It's easy to keep your bed and bath linens looking beautiful and performing like new. Here are some tips and reminders to consider:
1. Wash weekly and rotate. When you wash your sheets weekly and rotate through two or three different sets, your linens will stay new-looking for a surprisingly long time. In fact, good quality sheets can last up to fifteen years! Be sure to use only non-chlorine bleach on colored sheets, and bleach white sheets only when absolutely necessary. Over time, chlorine bleach weakens fabric fibers. A more gentle way to brighten white sheets is to add 1/4 cup of lemon juice to the wash cycle, and launder as usual in warm water. Tumble dry, or dry sheets in the sun to further increase the whitening effect.
2. Use your machines wisely. Resist the temptation to speed up the laundry process by overloading your washer and dryer. Your clothes and linens won't get as clean, and an over-full load puts a strain on your washer's motor. In the dryer, oversized loads will take longer to dry and your clothes will come out with plenty of wrinkles. Instead, sort your clothes by fabric weight, drying sheets and towels in separate loads. This reduces drying time and allows fabrics to dry more evenly.
3. If you've just purchased printed sheets, they may feel a bit rough at first. That's because the dye used in printing is extra thick and has a surface texture. These sheets will soften nicely after a few washings. In fact, sheets woven with a higher thread count will become softer each time you wash them. Tumble dry on a medium heat setting, and remove your sheets promptly from the dryer to reduce wrinkling.
4. When laundering towels, machine wash in warm water with similar colors. Be sure to wash brand new towels before use, to remove any excess dye from deeptone and brilliant colors. Always wash dark colors separately, and avoid chlorine bleach. Tumble drying will enhance the softness of your towels. Remove dry towels promptly from your dryer, shake them out, and fold.
5. Do NOT use fabric softeners or dryer sheets on your towels! Washing in fabric softener coats the terry fibers with silicones, and will actually make towels less absorbent. To freshen towels and keep them smelling sweet, add a half cup of baking soda to the wash cycle. You'll end up with extra-fresh smelling towels!
6. If you're hanging your towels outdoors to dry, shake them out before hanging, and shake them again before folding. This fluffs up the terry fibers, making the towels soft and absorbent again. During summer's humid months, don't let wet towels hang in the bathroom all day. Toss them in the dryer for five or ten minutes, to speed drying. Then hang them up, and they'll dry in an hour or two. Remember that towels need more frequent laundering in warm, humid weather.
7. Make your linen closet work for you. First, get rid of any linens that you don't use or don't like. They're just taking up valuable space. Be sure that drawers or shelves are clean and either lined with paper or freshly painted, since untreated wood can stain fabrics over time. Organize your linen closet for greatest efficiency, sorting bedding for each bedroom, and towels for each bathroom. Then sort again, separating seasonal and special occasion items. Place freshly washed and folded items on the bottom of their stacks, and take new towels or sheets from the top. Keep items that you use most frequently at arm's reach, and store seasonal or rarely used items on those hard-to-reach shelves.
8. Give down comforters tender, loving care, and they'll last for years and years. Either wash your comforter in a coin-operated, extra large capacity commercial machine, or have it professionally laundered. Never dry clean your comforter, which causes colors to fade. When storing your comforter for the summer, protect it from dust and humidity by storing it in a zippered bedding bag.
9. Liven up an old and faded comforter, and change the look of your bedroom at the same time, with a duvet cover. This is like a giant pillowcase for your comforter, secured at the top with Velcro or button closures. Duvet covers are easy to remove and launder—a real plus for allergy sufferers in particular.
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SOURCE: Content sponsored by WestPoint Stevens.
