Sanitizing handcrafted clothing is the best way to ensure the longevity of the piece. Even the gentlest washing machine setting can harm the yarn fibers and distort the pattern. But remember: don’t soak or twist. Gently wash, rinse, gently squeeze out excess water and lay to dry.
Do not hang on the clothesline
Lay the garments on towels on tables – if you are going to rest them on a surface, choose to place a towel of the same color as the garment so you don’t have problems with stains or hairs – or clotheslines on the floor, otherwise they can stretch too much on the conventional clothesline and get distorted. Do not use clothespins as they will leave marks.
Avoid letting it dry in the sun
The sun will fade your pieces and damage their fibers. Therefore, in addition to not hanging them, you should let them dry in the shade. This also applies to clothes dryers: avoid.
use cold water
This is perhaps a slightly obvious tip, as the water that comes out of the tap and that used in the washing machine is cold. But if you think about heating water to wash your handmade piece, give up on that idea. Water up to 40 degrees, warm at most, is ideal for washing. Hotter than that, it can cause your piece to shrink and lose its shine. Especially those made with acrylic.
Use neutral soap
You might think that the best-smelling washing powder is the best option for your parts. But he is considered aggressive for the delicate fibers of crochet and knitting. Therefore, nothing better than neutral soap to wash them perfectly and ensure durability for a long time. Also do not use bleach.
Be careful when passing
If you need to iron your clothes, be very careful. Use the iron at the lowest temperature, a maximum of 110 degrees. Place a cloth on top of the piece, it can be a dish towel. Just avoid putting the iron in direct contact with the wires, as this can ruin the fibers of your clothing and it can be stretched too much.
do not use hangers
Handmade pieces should not be hung on hangers, even after drying. The points will be distended, and your piece will be deformed. Leave them folded in some drawer or shelf.
If storing, protect
If you are a craftswoman and have an order that you are going to keep for a while before delivering or when you need to store the winter pieces to adjust your wardrobe for the next season, prefer to keep your crochet and knitting clothes and accessories protected from dust and with all fibers preserved. To do this, you can wrap them in tissue paper or even use TNT or organza bags, which allow the thread to breathe and prevent the accumulation of moisture and, consequently, mold.
Always keep your clothes clean
Some people are in the habit of washing their clothes after each use, others are not. They use it until they feel that the piece is really dirty and needs to be washed. However, beware, avoid storing dirty items in the wardrobe. In this way, it can cause possible dirt to be fixed in the fibers of the yarn. And then, even when you wash your clothes, they won’t be squeaky clean and it will be harder to remove stains.
