Routines that extend the life of clothes

Short answer: Wash at forty degrees, turn clothes inside out, skip the tumble dryer and air your outer layers. Those four habits alone extend the life of a garment noticeably.

Low temperature causes the least wear

Forty degrees washes clean and is gentle on both colour and elastic. Higher temperatures are rarely needed for everyday clothes and wear the fabric more with every wash. Check the label and choose the lowest temperature that suits the garment. Underwear and tops do fine at forty. See bamboo panties.

Inside out protects the surface

It is the outside that rubs against the drum and the other clothes during a wash. Turn a garment inside out and the inside takes the wear, so colour and surface on the outside last longer. It takes a few seconds and is worth making a habit for anything with colour or print. See bamboo tops for women.

Air drying is gentler

The tumble dryer wears fibres more than any other part of laundry. The lint in the filter is fibre torn from the fabric while drying. Hang clothes on a rack or a line instead. It takes longer, but the fabric keeps its shape and the elastic avoids the heat that makes it slack. See socks for women.

Air outer layers between wears

Sweatshirts, cardigans and trousers do not need washing after every wear. Hang them somewhere airy overnight and most of the smell disappears by itself. Every wash you skip is one less wash wearing the fabric. Underwear and socks should be washed after use, but outer layers can often manage several days.

Do not wash more than needed

Many clothes get washed simply because it is easiest to throw everything in the basket. Look at the piece first: if it is visibly dirty or smells, wash it. Otherwise it can be aired and worn again. That habit alone noticeably cuts the number of washes for outer layers.

Dose detergent as directed

More detergent does not make clothes cleaner. Excess soap stays in the fabric, makes it stiff and can attract dirt. Follow the dosage on the pack, and use a little less for a half-full load. Fabric softener is rarely needed for everyday clothes.

Protect delicate items in the wash

Close zips and buttons before clothes go in, so they do not snag other items. Put thin tops and socks in a laundry bag if they are washed with heavier things. Do not fill the drum completely, so clothes have room to move. Small steps like these reduce the rubbing that slowly wears the surface.

Four habits that cost nothing

Low temperature, inside out, air drying and airing between wears need no new equipment and hardly any extra time. They work on all clothing, from underwear to outer layers. It is not one big effort that extends the life of clothes, but small habits repeated at every wash.

Frequently asked questions

Which habits extend the life of clothes the most

Low temperature, inside out, air drying and airing between wears. The four habits cost nothing and work on all clothing.

Why turn clothes inside out

Because it is the outside that rubs against the drum. Inside out, the inside takes the wear and the colour on the outside lasts longer.

Is the tumble dryer harmful

It wears clothes more than any other part of laundry. The lint in the filter is fibre torn from the fabric during drying.