When doing laundry, the delicates can be a bit tricky to understand. Some people lean in to the challenge by going above and beyond with special delicate care for these delicate garments. Others just throw the delicate laundry in with the rest of their laundry and hope for the best. When it comes down to it, most people don’t know how to properly care for their delicate laundry. That’s why we’ve prepared these laundry tips for washing delicate clothes.

Where do we start? There are a lot of factors to consider, and you obviously want to protect your delicate clothes from getting ruined – but how can you make sure of that?

First, let’s start by defining delicates. Delicate clothes typically include, but may not be limited to:

• Lace
• Silk
• Polyester
• Chiffon
• Fine knits
• Velvet

These fabrics are considered delicate because they require a different approach than other clothing types, in order to maintain the longevity of wear and the integrity of the fabric. We’ve compiled some tips and tricks on maintaining the integrity of delicate clothing below – just in time for the release of our new Delicates Laundry Bag!

1) Make sure to read the label for washing instructions

The most important of our laundry tips for washing delicate clothes is simple. When washing your delicates (or, really, any type of fabric), the best thing you can do is check the label for washing instructions. Every garment has one of these care tags on it. And, nobody ever reads them!

If there are special instructions for washing a piece of clothing, it will typically be explained on a tag inside the garment.

Certain delicate fabrics, such as silk, synthetics, and fine knits, will have “hand wash” or “dry clean” tags. The best route to go is to follow the exact instructions of the tag, but these terms do not necessarily exclude you from using your washing machine – although they do require you to use extra caution when washing these delicate materials.

When in doubt, hand washing is the best option, especially if the label recommends it. It will allow you to be more careful with the fabric and avoid tears. But, that sounds like a lot of work, right?

Go by the care tag instructions. If you want to roll the dice, roll them with the most delicate cycle on your washing machine and cross your fingers.

2) Learn how to hand wash your delicates

As a good rule of thumb, handwashing your delicate laundry is one of the best ways to maintain longevity and integrity in the fit. While this may not always be an option, learning the basics of handwashing could save you some unnecessary damages in delicate fabrics in the future.

For example, soaking your delicates before doing a scrub will help ease out any stains and will help get the fabric cleaner overall. It’s also best to use clean containers for hand-washing and rinsing delicates, but the sink will also suffice – just make sure to give it a good scrubbing out beforehand!

You can start by sorting your delicates into piles of light and dark fabrics. Sorting these items allows you to wash multiple items without risking them fading or bleeding into each other.

It’s also important to remember when washing your delicates – whether by hand or by machine – to only use cold or warm water. Hot water may cause these materials to shrink and/or may cause the colors to fade.

Make sure if you are washing by hand that you purchase a detergent made specifically for handwashing since detergents meant for washing machines may be harsh on the hands.

3) When in doubt, use caution!

If you are unsure about how to wash something, it is always best to err on the side of caution – cold wash, gentle setting, etc.

We get it – it’s not always easy or feasible to spend time washing clothes by hand, but you can still do what you can to maintain the integrity of your clothing.

In most cases, a cautious approach to using your washing machine and dryer is more than enough. It’s more common that it’s just some pairs of leggings or a couple of your favorite t-shirts. In this case, the delicate treatment is not critical but it is something that helps you rest assured that you’re not shrinking or damaging your garments.

A gentle cycle on your washing machine and an air-dry, flat-dry or the lowest setting on your dryer is a great way to be cautious.