Sustainable ways to look after your clothes

Being more sustainable with your style and fashion choices isn’t all about where you shop. It’s also how we choose to look after our clothes. If we don’t look after them they wont last and we will be straight back out to the shops. So here are some of my top tips on how to sustainably look after your wardrobe.

Wash less and wash on cool. Did you know many of us wash jeans more than we are supposed to. If it doesn’t look dirty then hang it up outside or in a steamy bathroom to be aired. If it’s just surface dirt, wipe it clean.

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Use a sustainable detergent. Often our branded regular go to cleaning products are filled with chemicals that actually eat away at the fabric to give a deeper clean. 

Keep an eye out for stitching and fix as soon as you can to avoid rips or the loss of a button. 

Don’t over wash Jeans. It turns out sticking them in the freezer is a myth. This will kill some of the bacteria that creates odour but not all. Don’t wash them regularly. Air out and sponge clean. When they really need a wash put them in a delicate wash. Denium takes rough and tumble but if we wash them to often they will start breaking down and not last as long as they could. Use a delicate cycle and avoid harsh chemicals. Turn them inside out.

Always follow the care label. This can make a world of difference. Not only will you avoid shrinking things but it’s kinder to the fabric. 

Invest in a debobbler. Sometimes clothes can look a little worn out and tired. They may simply need bringin back to life with a debobbler. Read the instructions and be mindful of what fabric you are using it on. 

Air Dry when possible.Spring is coming as I write this but if it’s winter where you are, research suggests that even a heated electric airer is cheaper to run than a tumble dryer so it's a win win. 

Wash gym gear in white vinegar. You can soak them in a mix of vinegar and water to deodorise them and hang them out to dry. You could add some essential oils to this too.

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Keep your washing machine clean. It sounds silly but if your washing machine seems to be leaving more marks it’s because it needs a good clean.

Recommendations:

I love using Neolife laundry powder. A box is around £30 but lasts me a year for a family of four.

I recently started to use Ecover Liquid detergent. It smells devine. 

If I run out or want a good eco-friendly cleaning day I refer to Clean & Green by Nancy Birtwhistle. She has some amazing homemade cleaning products for a really green clean. 

Another great tip picked up from a client is to hang your clothes inside out. This will stop different fabrics rubbing on each other and bobbling.

Do you have any go to tips for looking after your clothes more sustainably? Post them in The Yummy Mummy Style Hub on facebook.