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Sending your clothes to the dry-cleaners may do more harm than good. Your laundry may be subjected to harsh chemicals and soaps. Then they’re ironed on a big, heavy press, which can crush buttons and wear out fabrics if the operator isn’t careful.
With a few exceptions, most of your best articles can be washed at home, including cashmere sweaters, linen shirts, and even some wool pants, says Lindsey Boyd, cofounder of The Laundress, a fabric care line. Here's how:
Button-Downs Shirts
You should wash the shirt yourself after every wearing, unless you wear an undershirt, in which case you can go two or three wearings. In any event, do wash it if you notice any discoloration around the collar, cuffs, or armpits.
Turn the shirt inside out and gently treat those areas with a stain stick. Then wash it in warm water on a delicate cycle and hang it to dry. (No dryer!) For a crisp finish, send it out for a press—not a cleaning. (Or iron it yourself.) Then hang it on a wood or plastic hanger; a wire one can stretch the fabric, leaving a shoulder crease.
And don’t crowd the closet—that causes wrinkles.
T-Shirts
If your favorite tee fits perfectly, don’t expose it to high heat, which can shrink and degrade its fibers. Turn it inside out, wash it in warm water, and hang it to dry so it maintains its shape. Or use a dryer on low heat.
But skip dryer sheets, says Boyd. The right detergent is enough to ease static cling and freshen your clothes.
Wool and Cotton Sweaters
Both materials are sturdy enough to stand up to a spin cycle, as long as you use a delicate setting and cool water to minimise shrinkage.
Dry and store the same as for cashmere.
Cashmere Sweaters or tops
Dry cleaning strips oils and damages cashmere fibers; your sweater will last longer if you wash it at home. Washing is good for the fibers, Boyd says, because it brings out their natural oils.
Do it by hand, or machine-wash it inside a mesh bag. Use cold water to preserve fit and color.
To dry, lay it flat on a towel and roll it up to squeeze out the excess water; then unroll and lay flat again to air-dry overnight. Store sweaters folded; hanging stretches the shoulders.
This was first published on Men's Health Singapore