House Fabric Care 101

You might not be aware of it, but the different fabrics you’ve got at home need specific ways to maintain and care for. Remembering each care tip for each fabric may be a little more complicated than, say, having a carpet cleaned in your Sunshine Coast home or getting your couch upholstery protected. But we’ll list down the different fabrics that every home has and explain what these fabrics are and the best ways to care for them to help you in your housekeeping.

image credits: en.wikipedia.org

Wool

Wool is a textile fiber acquired from sheep. Other types of wool include cashmere and mohair from goat, angora from rabbits, and qiviut from muskoxen.

Depending on how it’s made, it can be used for both cool and warm climates. Cashmere is the most delicate because it has the softest yarns. You can hand wash or dry clean them, but make sure to check the laundry label.

When you hand wash them, make sure that you use lukewarm water because wool shrinks in cold water, and it gets damaged in hot water. It is best if you can get your hands on detergent that is specifically made for wool, but any detergent that isn’t too strong will do. Because wool is delicate, it will lose its shape if you hang it on a line. It is better to lay it on a dry towel, roll it up and squeeze the water gently; then leave it to air dry.

Cotton

Cotton is a favourite in terms of comfortable and versatile clothes. It is a fiber that grows around the seeds of cotton plants.

Cotton is a breathable fabric, which means the moisture is transmitted away, and absorbs and removes liquid from the skin. This is the reason why cotton is most popular during the summer.

Cold water can be used to wash cotton, it can protect the .dye and retain the colour of the clothes, and it also prevents the shrinkage.As for the use of chlorine bleach, it will remove the stains in white cotton, but it may damage coloured cotton.

Linen

Linen is made from the fibers of the flax plant. It is a very absorbent fabric that is known for keeping a person cool and fresh even in hot weather.

A linen can be dyed easily, and it will not fade when washed. To protect the colour even more, you can hand wash or dry clean it at a cool temperature.  There are linen fibers that can now be washed in machine which you can just iron out when it wrinkles; you should read the label to make sure. Don’t use products with chlorine in it because it will cause yellowing, instead use gentle detergent or oxygen-type bleaches for washing white linen.

Silk

Sild is a natural fiber that has been in use since the 27^th century by the Chinese. There are insects that can produce silk that is so strong they can make purses with just the larva silk.

If the label says that the silk is pre-washed, you can opt to hand wash it in lukewarm water using a gentle detergent. Just like wool, don’t wring silk. To dry it, roll it in dry garment and let the towel absorb all the moisture and let the silk dry naturally.

Synthetic Fabric

Unlike the fabrics that have been listed so far, synthetic fabrics are not natural fibers. These fibers made by man through a process called polymerization. This includes nylon, acetate, and polyester.

Nylon is a very strong fabric, but also pretty lightweight. It’s a fabric that isn’t exactly good for excess moisture because it isn’t absorbent. It is used to make lingerie, carpet, and tents because it can go back to its original shape when stretched. You can hand wash them, especially lingerie, in warm water. If you’re going to machine wash them, use a bag to prevent it from tearing. 

Acetate is silk-like in terms of its appearance. If it’s washable, handwashing it in warm water using gentle detergent can do the trick. Don’t dry them under direct sunlight, just line dry them.

Polyester is a fabric that is wrinkle resistant, which also means that it is non-absorbent. To wash it, you may choose to dry-clean it or machine-wash the fabric. For clothing, turn it inside-out to avoid tearing. Machine-wash it in warm water, and only use chlorine bleach if it is needed. If not, an all-purpose detergent will do. Then tumble dry it in a low temperature.

Always make sure to read the laundry labels on all of your fabrics for directions on how to wash them. What we’ve listed above are general tips on how to better care for you fabrics, however, there are fabrics that were modified during manufacture and may require a specific kinds of cleaning products and drying techniques. 

References:

http://www.realsimple.com/home-organizing/cleaning/laundry/fabric-care-101

http://www.bhg.com/homekeeping/laundry-linens/clothes/fabric-care/

http://www.sofeminine.co.uk/fashion-trends/caring-for-different-types-of-fabric-s562876.html

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-124707/How-care-fabrics.html

http://www.diynetwork.com/how-to/maintenance-and-repair/cleaning/how-to-care-for-different-types-of-fabrics

http://www.nios.ac.in/media/documents/SecHmscicour/english/Home%20Science%20(Eng)%20Ch-9.pdf

Author Bio

Randolph Hoover and his family were originally from San Diego California but he is currently studying Business Administration in Umea University in Sweden. While shuffling his work as a Business major, he helps his parents with their home maintenance business in their home in Umea. He is the go-to guy when it comes to the latest lifestyle, home improvement and car maintenance tips. When he's not busy, he writes articles in his free time for clients such as Electrodry and others. He spends the rest of his free time with his family and friends.