The arrival of fall is the time to put away summer clothes and pull out the wrap-around sweaters.Here are our tips for maintaining your clothes and keeping them beautiful for a long time.

Pictograms on clothing labels

When buying a garment, the first thing to do is to read the label carefully to know the composition of the garment. This information will help you to know if machine washing is prescribed or if dry washing at the cleaner is necessary.Do not cut the labels, they will come in handy at the cleaners.

Source: P&G on a daily basis

Then check the percentage shrinkage .If you need to make any alterations to the garment, it is recommended to wash it before taking the measurements.

Natural fiber clothing

Many of the items in your closet are probably made from natural fiber.These fabrics are very easy to maintain since they are almost all machine washable.

Wash them cotton clothes machine in hot or lukewarm water.Even if cotton can withstand heat well, it is advisable not to wash printed cotton at more than 60 °. 

The linen clothes can also be machine washed, but at a lower temperature (maximum 40 °), with little or no spin.Obviously, we avoid the dryer!Same thing for hemp clothing that we drain lightly and that we iron wet.

As to bamboo clothes , you will notice that they become softer and more absorbent with the washings.Just machine wash them in cold water on gentle cycle and hang to dry. 

For a wool coat , it is often recommended to opt for dry washing at the cleaner.That said, for some sweaters and other woolen clothes , you can use the washing machine on a cycle for wool (with a laundry net to protect it) if the pictogram on the label allows it.Wool is a natural material that must be treated meticulously, away from hot water and the dryer (because heat shrinks and damages wool permanently).

The mohair knits must be washed by hand, then soaked for about twenty minutes in lukewarm water (maximum 30 °).They are then wrapped in a towel to remove excess water and spread out carefully to restore their shape, away from any heat source.

a scarf, sweater or any other cashmere garment can be sent to the cleaner for a dry wash or thoroughly hand washed.Use cold water with only a few drops of detergent designed for wool.Gently rub the garment while washing, then rinse properly.Wrap the garment in a towel to wring it out (avoid wringing it) and let it dry flat on a dry towel (not in the dryer).

Synthetic clothing

A lot of the clothes we wear are made from viscose, a textile fiber made from wood cellulose.Light, soft and fluid, viscose is comparable to artificial silk.

If you have a scarf, sweater or tunic in viscose , care must be taken so that the garment perfectly retains its shape and finish.Wash viscose inside out in cold water, preferably by hand, separating colors.Then let it air dry on a hanger with broad shoulders - most importantly, no dryer!To restore all its flexibility to the viscose garment, iron it at low temperature with an iron ("silk" program) with a cloth, also called "ironing net" (a damp cloth used in ironing).

the polyester is also widely used in the manufacture of dresses, shirts and jackets.Often, the washing symbol on the label recommends that the garment be dry washed at the cleaner.However, it is good to know that all synthetic clothes like the polyester, viscose, acrylic and nylon can be hand or machine washed in cold or lukewarm water except acetate . 

For acrylic , you can use the washing machine in cold water or lukewarm water.Then, it is left to dry on a hanger or in the dryer at low temperature, if the label on the garment allows it.
Remember that it is very important to know the composition of a garment in order to properly maintain it over time.A carefully washed garment will retain its shine and always make you look great!