Looking for ways to reduce your personal impact on the planet? There’s one area you can’t overlook: your closet. Improving the way you shop and care for your clothes can help you waste fewer garments, save more money, and enhance your wardrobe’s quality.
If you’re ready for a serious change in your approach to clothing, keep reading to learn how to make clothes last longer.
The WaveMAX Guide: How to Make Clothes Last Longer
Shop by Material
Before you add something to your cart on your next shopping spree, take a moment to check the materials. If the majority of the garment is made with polyester, nylon, rayon, or acrylic, you might want to think twice. These materials not only leak microplastics into the water supply during washes—they also fall apart quickly.
Both environmentally and financially, they’re likely not worth your money!
Read Washing Instructions and Plan Accordingly
If you’ve never looked closely at a clothing label, you’re far from alone. It’s all too easy to skip that step and wash your entire laundry basket on the same setting. However, you might be missing some critical information. If you go against a garment’s label, you risk shortening its lifespan prematurely!
To get up to speed on care labels and learn how to make clothes last longer, check out this WaveMAX blog for our top tips.
Only Wash Clothes When You Need To
If you’re only just now starting your laundry improvement journey, odds are high you’re washing some pieces too often. For example, did you know that jeans can be worn three to five times before hitting the machine? And sweaters can be worn up to six times? You might be surprised by the recommended wash times!
Getting this balance right not only extends your clothes’ wearability—it also saves money on gas and electric bills.
Turn Your Clothing Inside Out
If you don’t have time to invest in a complete laundry habit overhaul, at least try out this simple step. Turning pieces inside out is especially important for garments with fade-prone colors and clothes that accumulate odors. Think blue jeans, black jeans, sports bras, and hoodies.
This one truly only takes a few seconds, and your clothes will surely thank you!
Fix, Don’t Replace
In a world with 1-day shipping from your favorite stores, it can be tempting to replace a garment the minute you notice a problem.
Next time you notice a ripped belt loop, torn trap, broken zipper, or loosened seam, ask yourself: is this something that can be fixed? If the answer is yes (or you’re on the fence), it’s worth waiting before hitting ‘add to cart.’
If you’ve never even picked up a needle or thread, don’t stress! Basic sewing is super easy to learn, and you only need beginners’ knowledge to tackle a quick clothing fix. Check out this article for mending 101.
Invest in Dry Cleaning for Specialty Garments
We all know the feeling of tossing a special piece of clothing in the wash alongside normal pieces, just to ruin the entire garment. Accidents happen, but mistakes like this can make a dent in both your budget and your eco-friendly ambitions.
In case you don’t already know, garments worthy of dry cleaning include garments made from:
Suede
Wool
Silk
Denim
Rayon
Linen
Leather
Dry cleaning can also save clothes from stains that might otherwise lead to their disposal. Check out this WaveMAX blog to see what blemishes dry cleaning can remove!
Try a Delicates Bag
Women and girls especially will know that the garments most susceptible to shortened life spans are bras, underwear, tights, and other delicates. When washed alongside heavier pieces like jeans and jackets, they can rip, unravel, and get caught on other garments.
Luckily, the solution to making these last longer is easy. All you need is a dedicated delicates bag! Load yours up with any at-risk delicates, and toss it in with your normal cycle.
Use a Gentle Detergent and Dryer Balls
The most popular laundry detergents on the market may seem reliable, but too much exposure from repeated washes can damage your favorite pieces.
Why? They're loaded up with harsh chemicals that fade colors, weaken fabrics, and coat your clothes’ fibers. Making a switch to a gentle or eco-friendly detergent is an easy step with powerful results. This blog covers the basics of choosing the right detergent, or if you’d like to DIY it, check out this one!
And if you don’t already use them, dryer balls are another great addition to your laundry process. They achieve the same results as dryer sheets, but without the negative impact on your clothes. If you’re truly in a DIY mood, learn how to make your own here.
Switch to Air Drying
Can’t imagine laundry day without a dryer? We hate to break it to you, but a key factor holding your clothing back from a long lifespan is heat. Over time, your dryer shrinks garments and weakens their structure.
If you want to learn how to make clothes last longer, air drying is a must! You can either use an in-home drying rack or give line drying a try (we prefer the latter). We promise it’s not as difficult as it sounds—here are 5 tips for line drying clothing.
Avoid Overloading by Visiting a Laundromat
Finally, overloading. If you’re stuffing your machines to the brim, you’re likely damaging your garments in the process. Washing machines and dryers are designed to have extra space in the drum!
However, doing more cycles with smaller loads can be a time, money, and utility suck. Enter the WaveMAX Thornton laundromat, the easiest place to get a lot of laundry done quickly and safely.
Need more convincing? Here’s why using a laundromat is better than doing your laundry at home.
Now that you know how to make clothes last longer, you know what to do! Search ‘WaveMAX laundry near me,” head to your local Denver Metro laundromat, and visit www.denverwashandfold.com to learn more about dry cleaning and laundry pickups.
