Caring for Knit Clothing
TIPical Mary Ellen : Episode TIP-730 -- More Projects »
Clothing expert Tamara DelSonno provides tips for caring for and maintaining knit clothing.
- Handwashing is best for most knit clothes, as it reduces the risk of snagging as well as shrinking, stretching or otherwise damaging the item.
- Fill a small container such as a bathroom sink, large bowl or dishpan with lukewarm water. Lukewarm water is the key, as extreme temperatures will shock the item and cause it to shrink.
- Ordinary dishwashing detergent is a great laundry detergent as well. It's strong enough to clean the clothes without damaging the textile. Use just about the same amount as you would use for washing dishes.
Start with some nice soapy water. Wad clothing item into a ball and saturate it in the water. Let it soak for a few minutes. Lift out of the water and gently squeeze out the water (figure A). For extra heavy items, try running them through the spin cycle of the washer to remove water.To prevent static buildup, squirt a dime-size amount of hair conditioner into a fresh container of lukewarm water and swirl the item in the water.
Gently dry the item by rolling it up in a couple of towels and walking on it. Just spread towels out on a flat surface, place the item in the center of the towels and roll everything up. Now take off your shoes and walk around on the towels (figure B). This fancy footwork will squeeze out much of the moisture.For clothing items that are beginning to unravel, catch it before it's too late by gluing it down. There are several products on the market that allow for this quick fix-it very easily.Shrinkage can be caused by many extreme laundry conditions, such as water that's too hot or too cold, heavy detergents or overly aggressive agitation by the machine. Got a piece of clothing that's too large? If shrinkage is what you want, then place the item in hot water, plunge it into cold water and place into a hot dryer.
Guests Tamara DelSonno
Owner, Clickety Sticks Yarns and Such
2726 E. 50th St.
Minneapolis, MN 55417
Phone: 612-724-2500
Also in this Episode
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