LAUNDRY TIPS
Washing special-care items
Most garments and household textiles have care labels with laundering instructions. Always follow care label directions when they are available. Below are general washing instruc- tions for some special washables.
ITEM | CARE INSTRUCTIONS |
|
|
Blankets | Pretreat spots and stains. Select water temperature, cycle, and |
(electric or woolen) | time according to the type of blanket being washed. Two rinses |
| may be necessary. Check care label to see if manufacturer |
| recommends machine washing. |
|
|
Curtains, drapes, | Wash small loads. Crowding may cause wrinkling. Replace |
slipcovers | slipcovers while still slightly damp. They will dry to fit tightly. |
| NOTE: |
| hand or machine washed. |
|
|
Diapers | When using chlorine bleach for soaking, add extra detergent to |
| the load. Avoid overuse of fabric softeners – absorbency will be |
| reduced. |
|
|
Elastic, spandex | Elastic picks up oil from the body. Oil can damage elastic. Wash |
| often to reduce the damage. Use warm water and sufficient |
| detergent to remove oils. Do not use chlorine bleach. |
|
|
Items will be clearly labeled as | |
clothing | manufacturer’s instructions to retain |
|
|
Knits | Knits are comfortable to wear because they stretch. However, |
| this means that knits are more likely to be stretched and dam- |
| aged when washed (especially bulky knits). Knits made of |
| synthetic fabrics such as polyester, nylon, and acrylic tend to |
| keep their original shape more than knits made of cotton |
| or ramie. |
|
|
Pillows, stuffed | Washing feather pillows is not recommended unless they will be |
toys | dried in a dryer. |
|
|
Plastic, rubber | Treat as delicate items. Wash in warm water. Wash small items |
items | in a mesh bag. |
|
|
Quilts, bedspreads | Do not wash |
| stitched. Tucked cotton batting tends to slip and become lumpy. |
| An extra rinse may be necessary. |
|
|
Scatter rugs | Shake or vacuum rugs to remove loose dirt. Wash more than one |
| rug at a time. If washing only one rug, add bath towels to balance |
| the load. |
|
|
Snowsuits, jackets | Wash only one or two items at a time. You may need to stop the |
| washer occasionally to press air from the items being washed. An |
| extra rinse may be necessary. |
|
|
16