Laundry 101 and Clothing Care

The 4 Steps of Laundry Step 1- Sort out the laundry Sort into colors Darks, Brights, Whites/Pastels Sort by type Towels should go together because of the pills Denim Clothing care labels- ex. Hand-washing or dry cleaning Degree of Soiling Don’t put nice clothes with dirty work clothes

The 4 Steps of Laundry Step 2- Pre-treat fabrics To avoid damages in the wash prepare clothes so they don’t get tangled, knotted, caught or ruined. Emptying pockets Shaking out loose dirt from cuffs Zipping zippers, buttoning buttons, hooking hooks, etc. Tying sashes and strings loosely Mend rips and tears so they don’t get worse Remove any trims that cannot be washed

The 4 Steps of Laundry Step 2 Continued Pre-treat any stains- most of the time you can just spray with a pre-treater but here are some other tricks. For gum issues- For ink problems- Deodorant Stains- Vinegar Smells- Blood Stains- Everyday typical stains like ketchup- Ice cubes Hair spray Vinegar Baking Soda Saliva (Spit) Laundry Detergent

The 4 Steps of Laundry Step 3- Washing the Clothes Use the right amount of detergent. Don’t overload the washer. Set the temperature and appropriate cycle. If using bleach, use the proper kind and the proper amount at the right time. Add the bleach to water, don’t pour it on clothes. If you don’t, clothes will yellow and it will eat holes in the fabric. If using fabric softener, add it toward the end of the wash cycle. Adding it too early will prevent cleaning and softening.

The 4 Steps of Laundry Step 4- Drying and Ironing Before you put clothes in the dryer, check to make sure stains have come out- heat will make them permanent. Clean out the lint filter. Don’t overload the dryer. Set the correct heat and time. Remove clothes promptly from the dryer and if they are forgotten simply place a damp towel in and dry for a few minutes again to get out the wrinkles.

The 4 Steps of Laundry Step 4 continued It is hard to iron really dry clothes so use a little mist to help even out the wrinkles. Read the clothing care labels carefully because not all fabrics are able to be ironed. Especially those with glitter (glitter=plastic) If you are unsure of what the fabric is, always start with the lowest setting and then work your way up. Hang shirts up immediately after ironing to keep them from wrinkling. If an iron ever gets gummed up clean it before it destroys other fabrics.

Care Label Symbols All tags must have laundering directions written on them. Since not everyone speaks English there are symbols that say the same thing. Tip: the more dots there are the hotter it will be. Guess what each of these symbols mean: Dry: Delicate, Low Wash: Very HOT Do NOT Bleach Iron: High Do NOT Dry-clean

Video Quiz Top-loading washers are more efficient than front-loading washers, because they use less water and soap. True False Detergents contain an ingredient that dissolves surface dirt enabling water to carry it away. What is this ingredient called? Brightening or whitening agent Phosphate Surfactant Ionic or non-ionic phosphors

Video Quiz A detergent cleans primarily by… When cleaning wool… Softening the fabric to release dirt Whitening the fabric Making water wetter Using boosters and additives When cleaning wool… Avoid using a detergent Always dry clean Dry by hanging outdoors or in a room with good circulation Use the “gentle” cycle on the washing machine

Video Quiz When working with a stain: Work from the back of the fabric if possible If a liquid is the cause, blot up as much as you can with a paper towel or absorbent cloth Do something right away Don’t rub a stain deeper into the fabric All of the above Many detergents contain optical brighteners. These: Are dyes that reflect ultraviolet light to give a “glow” Are a type of ultraviolet bleaching agent Brighten clothes by lifting ground-in dirt Work much like non-organic boosters

Video Quiz Which would work best to clean a wool sweater or other delicate garment: Laundry detergent without phosphates Any laundry detergent A non-chlorine bleach Dishwashing soap If you don’t remember to remove permanent press clothes form the dryer in time, you can toss a damp towel in the dryer and rerun the clothes for a few minutes. True False

Video Quiz According to the video, the most important person in the dry cleaning process is: The spotter The presser The owner The sorter

Textiles

Fabric Layout Parts of the fabric Selvage Bias Weft Warp

Piece of Fabric with Parts Warp Bias Selvages Fold Weft Frayed Edge

Fabric Layout Crosswise Fold Lengthwise Fold Hamburger Style Hotdog Style Selvages Selvages

Types of Weaves Plain Weave Satin Weave Twill Weave Basket Weave

Fabrics to Sew With Plain Weaves Does not stretch Satin weaves are soft but if you make a mistake it shows!!! Plain weaves are easiest to work with and cotton Knit Fabric Stretches Great for wearing- this consists of your t-shirts Hard to sew with because it stretches and rolls