While throwing your tees, cotton undies and other light items into the wash after every wear is expected, you don’t need to clean denim all that often. If your denim jacket or jeans are developing a not-so-fresh smell, you can actually fold them up and stick them in the freezer to kill the bacteria and the resulting odor. But those stretchy skinnies or cropped wide-legs you wear four times a week should definitely get thoroughly washed at least once a month.
What you’ll need:
- A basin or bowl large enough to submerge your clothes (a kitchen sink or bathtub will also suffice)
- Laundry detergent
1. Fill the basin with warm water and a small amount of laundry detergent. Swish the water around to incorporate the soap.
2. Submerge your cotton items and allow them to soak for 10 to 15 minutes.
3. Gently work the detergent into your clothing, paying special attention to areas that might be prone to accumulating dirt or bacteria, like the armpits or the hems.
4. Drain the dirty water and refill the basin with fresh, cool water. Cotton is more durable than many other fabrics, so you can feel free to hold your jeans and cotton dresses right under the faucet to rinse them rather than using the rinse-and-repeat method you used for your bras (although that does ensure a gentler wash).
5. Squeeze any excess water out of your clothing, but don’t wring the fabric as it can stress and break down the fibers, eventually making your clothes deteriorate faster.
6. It’s best to lay your clothing flat atop a towel to dry, but if you don’t have room, draping them over a towel rack or your shower rod, or hanging them on a clothesline works, too.