How to wash colored clothes without losing color

Among routine household activities, laundry is not among the most appreciated, as it involves a great deal of time and labor from sorting, prewashing, washing, spinning and drying clothes.

Thanks to the technology available (live the washing machine!), Work is a little easier today. Still, the correct separation of clothes and the prewash process are crucial to maintain the durability and color of the clothes.

Check out the care? from separation to drying? You should have when washing your colorful clothes.

How to separate clothes

The first thing to do before you wash your clothes is to separate them by color. According to personal organizer Adriani Gonçalves, the separation should be made as follows: "light colors (white, beige, gray), dark colors (black, navy) and intermediate colors (red, orange)". You must wash each group separately.

It is also necessary to separate delicate pieces such as underwear, viscose, knitwear, wool, silk, lace and embroidered fabrics. According to Adriani, the machine spinning process spoils the fibers of some fabrics of this nature and it is recommended that the pieces be washed by hand.

If there are parts that are very dirty, dirty or muddy, the separation should also be done, because in this case, they need to soak more time in the machine.

How to wash clothes: step by step

Follow the instructions to wash your colored pieces and prevent stains and the color from fading in the process.

1. Prewash

When the laundry is very dirty or stained, it is ideal to pre-wash by hand. It is important to note that the washing machine is an aid in washing clothes, but has no ability to remove all dirt. This is why the prewash process is so important.

For convenience, before you put your clothes in the machine, examine them one by one by checking the following items:

• Remove stains and remove coarse dirt with coconut soap, neutral or pre-wash detergent before placing the part in the machine;
• If the laundry is very dirty, soak for 30 minutes or more;
• Close zippers, buttons, and hooks to prevent damage to other parts;
• Tie the laces and belts without tightening too much;
• Examine all pockets and remove everything in them;
• Unfold the sleeves of the shirts.

2. Washing and centrifugation

After prewashing, put the clothes in the machine respecting its maximum limit. For clothes to be well washed, they need room to move. So don't overfill the washer.

After that it is time to adjust the water level of the machine according to the volume of laundry. This level varies with each washer. After the machine starts working, check back to see if the amount of water is sufficient. If your clothes are not covered with water, raise the level.

Another tip is to dissolve the laundry detergent in the water before placing in the machine to avoid stains on the clothes.

3. Drying

Hang the clothes on the clothesline giving space between them so that the wind can circulate easily. Adriani directs to extend the dark and colorful clothes inside out, always in the shade. Shirts and blouses should preferably be extended on hangers.

If you have a clothes dryer in your home, it will make the job easier, but be sure to check the lint filter for cleanliness. Also remember to not overdo the amount of clothes in it.

8 Tips for Not Fading and Extra Care for Clothes

1. To preserve the color of your clothes add half a cup of vinegar or five spoons of salt to each wash cycle. According to Adriani, this procedure gives color durability, because salt and vinegar have fixing substances;
2. The fabric softener should be diluted with water, regardless of whether the machine has a separate reservoir for this. Excess softener causes stains and impairs washer maintenance;
3. Adding half a cup of household ammonia to the wash water will help brighten colorful clothes;
4. For dark and colored clothing, turn the clothes inside out before washing to help prevent fading;
5. In cases of delicate clothing, bags made of polyester may be used to protect the clothing. This case is only valid for clothes that can be machine washed but need protection. The tip of Adriani Gonçalves, personal organizer, is the use of pillowcases that are used inside out to fulfill the same function as protective bags;
6. For stain removal it is recommended to use only chlorine free and oxygen based bleach;
7. For people allergic to fabric softener perfume, white vinegar is a good substitute;
8. To check if the colored part is free of ink, perform the following test: moisten the wrong side of the colored part and then place a dry white cloth over it. Iron the cloth warmly. "If the cloth becomes stained, it is a sign that the fabric is loosening ink and the garment should be washed separately from the others," teaches Adriani.

If you have any other suggestions on the care of sorting, prewashing, washing, spinning and drying clothes, share it with us in the space for comments.

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