Recommendations for properly washing cotton in the washing machine
Cotton items are pleasant to the body, inexpensive, versatile to wear in cold or warm seasons. The material is natural, so it is suitable for allergy sufferers and small children. But at the same time there are a number of nuances that need to be taken into account. Cottons can shed or shrink if not handled properly, so it's important to know how to wash cotton properly.
Washing rules
Cotton is a delicate material that can easily shrink if improperly cleaned, using untested products and improper drying. So that things do not have to be thrown away, you must adhere to certain mandatory rules.
The first thing to know is that cotton can shed and absorb colors from other fabrics. It can't be machine-washed with very brightly colored things, if it's white, and you can't immerse colored cotton with white synthetics. It is important to follow the sorting rules before starting the wash. Must be divided:
- white linen that is not dyed at all;
- colorful things, even if they have little shiny spots on them.
Sorting is also mandatory before washing. On several occasions, there have been instances where the cotton gave color to other things, got all over them, or they got lost on them, even when stored in a laundry drawer, if the room is damp.
Cotton itself is not a specific type of fabric that has clearly defined criteria. It is the collective name for natural fabrics which also have their own characteristics. Washing rules include knowing what kind of material clothes or decorative items are made of, bed linen. Therefore, we must also divide:
- home-spun and very thick cotton fabrics;
- thin materials that let the air through well, for example tulle, voile, muslin, chintz;
- fabrics with a non-standard weave and distinguished by a beautiful visual appearance - corduroy, flannel.
While cotton itself can be washed without problems at high temperatures with standard detergents, it may not work with other fabrics. In any case, you can not use chlorine-containing powders and compounds - this will damage the threads and lead to holes. Spinning is chosen with a gentle mode, otherwise things will be very wrinkled and it will be difficult to smooth them even with a steam iron.
How to remove stains
Cotton products, alas, perfectly absorb all types of dirt, and it can be difficult to remove them. wine stains, coffee, tea, chocolate, blood, fat remain instantly on the fabric.
Dish gel
The dish gel will help treat light stains of dirt and grease. You will have to dilute it in the proportion of 100 grams per liter of lukewarm water.The thing is soaked for 3 hours. After rinsing with bleach.
hot alcohol
Suitable for removing old stains. Alcohol is heated to 30 degrees, poured over the stain. Squeeze with a microfiber cloth and leave to dry completely. Repeat the procedure if necessary. The laundry is washed with detergent.
Kerosene
Kerosene helps to cope with stains that have strongly eaten away at the structure. A cotton swab is soaked and applied strictly to the place of contamination. After that, be sure to stretch with washing powder.
Salt
Salt removes traces of tea, coffee, wine. A finely crystalline powder is poured onto a cool, polluted place, wiped with a damp cloth. Old stains, alas, cannot be removed in this way.
Boric acid
Boric acid will help whiten things, for example if they turn yellow. Diluted in 10 liters of hot water 2 tablespoons of acid. The laundry is soaked for 2 hours. Only works on white items.
How to properly wash cotton items in the washing machine
Cotton can be machine washed, but only if the correct temperature setting and detergents are selected. Otherwise, the threads of the fabric may deteriorate, resulting in cracks and small holes.
Temperature regime
The temperature should not be too high, but even at low temperatures you should not expect a good result. The optimum for medium-hard fabrics will be about 60 degrees, and for thin fabrics - up to 40 degrees. White bed linen is washed in the mode "For white cotton clothes", the maximum water heating is set.
How to choose the right washing mode
The washing mode is selected depending on the type of material, if there is heavy dirt on it. If we are talking about white materials, the "Full, automatic washing mode" is suitable.For colored fabrics, set the mode with an average temperature "For colored fabrics".
Washing characteristics
The peculiarities of washing are also taken into account.
For shrinkage
Shrinkage occurs when the wrong temperature is selected and high speed spin occurs, self drying. Therefore, if you need to slightly shape the fabric, then they are chosen.
Don't sit
So that cotton products do not lose their original shape, it is impossible to choose a spin speed higher than 600 rpm, but it is better to do without it. Automatic drying is also not recommended.
Hand wash features
This fabric is perfect for the summer, as it allows air to pass through and does not allow perspiration to accumulate. But its disadvantage is not only that it wrinkles a lot. Heat, ugly yellow spots, smudge marks may appear. There are ways to combat them, such as lemon, vinegar or eggshells.
When washing by hand, you can also not experiment, it is better not to heat the water above 40 degrees. It dissolves a special powder intended for cotton fabrics. You can also coarsely grate 2 tablespoons of laundry soap. The product is soaked in the composition for 10-15 minutes. Cleaning after washing is carried out several times in cold water.
To prevent the product from deforming and becoming fresher, you can add a few drops of vinegar and a spoonful of fabric softener to the last rinse.
If the dirt is strong, then the thing is soaked for 5 hours in water with washing powder.Handkerchiefs and baby diapers are perfectly washed if they are immersed in salt water for three hours before the actual process (3 tablespoons per 3 liters of water).
How to bleach cotton
A significant drawback of this light-colored fabric is that it quickly yellows due to external factors, exposure to moisture and frequent washing. There are some folk methods that allow you to make your favorite T-shirt or bed linen look great again.
Lemon
Lemon juice will remove yellow and gray stains from clothes. The substances contained in this fruit act aggressively, therefore they are not suitable for delicate and delicate fabrics, old clothes. Would need:
- dissolve the juice of 2 fresh lemons in 10 liters of hot water;
- soak light-colored items for 6 hours;
- rinse with lukewarm then cold water;
- let dry.
The method is only suitable for white. If you experiment with colors, there is a high probability of fading.
White vinegar
Vinegar will not only remove yellow and gray stains and plaque, but it will soften fabrics and make them pleasant to the touch. Its use is simple: add half a glass of 9% in the detergent drawer if automatic washing is to be carried out. If done by hand, the linen is soaked in a solution of 0.5 cups of vinegar per 10 liters of water.
Egg shell
Suitable for use in a typewriter only. Collect as many eggshells as possible, thinly smother. Placed in a cloth bag and tied. Placed with the clothes in the drum of the machine.
lemon peel
Lemon zest can remove fresh spots that have a specific location.The thing is slightly moistened, rubbing with the skin with gentle movements in one direction. After rinsing with a vinegar solution.
How to dry and iron
In order for T-shirts, shirts, pants not to deform and please for several seasons, it is important to follow the rules indicated on the label. The simplest option is to specify a square with a circle inside with three points.
This cotton is washed and dried as standard, it can be dried on the clothesline on the balcony. But not always, even seemingly ordinary fabric will withstand this.
The main rule of drying is not to leave clothes in direct sunlight. Naturally, this way it will dry out much faster, but it will quickly lose its strength, begin to fade and fade. This threatens white tissues with a yellowish tint. It is optimal to hang freshly washed laundry in the evening and remove it early in the morning.
It is better not to dry it completely, but in a slightly damp state. To do this, you can select the machine's softest spin mode. During drying, the clothes are smoothed evenly so that no wrinkles remain.
Regular cotton is not picky about ironing. You can also select the maximum mode, if this does not contradict the information on the product label. The pleats are steamed with a light burst of steam.
Maintenance tips and tricks
In order for the products to last as long as possible, certain tips and maintenance rules must be followed. Pay attention that:
- color and white options cannot be washed together;
- storage in a laundry basket with high humidity is prohibited;
- the choice of the automatic washing mode is made according to the resistance of the material;
- when bleaching or removing stains, the effectiveness of the method is checked on the inconspicuous side;
- high wash temperatures and strong spin will cause shrinkage.
By observing a few simple rules and carefully reading the information on the label, you can keep your clothes in excellent condition for a long time. And modern home methods and bleaches can help you deal with stains and yellowing.