Did you know that 45.6% of men receive new clothing for Christmas? And that's just for men! With clothing also being gifted to women and children, nearly every American household will add some pieces to their laundry basket by the end of the day.
It's always a good idea to wash new clothes before you wear them. A run through the washer gets rid of all the invisible grime picked up during shipping to your home or the store, rinses out any extra dye remaining in the clothes, and also just makes them smell and feel better than right out of the box. Here's a few tips on how to wash your brand new clothing!
Remove all tags, stickers, and extra buttons.
We know, this seems like an obvious first step, but you've probably dropped a shirt with a sticker on it in the washer at least once! Go over each piece of clothing carefully, being sure to check inner linings and pockets for silicone packets or tiny bags with extra buttons or zippers in them. Remove tags with scissors - just yanking them out of the cloth will leave holes that become wider over time.
Separate clothes out by material and color.
Dark-color denim clothing sometimes comes with extra dye still in the fabric. Don't ruin your other new clothes by dying them a slightly-more-blue shade! Put denim with denim, cotton with cotton, and mixed fabrics with mixed fabrics - and don't forget to separate by color, too. You can often wash many clothes with the same water and drying conditions, which is where we move on to the next tip!
Pay attention to washing and drying instructions for particular articles of clothing.
In a lot of cases, you'll find that you can throw different materials and colors together with no problem. However, some pieces may require gentler washing, different water or dryer temperatures, or may need to be dried on a hanger or drying rack. It's best to find this out now rather than later, when you've got stretched or shrunken clothing that you'll definitely never wear!
Use a mesh laundry bag for socks or fragile clothing.
Those lovely silk pillow cases and adorably-patterned socks face a harrowing adventure each time you wash them. Keep your silk in good shape and your socks from being separated by throwing them in a mesh laundry bag before putting them in the washer! These are also great for clothes that have tassels, fringes, or drawstrings by keeping each strand from getting wrapped around other clothing in the wash.
Put clothing away as soon as the laundry is done.
Especially after a long day visiting family, it seems so easy to just leave your clothes in the dryer until the morning. But don't wait! Clothes with specific shapes, such as peplum blouses or collared button-up shirts, can lose their form while wilting away in your dryer. Another great reason to put your laundry up now? Wrinkles! Make your life a little easier for the day after Christmas - put the clothes away now, and avoid having to drag out the ironing board in the morning.