SuperLooper Aftercare Guide
The lovely Jenny from SuperLooper gives us the lowdown on the best way to look after your clothes so they can be loved and looped again and again.
so here are a few handy hints...
The SuperLooper clothing library is made up of clothes donated by parents who want to keep their baby’s outgrown clothing in circulation for as long as possible. Sometimes the clothes may arrive a bit damaged with a small hole or stain, but otherwise they’ve got loads of wear left in them and over the years, we've found lots of ways to keep clothes in great condition.
Removing stains
1. The bleaching effect of the sun will remove stains, especially if you dab a small amount of lemon juice on the area.
2. Washing stained clothes in hot or warm water can set the stains, so soak them in cold water before putting them into the machine to get the cleaning process in motion.
3. Did you know that there are natural, low cost alternatives to chemical based stain removers and fresheners?
Baking Soda
Removes odours from clothing, gets rid of stains, brightens colours and whites, and cleans away everyday dirt and grime just like any regular laundry detergent!
White Distilled Vinegar
Brightens whites and removes smells, plus it’s great for removing poo from nappies.
Brightens whites and removes smells, plus it’s great for removing poo from nappies.
Toothpaste
You can even remove stains by rubbing a pea sized piece of toothpaste onto the fabric surface of a garment.
The Freezer!
Most surprisingly of all, the best way to freshen up denim and fluffy jumpers is to pop them into a freezing bag and freeze them - this gets rid of bacteria and therefore odours without damaging the denim wool. Freezing is also a great way to get rid of chewing gum stuck to clothing!
Washing tips
1. It might sound simple, but washing clothes properly with the right detergents helps them keep their colour, stay in shape and generally look better for longer. See the bottom of this post for some suggestions!
2. Try not to over-fill the washing machine as this will cause more creases in your clothes and they won’t be cleaned as effectively (3/4 full is about right).
3.Turn embellished or patterned garments inside out and try to avoid mixing bright colours and whites as the colours may bleed.
4. It also helps to turn jumpers or knitted fabrics inside out to help prevent bobbling.
3.Turn embellished or patterned garments inside out and try to avoid mixing bright colours and whites as the colours may bleed.
4. It also helps to turn jumpers or knitted fabrics inside out to help prevent bobbling.
How to clean your machine
Keep your hard working machine free from contamination by pouring a cup of white vinegar directly into the drum and starting a hot wash cycle of at least 60 C. It’s naturally antibacterial and works wonders at softening and freshening up clothes. The smell will dissipate in the machine but you can add some essential oils if you like added fragrance.
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Drying clothes
1. Sun dry as much as possible - tumble dryers and hot temperatures can make your clothes wear out faster and increase the shedding of microfibres.
2. If possible, pull your garment into the correct shape and then dry it flat or put it on a hanger to dry on the line - this will get rid of creases and then you won’t need to iron!
3. Another tip is to hang up clothes in the shower to steam out the creases!
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A big thank you to Jenny for her suggestions! Let us know in the comments if you have any washing hacks to share with our community.
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Find out more about the SuperLoop pre-loved clothing return service, in collaboration with @superlooperlife.
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