ours. That's why we care about proper care, and that's different for every item. The reason for this is the material. Color, fabric and fit can change if the items are not washed according to the instructions. And we all prefer to wear clean, beautiful clothes.
In this article you will learn how to properly care for and wash your clothes.
1. Sort laundry
Before you can even start washing, you first have to sort the clothes. There are two things you should pay particular attention to: color and material.
Light and dark colors are separated! Ideally, the same colors are washed together or at least similar colors are washed together in one load of laundry.
White laundry always stays under clothes! Even lighter colors can rub off .
Dark colors are always washed with similar colors. You should also consider how often you have washed your item of clothing. A blue shirt that is in the washing machine for the first time is more likely to bleed than one that has already been in the machine ten times.
Tip: Be especially careful with new jeans, as the color may bleed depending on how they were pre-treated. So, as a precaution, sort and wash them tone-on-tone the first time.
Tip: No matter how many times you've washed your favorite burgundy dress, never put it in the same drum as light-colored laundry. Otherwise, you run the risk of suddenly only owning pink shirts 😉 Red dye bleeds even after multiple washes.
When sorting by material, the labels come into play. In general, your clothes can be divided into two categories: sensitive materials such as viscose, silk, wool or polyester and elastane, and less sensitive materials such as cotton. The sewn-in labels allow you to see how your item of clothing is made and how sensitive it is.
2. Interpret care symbols correctly
The symbols on the care labels are small and can be confusing. 30 degrees is not the same as 30 degrees? Where does the line come from? To help you find your way around, we have described the most important symbols for you here.
I would advise against washing by hand! The water temperature cannot be set to the exact degree (except with a water thermometer) and the spinning process is not controlled. This can cause damage to sensitive materials. It is better to use the hand-wash program on the washing machine.
DO NOT WASH – This item of clothing is not washable. It should not be put in the washing machine or the sink, but must be dry cleaned! Wool and blazersThe advantage of this symbol is that you can skip the following washing tips and just look at the cleaning information and then scroll straight to the end of the blog post. But then you might miss out on all the washing fun for your other clothes!
3. The right detergent
After you have sorted your clothes and put the first load into your washing machine, the next question arises: one detergent for everything? Absolutely not!
Depending on the material and color, you should choose the right detergent.
For white laundry, you can use a heavy-duty detergent , preferably a concentrate in powder form. Be careful, these often contain bleach, which you should definitely not use to wash your blue T-shirt.
There are special detergents for coloreds (again, go for concentrate in powder form).
For sensitive materials that you wash on a gentle cycle or by hand, you should use wool and delicate detergent . We recommend a high-quality liquid detergent in concentrate form.
Many detergents contain microplastics or are packaged in plastic. That's why it's worth taking a closer look and looking for alternatives. Washing powder is usually packaged in boxes. Here too, make sure that it is a concentrate, which saves packaging material and weight during transport. There are also more economical versions or concentrates of liquid detergent that are better for the environment and the skin because they do not contain any additional substances for dilution.
There is also detergent in pressed form, which can be taken out in individual paper-like sheets, although these are not so suitable for individual dosing if there is a little less laundry in the drum. Most drugstores now even sell detergent made from ivy or chestnuts. No matter which variant you choose, you should make sure that it is a plastic-free organic detergent.
4. Washing program recommendation
Washing clothes is an art ;) but you're already on the home stretch, I promise! As with detergent, less is better when it comes to washing programs. I only use 3 programs that I can pass on to you from my 15 years of textile and washing experience.
- colored and white laundry
60 degrees, spin speed 1200 rpm for bathroom and kitchen textiles, bed linen, underwear/hygiene textiles made of cotton
- Easy-care
40 degrees, spin speed 800 rpm for easy-care clothing
- delicate and gentle wash
30 degrees, spin speed 400 rpm for delicates, functional and sportswear
-
wool and hand wash
wash cold, often indicated at 20 degrees, set spin speed to 400 rpm
Tip : If the clothes still feel wet instead of damp, spin the spin program (without rinsing) again at the same spin speed as previously selected.
Important! If possible, take the laundry out of the machine and hang it up immediately after the program ends. This way the laundry will be less wrinkled and will not get stubborn creases in the drum.
5. Drying laundry
In general, hanging clothes is more environmentally friendly than drying them in the dryer! This saves energy and the clothes last longer. In the dryer, clothes are exposed to heat and friction, which causes them to lose material. (Clearly visible in the full lint filter 😉) The fibers become thinner and more brittle, which means that the fibers and therefore the garment break more quickly. If you want long-lasting clothes, avoid the dryer. All items of clothing can easily be hung on a clothes rack or clothesline. You can hang blouses, shirts or blazers on a hanger straight away to minimize creases. to get.
If you dry your laundry outside, please make sure that it is hung in the shade. White laundry can develop a yellow film in the sun. This is caused by the optical bleaching agents that are in most laundry detergents. Coloured items should also be hung in a place protected from the sun so that the colours retain their brightness.
Wool needs special attention when drying. Wool sweaters and cardigans come out of the washing machine wet (due to the low spin speed setting). To ensure that they don't lose their shape, they should be dried lying down. To do this, simply spread out a large towel in the bathroom or on the clothes rack and lay your sweater flat. Make sure to tug and straighten it a little so that it can dry in its original shape. And here too, if you want to dry wool outside, look for a shady spot so that you can enjoy your wool sweaters for a long time.
Tip : You don't have to wash every item of clothing immediately after wearing it. With natural materials, airing them out on the balcony is usually enough. Alternatively, you can freeze your clothes overnight. We admit, that sounds strange. But this kills all the bacteria that cause odors and the next day your wool pants will have a neutral smell. Already tested especially for you 😉
DO NOT TUMBLE DRY - All of our clothing is marked with this symbol. Clothes will deteriorate much faster in the dryer than if they are left to air dry. Additionally, a dryer uses a lot of energy, which is something we want to avoid throughout the entire production and life cycle!
6. Ironing
The ironing symbols show how you can iron your textiles. Ironing clothes is not a must! Ironed clothes look better cared for, even if they develop creases later on, because you can tell whether the clothes have been ironed beforehand.
DO NOT IRON - Your garment must not be ironed because the material is heat-sensitive and cannot tolerate direct heat. If ironed incorrectly, the product will lose its shape. That would be a real shame!
Tip : There is also a solution for clothes that you are not allowed to iron. A so-called steamer, a steam device that uses only steam to remove the wrinkles from your clothes. They are available in different sizes and designs and are the perfect alternative for all of us who don't like ironing. It only takes half as long as ironing on an ironing board and the result is perfect or better. Suitable for dresses, blouses and blazers (but always test it on a hidden spot first!) - actually for everything except classic shirts!
Tip : Ironing is definitely much easier with a steam iron.
Washing clothes properly is not always easy - but it's worth it !
Why is it so important to us that your clothes are washed and cared for properly? Fabric, color and durability are only guaranteed through good care and this is the only way you can wear your favorite clothes for a long time. If you wear your timeless clothes for a long time, you automatically conserve resources and thus protect the environment.
Washing can be confusing, but it doesn't have to be! We've created a PDF for you so that you always have an overview of the washing symbols to hand.
You can download them here: Washing and care tips
Good luck on your next laundry day 😊
