Tips For Making Your Clothes Last Longer

Discussion in Fashion & Apparel started by Denis Hard • May 22, 2014.

  1. Denis Hard

    Denis HardWell-Known Member

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    The fewer clothes you'd have to replace, the less you'd have to spend on buying new clothes, right? So, the best way to save money probably is to get your clothes to last as long as possible.

    On a personal level, what do you do to make sure that your clothes last really long?

    I'll get the ball rolling.

    When doing your laundry sort your clothes before getting them in the washer. This ensures that clothes made from Fabric that is not 'strong' is not damaged by zippers, etc in other clothes. It also solves the problem of having your favorite whites getting discolored . . . in case of color bleeding.

    More tips, guys?
     
  2. wander_n_wonder

    wander_n_wonderActive Member

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    If I feel that I have not really used my clothes for a long time or that I didn't really get dirty, I try to save it and probably use it one more time before washing. Too much washing can really make your clothes get old faster. But of course, I try to be more practical here. If I really think it's worth washing already, I don't try to be stingy on that and I just wash it right away.

    Another is also making sure you read the washing and ironing instructions. I've damaged so many clothes in the past just because I didn't read that it's not good to wash in the machine.
     
  3. sidney

    sidneyWell-Known Member

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    I tend to not wash my newest clothes in the washing machine when they're just new, and I just hand wash them so that the fabric won't be treated "harshly" inside the washing machine. Also, try to just use the normal setting when washing your clothes, because stronger settings wear out your clothes more easily as compared to using the more gentle setting.
     
  4. Gelsemium

    GelsemiumWell-Known Member

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    My grandmother's clothes always look as good as new and I am always amazed by it because they have them forever... Her trick, she washes them with the outside turned in, that seems to protect the fabrics from the external part when washing and drying, so I think it's the best tip I can give here. And it's not so much work. ;)
     
  5. Pat

    PatWell-Known Member

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    To get the most wear from my clothes I try to not get them dirty which means less washing, I do turn my clothes inside out to keep them from getting those little beads on them and air dry the items I am not sure of the material to avoid shrinkage.
     
  6. Lushlala

    LushlalaWell-Known Member

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    This is so funny because we do that in Botswana. Whether or not it works, I don't know. We also iron them inside out. The sun here is very intense, so to ensure that it doesn't bleach our clothes and mess up the colours, I tend to do my laundry at night, and take it down first thing in the morning :)
     
  7. missbishi

    missbishiWell-Known Member

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    I always wash everything inside out too! I'm convinced that it does protect the exterior appearance of the fabric, as does ironing fromt he reverse. Another advantage of doing this is that if you do happen to get any iron marks on the clothes, they are on the inside so are less likely to spoil your item.
     
  8. Rosyrain

    RosyrainActive Member

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    I learned recently that the owner of Levis Jeans only washes his jeans like once every 2 months, unless they get really soiled. You are apparently not supposed to wash jeans at all unless they really need it. I usually wash all of my shirts inside out after a wearing or 2, and wash my pants after 2 or 3 uses now. The less they go through the washing machine the newer they will stay.
     
  9. keytcee

    keytceeMember

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    I'm not sure if this counts and if it's real but my mom always told me whenever I bought new stockings to put them in the fridge over night before I use them so they would last longer and won't run easily. I always followed her and did it but I never actually knew how this would help the stockings last longer. Some say freezing and thawing the stockings before use will make them even more long lasting than if you just leave them in the fridge over night.

    Surprisingly, it does work. My stockings don't run that easily ever since I did that. Does anyone know the truth to this? It works for me but I don't know if it works on others as well.
     
  10. kristin

    kristinNew Member

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    I make sure to follow the directions on how to dry the clothes. High heat can be too hard on delicate and blended fabrics. It was suggested to me that air drying is really a better way for any fabric to last longer. I was also told that as Americans, we wash our clothes way too much. Too much bleach can also be very damaging.
     
  11. LeopardJones

    LeopardJonesActive Member

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    Many times I opt to hand-wash and air-dry my clothing, especially if it’s lightweight stuff that will dry quickly. I’ve had cheap and cheerful items last me years thanks to this. Some items I wash inside-out, particularly jeans and any garment that instructs me to do so. Reading labels does seem to pay off!
     
  12. danielle davidson

    danielle davidsonActive Member

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    There are two different things that I do to make sure that my clothes last longer. The first one is when I have clothes that I am washing, I don't always put them in the dryer to dry. I let them air dry. The reason that I do this is because it wears your clothes down more. I don't like to have to keep going out and buying new clothes all the time so I do that. Another thing that I do is if a shirt isn't that dirty or jeans, I won't wash them until I've worn them one more time. That way they don't have to keep getting washed. That will wear on your clothes.
     
  13. xTinx

    xTinxWell-Known Member

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    Let's just say to each his or her own. Although I'm not entirely opposed to your suggestion, I am not completely sold out either. One reason is that I really love to change my style every now and then and wear different types of clothes, so I buy as often as I can without exceeding my personal budget. If I keep wearing the same clothes all the time, even if they last a decade, I wouldn't really feel good about the repetitive styles.
     
  14. KimmyMarkks

    KimmyMarkksActive Member

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    In order to make my clothes last longer I never put them in the dryer. I always hang dry almost all of my clothing. I only recently gave up drying them. Before, I used to throw everything in the dryer and I noticed all my clothes would get pilly and start to fade easily. I also wash a lot of my clothes on the delicate cycle. They still get clean but this wash isn’t as rough as a normal wash.
     
  15. Corzhens

    CorzhensWell-Known Member

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    We belong to the middle class or maybe you can classify us in the upper middle class. But people are surprised to hear that we do not have a washing machine. Our clothes are washed by a laundrywoman who comes here twice a week. Her work includes ironing although I do the ironing for most of my office clothes. That is one way of prolonging the life of clothes - handwashing instead of washing machine.
     
  16. gata montes

    gata montesActive Member

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    Great choice of topic Denis Hard - as I too agree that taking proper care of clothing or in fact anything we own - can very definitely save a huge amount of money in the long run and especially when it comes to clothes - as not only does proper care extend their life - but as they last longer and don't need replacing so often - there is the added bonus - that it helps to build a larger collection and wider selection of items to wear.

    So in answer to the question - apart from the tips already mentioned of

    Washing according to the instructions on the garment label
    Restricting wash loads to similar fabric types and colors
    Avoiding direct sunlight where possible and especially when line drying - by placing them in a shady area
    as well as
    Washing, drying and ironing inside out

    What I've also found to greatly contribute to extending the life of clothes is to always


    Fasten zips, hooks, buttons and velcro prior to washing - as it prevents them from breaking or damaging the fabric
    Use mesh bags for washing dedicates - as it prevents them from getting snagged or tangled
    Deal with stains immediately
    Rotate clothes as much as possible - so that they all get the same amount of wear
    as does
    Fixing any lose threads on hems, seams or buttons that are coming lose immediately - before the problem gets worse and turns into a costly repair or worse - the items need to be discarded.

    :oops: Nearly forgot - dying clothes that have faded or discolored - but are otherwise in good condition - is also a great way of prolonging the life of clothes - especially as - not only can they take on a whole new look - but they generally look brand new too




     
  17. ohiotom76

    ohiotom76Well-Known Member

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    I found out rather quickly when we replaced our carpeting with Berber brand carpeting, that that stuff is really harsh on socks. It's much more coarse than your typical "plush" carpeting, and will cause holes in your socks rather quickly. Some soft throw rugs throughout the place helped out a bit.

    I also don't wash all my clothes after every wear - instead I usually wait until I've worn them a few times before washing them. It doesn't make sense for me to keep dropping $5 in the laundry machines every couple days, not to mention the cost of detergent, when most of the clothes are perfectly fine and don't need laundered. I mainly wear business casual stuff, so I just put them back on the hangars until I know they've been worn a few times first. I'm not really doing anything strenuous in them aside from sitting at my desk, so it's not like I'm getting all sweaty in them, nor are they getting soiled or messy.
     
  18. legeipslt

    legeipsltMember

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    I wash all my clothing in cold water. Everything is turned inside out, zipped, or buttoned up because I think it helps to retain the shape better. I launder on the shortest cycle. None of my clothing has ever been put in a dryer. I hang everything up to dry, either outside when the weather permits, of inside the house in a special room.

    I use the least amount of liquid laundry soap -- much less than what is recommended on the label -- and I like to use Arm & Hammer For Sensitive Skin. I add white vinegar to the water, along with 1/2 cup of baking soda. I add Snuggle White Lavender and Sandalwood Fabric Softener in a Downy dispenser ball.

    As soon as the last spin cycle is finished, I take all my clothing out right away, so it doesn't have a chance to get super wrinkled.

    I wear only cotton clothing, so hanging it up to dry removes any wrinkles. I fold everything when it is dry and store inside my dresser.

    I also never use bleach. If an item is stained I use a bit of Shout to remove the stain and then add some water to the area. Shout works to take out almost any kind of stain on any fabric.
     
  19. DrRipley

    DrRipleyExpert

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    My personal method is to just buy a lot of them so I'd have more in circulation and I don't end up wearing any particular one quickly. I'm actually the type who would wear favorite clothing items over and over and too often I've worn out my favorite clothes faster than I would want to just by doing this and not having enough favorites in circulation, so now I make sure I get lots of items I value on the same level so that I don't end up using one or two items too much to the point of wearing them out earlier than I'd like.
     
  20. KimmyMarkks

    KimmyMarkksActive Member

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    I think one of the key ways to make clothes last longer is to avoid putting them in the dryer. I hang dry most of my clothes because I found that constantly drying them would wear them out faster. Also, clean out any stains immediately instead of waiting to wash them. Bleaching whites will make them stay whiter longer and try to invest in good quality clothing. It will make a difference in the long run.