Caring for Clothing Chapter 42
Routine Care of Clothing Open all the fasteners, such as buttons, zippers, and snaps when dressing or undressing to help prevent rips and tears. Take your shoes off before getting in and out of pants and shorts. Check for stains right after taking off your clothes. Remove stains as soon as you can.
Check for needed repairs, such as ripped seams and loose or missing buttons Put clothes that need to be washed in a laundry basket away from clean clothes Hang up or fold clothes that don t need washing.
Storing Clothes Drawers Use drawer dividers or drawer-size boxes to help keep smaller items in place. Avoid packing too many clothes into a drawer Use plastic containers under the bed if storage is a problem Closets Organize clothes Do not over-crowd Use closet organizers if possible Keep shoes in pairs Hang like items together
Washing Clothes Follow the care label located in the clothing Sort your clothing for washing Use care labels Delicate fabrics Sturdy whites Permanent press and knit Dark-colored Heavily soiled Empty all pockets and close all zippers and fasten all snaps, hooks, and buttons
Sort White Delicate sturdy Darks May need to sort by color Also sort by fabric type Heavily soiled
Pre-treat Pre-treatment refers to any special attention you give a garment before laundering Removal of heavy soil and stains Spraying or rubbing necklines or cuffs
Choosing Laundry Products Detergents The primary job of detergent is to remove dirt from clothes. Use the recommended amount Bleaches Helps remove stains and whitens Non-chlorine is safe to use on all washables Chlorine should only be used on white100% cotton fabrics Fabric Softeners Reduce static cling and wrinkles
Protein Stains Soak in cold water. Launder. Baby food Milk Baby formula Mucous Blood Cheese sauce Mud Cream Pudding Egg Urine Feces Vomit Gelatin White glue; school paste Ice cream. Fresh protein stains can be removed by soaking and agitating in cold water before washing. These stains contain other ingredients besides protein, but it needs treatment first. If hot water is used first, it cooks the protein, causing coagulation between the fibers in the yarns of the fabric, making the stains more difficult to remove. If protein stains are dried or old, scrape or brush off crusted matter (if any), then soak in cold water using a detergent or an enzyme presoak product. After treating the stain, launder in warm (not hot) water, rinse, and inspect. If stain remains, soak an additional half-hour, then rewash. Bleach may be necessary if the stain was colored, such as baby food beets, strawberry gelatin, or ice cream
Tannin Stains Do not use soap (bar, flake). Use detergents. Alcoholic beverages Beer Berries (cranberries, raspberries, strawberries) Coffee Cologne Felt-tip water color pen or washable ink Fruit juice (apple, grape, orange) Soft drinks Tea Tomato juice Fresh tannin stains are usually removed by detergent (not soap) washing in hot water (as safe for fabric) during laundering without any treatment. Use of soap (bar soap, soap flakes, or detergents containing natural soap) will make a tannin stain permanent or at least more difficult to remove. Be sure to check the ingredients list of your detergent for soap. More brands now include it for economic reasons. Old tannin stains may need bleaching for more complete removal.
Oil-based Stains Use heavy-duty detergent with hot water. Automotive oil Hair oil Bacon fat Hand lotion Butter/margarine Lard Car door grease Mayonnaise Collar/cuff greasy rings Salad dressing Cooking fats and oils Suntan oil or lotion Face creams Oil stains can be removed by pretreatment with a heavy-duty liquid detergent, an aerosol petroleum-based solvent pretreatment spray, or a pumptype detergent-based pretreatment spray. If these products are unavailable, you can use a powdered detergent that is mixed with water to make a runny paste and apply that to the stain.
Dye Stains Need detergent wash and bleach as safe, for fabric. Cherry, blueberry Color bleeding in wash (dye transfer) Felt-tip pen (permanent ink-may not come out) Grass India ink Kool-Aid Mercurochrome Mustard Tempera paint Dye stains are very difficult to remove. First,pretreat the stain with a heavy-duty liquid detergent, then rinse thoroughly. Soak the stained garment in a dilute solution of all-fabric powdered bleach. If the stain persists, and the garment is white or colorfast, soak in a dilute solution of liquid chlorine bleach and water. Bleaching damage to colored garments is irreversible. To decide if a fabric can be bleached safely, use the test described previously. If the stain is not removed in 15 minutes, it cannot be removed by bleaching and further bleaching will only weaken the fabric.
Chewing gum: Apply ice to harden gum. Crack or scrape off excess. Spray with pretreatment aerosol product. Rub with heavyduty liquid detergent. Rinse with hot water. Repeat if necessary. Launder. Odor: Most odors are removed by laundering. For persistent odor problems, place calcium carbonate crystals, activated charcoal, or soda in an open container and store with clothes in closet or sprinkle soda directly on fabric and let stand; then shake or vacuum.
Hand Washing Use a sink or container larger enough for the clothes to move freely Choose a soap or detergent to suit the clothes Put water into the sink, add the detergent and mix before adding the clothes Soak for 5 to 30 minutes Drain the sink and add fresh water. Gently squeeze sudsy water through the garments. Use at least two clean rinses to remove the suds and soil.
Drying Clothes Most clothes can be air-dried or dried in a dryer Shake clothes out before placing them in the dryer Select the setting appropriate for the clothes Avoid over-drying When air-drying hang the garment or lay flat as the care label indicates Allow for circulation around the clothes
Pressing and Ironing Pressing Lifting and lowering the iron onto areas of the fabric Ironing Moving the iron back and forth over the fabric
Dry Cleaning To clean with chemicals rather than with water and detergent The garment is then steamed to remove wrinkles
To Get Rid of Yellow Armpit Stains: 1 part Dawn 2 parts Hydrogen Peroxide Baking soda
Rips Use thread that matches the fabric and make a new line of stitches just beyond the ripped section Tears May need mending tape Iron to the inside of the garment Repairs
Sewing on a Button Two types of buttons Sew-through Shank
How to sew on a button *video tutorial http://youtu.be/pdu65myhop4
How to sew on a button Step one Cut a piece of thread approximately 30 cm long and tie a knot at the end of it.
Sewing on a button Step 2 Insert the other end of the thread through the needle. A bit of saliva will make it easier to thread the needle.
Step 3 Use your thumb to position the button where it must be attached.
Step 4 Insert the needle from the inside of the garment to the outside and find the hole in the button by touch. Then insert the needle through the fabric. Repeat this procedure roughly seven times until the button has been securely attached.
Step 5 Fasten the thread on the inside of the garment (make a knot that does not come loose). Insert the needle and thread under the stitches you made and then through the resulting loop
Step 6 Tighten the thread, cut it and you are done. www.made-by.nl/images/knoop/doehetzelf1.jpg Image may be subject to copyright. Below is the image at: www.made-