I’m a cleaning expert and you’ve definitely been washing your pants too much
CLEANING expert Aggie MacKenzie’s top tips on the most efficient, cost-effective ways to wash your clothes.
Clean smellier items with vinegar
ITEMS such as hats can get overlooked at laundry time and frequently don’t get washed as often as they should.
Aggie says: “If you wear your hat every day, maybe wash it once a fortnight.
“Give it a sniff – if it smells a bit oily and sweaty then it’s time it had a wash.
“To clean them, mix up half water and half clear vinegar in a spray bottle.
“Spray the hat inside where it connects with the scalp and where the sweat forms – this mixture is great for deodorising and killing bacteria.
“Leave it to air until the smell goes, and then you’re good to wear it again.”
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Cheat the dry cleaners
YOU don’t have to dry clean everything – even when your labels tell you to, Aggie says.
“For delicates, put the washing machine on a really short, cool wash,” she says.
“Your clothes will come out sopping wet because the spin for something that’s delicate, such as wool or silk, is really short.”
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“Don’t worry though, there’s a hack for drying your delicates.
“Get some towels and lay your items on top – then put another towel over them, roll it up tightly and then unroll.
“The water will transfer to the towels and your items will dry.”
Sun your smalls
“HANG clothes that smell of anything strong outside on a sunny day – the UV rays of the sun are great at flushing out bacteria and smells,” says Aggie.
“But if you don’t have the luxury of outdoor space, use a steamer or iron over the clothes – this will also get rid of the smells by loosening fibres in the fabric, which kills odorous bacteria.
“Another tip is to keep cedar balls or a bar of lovely smelling soap wrapped up in your drawers to give clothes that fresh-washed smell for longer.”
Wash kids' clothes less than adults
WHILE you may think that your child’s clothes need washing constantly due to grubby hands and spillages, Aggie says that’s not the case.
“Kids don’t smell as much as adults so they can go around in their clothes for longer,” she reveals.
Cleaning hacks and tips
Here are some tips to help you clean your home like a pro:
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“If they spill food on them, it should just be wiped off with a damp cloth as quickly as possible before it can settle into the material.
“But there’s no need to put the washing machine on for any surface spills – save yourself the money!”
Water is best to remove stains
“YOU don’t need anything fancy – plain water and a clean cloth will do the job on anything stained,” Aggie says.
“Diluted Fairy washing up liquid is also fantastic at getting all kinds of stains out of your clothes.”
Aggie also says it’s important to tackle dirt as quickly as possible so it doesn’t have time to sink in.
“Make sure not to rub the fabric too hard as you can damage the fibres, particularly if it’s silk or wool,” she adds.
Your own germs are harmless
WHILE you may think that not washing your clothes often can lead to nasty bacteria, Aggie says that’s not the case.
She reckons you have nothing to fear from your own germs.
She explains: “The thing with any bacteria on your clothing is that they are your own germs – and you are not going to come to any harm from them.
“So, if it doesn’t smell and it’s not grubby, don’t wash it!’
Don't wash undies after one use
AS gross as it sounds, you can get more than one wear out of your underwear.
Aggie says: “By using panty liners it means that you can keep your pants fresher for much longer – so then you can change your knickers every other day.”
And when it comes to bras, Aggie says how often you wash them depends on how much you sweat.
She explains: “As a general rule, washing your bras every three wears will keep them fresh.”
Make use of quick cycles
APART from towels, underwear and bedsheets, a quick cycle can do the job of washing your clothes perfectly fine.
A way to check if clothes are clean from a quick wash is by the aroma.
Aggie says: “If you’re pulling clothes out of the machine and they’re still smelling bad then they haven’t been washed enough because the bacteria is still there.
Then they may also need to be washed at a higher temperature.”
Skip the fabric softener
SOMETIMES less is better.
“I have never used fabric softener, and you should know your clothes don’t always need it,” says Aggie.
“If you’re using it all the time, your towels, for example, eventually have a big build-up of soap on them.
“And they end up becoming hard because there’s far too much soap on there, which kind of defeats the purpose.
“People like their clothes to smell a certain way, hence the use of softener, however, to clean your clothes it’s not needed.
Plus, not using it will save you money.”
Wash clothing after three wears
DENIM brand Levi’s once said you never needed to put your jeans in the washing machine.
A bold claim.
And while Aggie wouldn’t go that far, she certainly doesn’t think jeans should be cleaned unless dirt can be physically seen on them.
She says: “Wear each piece of clothing – be it a T-shirt or pair of leggings – at least three times.
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“If it’s an outer piece of clothing, wear it as often as you can before it starts to get grubby around the edges.
“Then it’s time to put it in the washing machine.”