Caring For Cotton Clothes
Cotton fabrics and materials are made up of all natural plant fibers. Cotton is used in clothes, table linens, denim jeans, baby clothing and bedding. The fibers can either be woven or knit in order to make comfortable fabrics.
Cotton clothes are very breathable and affordable too. Though cotton material is typically a ready-to-wear fabric right out of the wash, clothes that are 100% made from cotton need more care in order to help them last for years and look their best! Keep reading to learn more about caring for your cotton clothing.
Cotton Clothing
How Often Do I Clean My Cotton Clothes?
Clothing that is made up 100% of cotton must undergo cleaning every two to three times it’s worn. However, it is always a good idea to check the care label of the garment before throwing it in the washing machine. Or, even better, bring your cotton clothing garments over to Avon Cleaners and we will clean it for you. Thanks to System K4, Avon Cleaners is the only cleaner in Dallas to work with 100% Earth Friendly products that protect and work great on all clothing materials.
While cotton is a washable material, some clothing materials such as blazers or structured jackets may consist of materials that provide structures and shapes such as linings that aren’t washable. On the other hand, there’s some cotton clothing that are very delicate and fragile. These garments may require hand-washing methods only. Therefore, if your cotton clothing garments’ care label reads “dry clean only,” be sure to trust the tag’s instructions.
Also, if you have a pair of dark cotton jeans, blazers, or slacks that you want to keep from fading in color, it’s best advised to bring these garments to your trusted dry cleaner. Dry cleaning is the best option for these types of garments due to the fact that a professional cleaner will know the best ways to handle the fabric efficiently.
Cotton Blazer
Ironing Cotton Clothes
It’s true, some cotton clothes tend to wrinkle excessively. Or, they develop something known as curled hem edges. This happens when the garments are washed. To fix this, the garments may require ironing. Be sure to always use a medium hot iron and always iron on the wrong side of cotton fabric. For extra protection, you can use a pressing cloth between the iron and the cotton fabric. In addition, if you are using extremely high temperatures when ironing your fabrics, this can cause scorching or yellowing in the fibers and the fibers will start to burn.
For a crisp and clean finish, be sure to spray your garments with a laundry starch after ironing. Also, you can use a clothing steamer or even hang up your clothes in a steamy bathroom to prevent wrinkling. Although this won’t give your garments a crisp finish, it will remove wrinkles.
Steaming Button-Down
Storing Cotton Clothes
Cotton is a durable fabric and long-lasting fabric. To keep your cotton garments in the best condition, fold and store all bottoms (pants, jeans, shorts) in a dresser. And, hang all cotton tops (shirts, blazers, dresses) on hangers in your closet in order to prevent wrinkling.
When storing 100% cotton garments, you will need to keep in mind carpet beetles and their larvae eating cotton. Yes, airtight plastic containers work short-term for cotton items (and carpet beetles can’t get into plastic). However, they need to breathe longer term, so it’s best advised to choose fabric storage containers and place in cool, dry and dark areas. Avoid storing cotton garments in basements and in attics due to the humidity fluctuations in these areas.
Clothing Storage
Have A Stain On Your Garment?
As with any type of fabric, the best way to treat stains on cotton clothes as quickly as possible, in the best way possible is to bring your garments in to your local dry cleaners for professional cleaning. Be sure to read our published blog post to learn in depth about 3 tips for stain removal on clothing garments.
Always avoid using undiluted chlorine bleach since this can weaken fibers and cause holes in cotton fabric. You can safely use a dilute solution on cotton or cellulosic fibers for stain removal and whitening. Also, be sure to always follow the directions on the bleach label carefully. In addition, using oxygen bleaches work more slowly than chlorine, but it a better option for whitening and brightening. Allow the fabrics to soak for at least one hour to achieved the best results.
Overall, Avon Cleaners is here to help care for your cotton clothing garments in the best way possible. Learn more about our dry cleaning services and reach out to us with any questions you may have!
Cotton Sweaters
