Clothing made from natural fabrics is not a luxury, but a useful and natural habit. Natural and pleasant to the touch linen clothes warm and cool in the summer, while napkins and bed linen are ideal for a healthy sleep. The only problem - flax is capricious in care: it easily sheds and sits down. Find out how to still make friends with delicate material and how to wash linen properly.
Rules for washing linen in a washing machine
The best option for washing linen items is gentle manual cleaning. With a lack of time and desire, you can wash linen in a washing machine. However, here, as in washing silk, you need to use the golden rule for washing delicate fabrics - using gentle programs and modes. The water temperature should not exceed 30-40 ºC, otherwise the paint will wash out. Leave the spin at 400-500 rpm. At high speeds, the fabric can “chew” and form unattractive folds that are difficult to iron.
About the "correctness" of powders
When choosing a cleaning agent, pay attention to soft liquid powders. For white linen clothes, it is worth picking up oxygen powder (bleaching). For color, buy a color-preserving compound marked "Color".
Simple Rules
- Do not overload the drum of the machine by filling it 2/3. Sort clothes by color and type of material.
- Use laundry covers half full. The cover will help keep the appearance and accessories intact.
- Linen is absorbent, therefore it is washed in a large amount of water, and it is advisable to turn on the extra rinse function. Powder residue on the fabric can significantly shorten the life of the product.
- If you don't have a suitable powder for colored items on hand, add a couple of tablespoons of table bite or citric acid to the tray instead of rinse aid.
- Follow the instructions on the label, indicating at what temperature to wash linen and what mode to use when ironing.
- Dresses and shirts with embroidery should not be soaked or boiled. Add salt to the rinse aid compartment.
- Hard water, aggressive washing powder and too long drying are the main enemies.
How to wash linen so that it does not shrink?
The truth is that 100% natural linen shrinks under any conditions. If synthetic fibers are present in the composition of the material, then the degree of shrinkage is small, and immediately after trying on the thing returns to its usual size. To return the natural fabric to its original state, it is enough to iron it through a dense fabric or gauze folded several times.
Drying and ironing linen
Remember, even if you managed to pass the machine wash without loss, fragile linen items are easy to ruin when drying and ironing.The main rule is to dry the linen in a room with good air circulation, but away from direct sunlight. "Kiss of the Sun" will easily take away bright colors, and instead of a dress you will get a faded, often uneven, piece of fabric. Bright sun is contraindicated for polyester clothing - things quickly lose color and shape. If you lock linen clothes on a closed balcony without air access, then the clothes will noticeably shrink and it will be quite difficult to eliminate the consequences. Send bed linen and tablecloths to a clothesline or dryer, and dry blouses and jackets on hangers.
It is necessary to start ironing before the fabric is completely dry and becomes fragile and slightly stale to the touch. It is worth ironing through dense material with an already heated iron. To simplify the process, turn on the steam mode or humidifier. After completing the procedure, carefully lay out the clothes on a horizontal surface and leave to dry / cool.
