How to wash clothes without losing their shape
Does It Fit You ·
Good laundry habits help clothes keep their colour, texture and fit. There is no single programme that suits every garment: fibre blends, dyes, prints and trims all matter. Start with the care label rather than treating every cotton shirt or polyester top alike.
Sort by care needs, not just colour
Separate whites, darks and colours that might bleed. Then separate delicate pieces from heavy towels, denim and items with abrasive fastenings. Close zips, empty pockets and turn printed clothing inside out. A mesh bag can reduce snagging, but it does not make a hand-wash-only garment safe for a machine.
The temperature on a care label is a maximum, not a target for every wash. A cooler programme can suit lightly soiled everyday clothing if the label permits. Heavily soiled items, illness-related laundry and household hygiene needs may require different treatment; follow relevant health guidance and the garment instructions. [GINETEX care symbols: washing]
Use the right amount of detergent
Follow the detergent dose for your load, water hardness and soil level. More detergent does not necessarily clean better and can leave residue. Wool and silk may need a specialist detergent. Never mix cleaning products, especially bleach with ammonia or acids.
Check stain-removal instructions and test on a hidden area first. Blot rather than aggressively rubbing delicate fabric. Inspect a stain before drying: heat can make some stains harder to remove. If the label says dry clean only, use a suitable professional cleaner rather than experimenting at home.
Give the drum room and choose a gentle spin
Do not pack the drum tightly. Clothes need room to move and rinse. Select the programme for the garment, not simply the shortest cycle: delicate and wool programmes manage movement differently. Follow the label for spin and washing restrictions.
For blends, the finished garment's label takes priority over advice for an individual fibre. A cotton shirt with elastane, a lining or decorative trim may need gentler care than plain cotton.
Dry in a way that protects the fit
Remove clean laundry promptly. Reshape knitwear and dry flat when directed; hanging a heavy wet jumper can stretch it. Air-dry other items in a ventilated space where their labels allow. Avoid intense sunlight on colours prone to fading.
Tumble dry only when permitted and use the stated setting. Do not buy a larger size assuming every garment will shrink by a predictable amount. Use the fabric library for general material advice, then keep the product's care label as your final reference. [GINETEX care symbols: drying]