How to Clean Preloved Clothes?
Need to know how to clean preloved clothes? In this article, we will cover what you need to know and the steps you need to take before wearing.
Recently got some garments from a charity or second-hand shop, now you’re wondering how to clean preloved clothes? The good news is, the process is easy, and there are a few steps that you might need to take depending on the state of the clothing.
In this article, we will go through everything you need to know, and your new clothing items will be smelling great in no time.
At Love2Laundry, we offer more than just laundry services for hotels and Airbnbs. We also offer removal services and can pick up broken laundry machines. We take pride in our sustainability, and can help you get your preloved clothes smelling brand-new if you don’t feel up to the task.
Here, we offer laundry, ironing, dry cleaning services and more. Here, we not only help you with all your laundry needs, but we help you learn tips and tricks to make your laundry life easier than ever.
Why Should You Wash Preloved Clothes Before Wearing?
You should be washing all clothes you purchase before wearing them – even ones from regular stores like Next or Peacocks, including the ones you order online. However, washing preloved clothes is even more important, as they likely were not washed (or, at least, not washed thoroughly) before being hung up for you to peruse.
Since these are pre-owned, there can be any manner of things on them, from bacteria to dog or cat hair. There are also likely to be unfamiliar smells on the garments that you aren’t going to want. So, washing is the logical step!
Before You Start Washing…
However, before you actually do any kind of washing, you may need to pretreat clothing if necessary. You should always check for damage or stains on the fabric before you do anything else, as this will dictate how you continue.
Garments with damage may need to be repaired before you wash, but you will need to determine this yourself and take the necessary steps – whether that is taking it to a professional or doing it yourself.
Remove Any Stains
Different stains will require different treatments, and the same goes with fabrics. For this, we recommend having a look at some of our articles that cover different types of stains, such as iron marks, blood stains, oil stains, and more – including a useful infographic!
How to Clean Preloved Clothes?
There are different approaches you can take, and luckily most of them are relatively straightforward. When it comes to doing laundry, it’s always best to use products that do not have harmful chemicals or ingredients in them in order to make them last longer.
It’s Best to Stick to the Label Instructions
The best thing you can do is stick to the instructions that are printed on the label of the garment. Different fabrics need to be treated differently to protect the fibres, and using a wash that is too hot or too cold can make your new jumper unwearable.
This might mean that you opt to take some garments to a dry cleaner for professional service, but we can promise that it will absolutely be worth it for the results.
What if the Label is Gone?
If the label is gone, you can do one of two things: try and figure out what the garment is and look for care instructions online, or you can just use a very gentle wash (or hand wash the garment) using warm or cool water (not hot or cold, this is important).
It’s best to be cautious and use very gentle, natural cleaners if you are able to. You can also add some vinegar to the bowl when cleaning to help neutralise odours.
If you don’t feel confident doing this yourself, you can take your preloved garments to a professional (like us), and we can take care of everything for you.
What About Deodorising?
Deodorizing can be done a few different ways, depending on the type of garment you are working with. For the most part, odours can be handled with a regular wash with your favourite detergents and fabric conditioner.
We recommend freezing all preloved garments in a bag for three or so days when you get home. It sounds strange, but this will work to not only kill the bacteria, but it will also kill anything else on it – such as fleas and eggs, even if it’s very unlikely for them to be there in the first place.
However, when this doesn’t fully do the trick, there are some other things to try, such as:
- Steaming
- Vinegar bath
- Baking soda
- Let them air out in the sun
Drying Preloved Clothes
Preloved clothes have already been through a lot, and to take care of them moving forward, you should pay special attention to how they are washed and dried. If possible, we recommend not using a tumble dryer, as these can have a negative impact on many garments. Instead, hang clothes out to dry, whether it’s outside or inside.
Use hangers with padding where you can, as metal and regular plastic ones can cause stretching in the shoulders. If you choose to dry your clothes outside, we recommend turning them inside out to prevent damage and sun bleaching.
Book a Service With Love2Laundry
At Love2Laundry, we offer easy online commercial and personal services to help you take a load off in your busy life. Our app is perfect for anyone who wants to get their laundry back within 24 hours. From personal to commercial, our pricing can’t be beaten – especially with our membership and student discounts!
Love2Laundry’s signature laundry service is a lifesaver for our users, whether it is for personal or commercial use. All you need to do is call – no dropping off and no added headaches.
You can easily book a service with us by following these four simple steps:
- Hop on our website or app and plate an order. You will be asked to put in your postcode to find the nearest Love2Laundry, and also include a time and date for when you would like us to come and collect your items
- We will arrive at the designated time and date and pick up your items
- We tend to your items in accordance with the service you have selected, including dry cleaning, washing, drying, ironing, and so on
- We come back and return your items to you. We always aim to complete our orders and hand them back to you within 24 hours, but your order will always be with you before 48 hours are up.
With how easy it is to book a service with Love2Laundry, it’s hard not to be convinced that we’re worth it. We don’t disrupt your day, and our goals are the same as yours: get the laundry done and delivered back to you in no time.
Let Love2Laundry Help You
From getting stains out of whites and why your clothes still smell after dry cleaning to answering questions about how much it costs to run a washing machine per hour and per wash, we want to help. We also answer why your machine might not be washing, and carrying capacities explained, we answer all your laundry-related questions at Love2Laundry.
Want to know how to clean preloved clothes? Doing this is crucial if you like buying second-hand, but it doesn’t have to be difficult. Now that you know what to do, you can enjoy your new clothes to the full, and they will smell as fresh as you want,
If you think pick-up laundry services would be a good fit for you, why not give us a call to learn more through the phone number or email address below?
Phone
0203 600 0296
info@love2laundry.com
