16 WAYS TO MAKE YOUR CLOTHES LAST LONGER WITHOUT SPENDING BIG

KNOW YOURSELF: Always buy clothes that suit your lifestyle. If you can’t avoid dry cleaning or ironing, don’t buy clothes that need them e.g. tee shirts, non wrinkling shirts etc.

CHOOSE YOU’RE COLORS WISELY: If you are a restless/clumsy person, buy mostly dark colors that don’t dirt easily except when necessary.

FOLDING/HANGING: Always differentiate between clothes that are for folding/ hanging and handle as necessary e.g. jackets, suits most be hanged etc.

 DIFFERENTIATE CLOTHES: Always differentiate your clothes e.g. your work/date clothes must be separated from your everyday/house clothes. This is done as your work clothes are usually more expensive than your everyday clothes and need to be treated specially In order to increase their durability. 

DON’T LAUNDER OFTEN: The more often you launder/wash your clothes the more easily it fades. This is so all washing agents e.g. soap/ detergent all contain a form of bleaching agent which fades clothes. You can sun dry clothes after wearing them to remove odor/dust.

KEEP ALL BUTTONS: Most new clothes come with extra buttons, I prefer you remove them from the clothes and keep them separately to use when necessary.

WASH IN COLD WATER: Most fabrics do better in cold water than in hot water e.g. nylon, elastics etc. Use bleach on whites periodically or when necessary 

SEPARATE COLORS BEFORE WASHING: Whether washing by hand/machine, always separate colored clothes from white/bright colors e.g. red, dyed clothes, etc. They should be done separately as some colored clothes wash in water

ZIP UP JEANS/HOODIES BEFORE WASHING: Unzipped jeans/hoodies edges are often very rough. If unzipped during washing/drying they will chew up all your clothes in no time. Zip up all your clothing to the top before washing

BE CONSIDERATE OFYOUR UNDERTHINGS (UNDERWEAR): Don’t tumble dry your over the shoulder boulder holders, bras and underwear made of fabrics blends (nylon) besides cotton as they don’t do well in a dryer, better to sun dry. When washing brassieres use “MESH BAGS” they keep bras straps from wrapping around other clothes in the washer. Fasten all bras to prevent hooks from catching on to delicate knits/sweaters

WEAR SINGLETS/ TEE SHIRTS: This helps to prevent sweat, friction, odor, that cause wear and tear . They also help to make to your clothes to fit better

KNOW YOUR SURROUNDING: This is choosing what to wear to every particular area e.g. don’t wear white/bright to an area filled with potholes/mud. Wear colors that radiate heat to a stuffing place.

CLEAN /POLISH YOUR SHOES FREQUENTLY

DON’T WEAR DRESS SHOES WHEN DRIVING: When the back of the heels rubs against the car’s floor/mats it gives it a “FUZZY GRAY COLOR” It’s preferable you drive barefooted/ wear slippers 

PATCH EARLY, PATCH OFTEN:  The idiom” A STICH IN TIME SAVES NINE” is applicable here. A tear stitched early before it escalates to destroy the clothes is better

REINFORCE HEMS: Clothing will last longer if once in a while you reinforce the hems. Hemlines rise and fall every season. You can safely remove half an inch without anybody knowing

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SOAP AND DETERGENT

Soap is normally long fatty acid chain with sodium ions at its end. When you rub soap it generates electrostatic charge which attracts dirt. 

Detergents are normally chemicals that dissolve dirt, which is why it is not rubbed on the cloth

Soaps fall into the category of “surfactants” they reduce the surface tension of water making oil/dirt is easily removed from the surface of the cloth and drained by water. Soap is made from natural products like fat alkaline in nature PH between 9-10 known as neutral cleanser.   

Detergents are made from petroleum products and alcohols mixed with synthetic artificial fragrances to make them more appealing. They stick to dirt, oil, grease, very firmly and pull them into water. So no need to rub them making it very effective

Soap has comparatively weaker cleansing action than detergents

Soap cannot be used in hard water while detergent can.

Soap are bio-degradable (easily decomposed) while detergents are not.

Detergents are more soluble in water than soap.