Summer vacation is in full swing, and children are at summer camps and spending a lot of time in the pool, at the sea and at home. However summer fun brings a bunch of laundry to do. The dirty clothes keep piling up, from shirts stained with sweat to clothes stained by spilled ice cream. So how do you deal with the laundry?
Before even starting to wash your summer clothes, and in general – with any kind of washing, it is important to check the clothing manufacturer’s recommendations that appear on the label, which will state the appropriate temperature for washing, recommendations for drying and whether the garment is suitable for washing in a washing machine at all,” Motlo explains.
Clothing material
Pay attention to the type of fabric. “The summer clothes are characterized by light and thin fabrics – it is important to pay attention to whether they are synthetic fabrics such as polyester that require only light care, or delicate fabrics such as silk and satin. For example, it is recommended to turn polyester clothes inside out before putting them in the washing machine and to run the Easy-Care setting to preserve the fibers of the garment. It is also recommended to wash with powder only and without fabric softener,” he said.
Motello noted that “fabrics such as silk and satin are important to wash in a delicate wash and rinse in cold water. You can run the washing machine on the delicates/silk program suitable for this type of fabric, as well as use delicate detergents in order to maintain the shine and softness of the fabrics. In case you are not sure what type of fabric you are using, by default you can use the programs built into most washing machines such as Hand wash and Easy care, which are adapted to a wide variety of fabrics.”
The outstanding items of the summer
“Towels are among the useful items in the summer, between the pool and the sea and the showers. The towel is multi-fiber, has a wide area with an especially thick fabric, so it is important to wash it in the first wash at a temperature of up to 60 degrees, and add fabric softener to keep it soft for a long time. It is recommended to follow the instructions on the label and avoid loading the machine with a large number of items.
“Regarding swimsuits, which are also very useful in the summer, it is recommended to use a manual wash program (hand wash/wool) and then air dry them. You can dry the towels in a tumble dryer with the towel program on the program selector.”
And what about the stains? According to Motlo, “one of the effective ways to remove the sweat stains created by the heat and humidity is using hair shampoo. The shampoo should be diluted with a little water until it becomes a kind of white paste. Then apply the shampoo to the sweat stains, dry the garment well and after complete drying, wash as usual in the washing machine.”
He added that it is advisable to take care of any stain as soon as the garment is stained – “In cases where you or the children have been stained by ice cream, it is recommended to gently rub with a clean cloth dipped in cold water and then spray with a stain remover, soak for half an hour and put in the washing machine.”
