Launderette

We all love the shine and crispness of the new clothes but do know it could actually harm your skin as well as your health. According to the Columbia University Medical Centre, new clothes do increase the chance of risk on health when worn washed. First, there are dozens of people who may have tried the cloth before you buy it. You have no idea how clean their hands and bodies were, no matter whether they touched it or place it on. Secondly, many chemicals are used on the clothes for the shine and freshness. Hence underneath are the reasons why one should wash and how to wash new clothes.

1. Harsh Chemicals

Most textile manufacturers use a variety of chemical treatments bestowing value-added properties including wrinkle-resistant, stain-resistant, flame-retardant, colour-fasteners, and/or softness-enhancers.

Also, the clothes are transported over long distances, so manufacturers add urea-formaldehyde to help prevent mildew from developing on the fabric. These chemicals can develop a rash especially in constant contact areas like armpits, collars, trouser waists and thighs. So it is one of the reasons to wash clothes before wearing them.

2. Bacteria and Lice

Changing rooms is breeding grounds for bacteria because they are rarely cleaned. It has been found that infected clothes can actually transmit the athlete's foot fungus to other clothes.

Not just bacteria, even lice may be passed from one human to another while wearing clothing. They can easily live in the seams of the clothes and eventually get transferred to your hair. The worst part is lice can live on clothing for a month. So this is enough reason for you to wash the clothes before wearing them.

3. Loose Dye Transfer

It’s been said that new clothes often have a small amount of dye resting on the surface which is unabsorbed during the process of dying. If you wear the cloth without washing, there are chances that the loose dye may be transferred to your skin or other clothes. These dyes can cause a severe allergic reaction to those you have sensitive skin.

Tips for Washing New Clothes

Always read the care label instruction do that you don’t damage or shrink the clothes. Using a natural detergent leaves no chemical residue on the fabric that could lead to additional skin irritations. Don’t use too much of the detergent otherwise, the rinse cycle may not get all the residue out of your clothing. Prefer cold water while washing the clothes since the hot water wears out the fabric.

Air-dry whenever possible as it's easier on clothing, helps prolong their lives and is safer for the environment. Even if you are using a dryer, use it at low heat setting.

For any laundry or dry-cleaning related query we’d recommend you to give Launderette a try. They got some of the most affordable and best laundry service providers in your area. Download the app today and avail amazing services they are offering.

If you find this blog helpful, don’t forget sharing it. And if you’ve got any suggestions or feedback do share it on our Facebook Twitter or Instagram page, we’d be happy to hear from you. You can also write to us at support@launderette.in.

In the bathroom, the one thing that gets dirtier every day is the shower curtain. They not only accumulate dust and soap scum over time but the heat and moisture produce conditions that allow mould and mildew to thrive.

If you found mildew on your shower curtain — whether it's plastic or cloth — does not worry. Use these tips to clean the shower curtains, so you can bathe in comfort.

Read the Care Label

The first and the most important step before starting the laundry process are to read the care label. The label will give you a clear picture of how to clean the shower curtains. From here one can understand the fabric type, washing type, correct water temperature. If the curtains require specific types of cleaning, then visit the laundry & dry cleaning services near you.

Washing Techniques

Wash Types depends on the curtain’s fabric type. But in most cases, the curtains can either be hand washed or machine washed. While washing you can use ingredients like vinegar, baking soda, and bleach as the stain remover.

Hand Wash

For the hand wash, take a damp, clean microfiber fabric. Sprinkle baking soda over the fabric so the cloth is coated in a thin layer of baking soda. Use this cloth to scrub the surface of the curtain. Initially give a light scrub then focus on mere removal of basic grime and dirt. After scrubbing, rinse it with warm water, and check if any traces of baking soda is left. Rinse again until the curtain is clear. This process also leaves the bathroom with a clean, fresh fragrance.

Machine Wash

You can also machine to wash your curtains. To start with, remove the curtains from the rod. Make sure you remove the rings that may be on the shower curtains before placing them in your washing machine. Fill your washing machine with warm water on the largest load setting. Then add your regular laundry detergent along with some vinegar, baking powder, or bleach (only if the curtains are white). Toss your shower curtains on a gentle rinse cycle.

Plus, you can place one or two towels into the washing machine. It will prevent the curtains from wrinkling and sticking to each other. The towels you use should be clean.

Dry the Curtains

Once the washing is done, the next step will be drying the shower curtains. You can either tumble to dry, or air dries the curtains depending upon the fabric. Most curtains can be tumble-dried on medium to moderate heat. In case of plastic curtains, hang it back on the rod to air dry.

Clean Curtain Rings too

It is significant to clean the curtain rings because they are constantly exposed to moisture and warmth and led to the build-up of mould. To clean the rings, first, fill a washbasin with warm water and add a cup of white vinegar. Soak the rings in the wash while the curtain is in. Then drain and rinse with hot water. You can clear any stubborn soap scum residue with a brush or even your fingernails.

Maintaining curtain showers is equally important when it comes to preventing mildew. So a temporary fix is to mix a solution of half water and half vinegar and spray it on to the shower curtain every day.

If you are finding it hard to follow these steps, then we’d recommend you to give the Launderette a try. They have 5-Star hotel partners as well as some of the top-rated laundries and dry-cleaners to collect, launder & deliver the garments at the doorstep. Download the app today and avail amazing services they are offering.

If you find this blog helpful, don’t forget sharing it. And if you’ve got any suggestions or feedback do share it on our Facebook Twitter or Instagram page, we’d be happy to hear from you. You can also write to us at support@launderette.in.

Summer is great, and everything, but nothing is worse than feeling hot and sticky all day. Also when the weather starts playing havoc with your sweat glands, it can be tough trying to understand which garments one should wear or avoid. That's why it's important to understand what kinds of clothes are going to provide relief from the heat.

Want to know how to stay cool? Here are some of the most breathable, airy, and lightweight fabrics you’re supposed to wear during this summer season.

1. Linen

Made from flax plant fibre, Linen is among the world’s oldest fabric. It is known for the coolness and freshness it offers, which is an absolute necessity during summer days. It is also very light and loosely woven, allowing heat to escape the body. The fabric retains much moisture, then easily dries to keep you cool and dry. Also, it appears to be rigid so that the garment does not stick to the body as well. The only problem with linen is they wrinkle quite often. So it requires ironing after every wash or wears.

Cool Tip: If you hate to iron, just lightly spray your garment with a water bottle and smooth over wrinkles with your hand.

2. Cotton

Cotton is considered to be one of the best hot weather fabrics. It's a natural fibre and is soft, lightweight, and breathable. The fabric soaks up sweat, allowing the body to escape the heat and keep it cool for you. Available in all colours, fits, styles, and patterns, you’ll be sure to find one to suit your summery needs. Cotton also has certain downsides, firstly they get much wrinkled. Secondly, if you sweat a lot, cotton tends to soak up moisture so it could become heavy and damp and it may also leave stains under your armpits or collar area especially in light colours.

So if you are facing such stain issues, then do check some laundry app you can solve your problems.

3. Rayon

Rayon is made from cotton, wood pulp, and other or synthetic fibres. This fabric was invented as a cheaper alternative to silk and is more breathable than other summer fabrics because of its delicate fibres. The fabric is so light that it prevents from sticking to the body in hot weather conditions. The downside, however, is that it does not absorb much moisture, and is best suited to dry weather.

Also, one needs to take extra precaution while washing rayon garments. They can shrink when washed in warm water. So it is better to hand wash in cold water to prevent shrinkage or harm.

4. Chambray

Although chambray looks is a lot like denim, except the fact that they are much lighter than it. The fabric often comes in a higher thread count, which means its woven finer and is more breathable and absorbs sweat. So this summer ditch your regular denim with chambray alternatives fashion choices.

5. Blend Fabrics

Blended fabric is typically made of cotton, polyester, and rayon. The fabrics are known to detract moisture and are ideal for humidity weather. Like athlete wears are mostly made up of this fabric. The other advantage of this fabric is it lasts long, keeps their shape & require little to no maintenance i.e. no ironing not required!

Also, the summer season appears to be the stains seasons: grass, dirt, and sweat. Don't ruin one of these nice summer fabrics with a stain, take them to a professional service provider as soon as possible.

Are you looking for the best laundry in Delhi- NCR? Then Launderette is the answer. Their services are very good, and the prices are petty nominal. Download the app and place an order right away.

If you find this blog helpful, don’t forget to share it. And if you’ve got any suggestions or feedback do share it on our Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram page, we’d be happy to hear from you. You can also write to us at support@launderette.in

The first thing that you might think about when bacterial or viral infections hit is getting your laundry cleaning. Cleaning may reduce the risk of spreading of these infectious agents, but it does not kill them. You need to disinfect the washing to make it truly clean and get rid of these bacteria and viruses.

According to WHO, COVID-19 spreads by indirect and direct contact with respiratory droplets containing the virus, from person to person. These droplets can fall on objects and surfaces through which it can enter a person’s body. So here are few tips on how to disinfect and sanitise your laundry.

How to disinfect clothes

While disinfecting the garments, one needs to take different methods for white and coloured clothes. Also before starting up, always read your care label to avoid any mistakes. Below is the procedure you need to follow:

• First, select the right water temperature; for white clothes, you can use hot water and for coloured ones use warm to cold water.
• Then add your regular detergent along with some bleach. Here bleach will act as a disinfecting agent.
• Wash the clothes and place them in the dryer for at least 45 minutes. 
• If there are any hard stains or the care label states dry-clean only. The look for best dry cleaners near you.
  

Laundry Disinfectants other than Bleach

Vinegar

The most common disinfectant one can use is Vinegar. Since the vinegar has acidic properties, they can kill germs. Add ½ cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle. There might be some vinegary smell after washing so to avoid that you can add some deodoriser along with the vinegar. This method is perfect for both white and coloured garments.

Pine Oil Disinfectant

You can pine oil for disinfecting the laundry. These are effective in warm and hot water and can be used on both coloured and white fabrics. They are to be added at the start of the wash cycle. The product which you’ll be using must contain at least 80 percent pine oil in order to be successful.

Note: It should be avoided by those you have skin sensitivity or allergies.

Borax

You might be thinking whether borax can be used as a laundry disinfectant? Then the answer is yes. It works best with the hot water. Add ½ cup of borax to the washing cycle. Also when it comes to clean, make sure you wash your clothes in hot water.

Hydrogen Peroxide

Hydrogen Peroxide is one of the highly recommended disinfectants (even by WHO). It can be used for multiple purposes, so it can be used for laundry as well. Add a cup of hydrogen peroxide to the white clothes before the wash cycle.

Since hydrogen peroxide has bleaching properties, therefore it is best to run a patch test on coloured clothes before adding it to your load.

Also, it is important to sanitise your washing machine and laundry baskets as they may also get bacteria and germs. It should be a must if someone in your family is ill.

Even dry cleaning is another effective way to sanitize your laundry. We’d recommend trying the Launderette app which provide the best dry cleaning and laundry service. Their partners are taking every precaution as well as hygiene practices. So if you have the trouble of disinfecting your own laundry or need a particularly deep clean, then simply download the app and place the order right away.

If you like our post or have any feedback or suggestions, feel free to write to us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We’d love to hear from you. 

Ever wondered what are fabric softeners actually used for? Well, besides keeping your clothes smooth and wrinkle-free they help reduce friction between fabrics, which causes less static and in turn reduces wear and tear of your garments, making them last longer. 

In addition to that, they work as great scents, add a splash of fragrance to your laundry helping you smell fresh all day long. However, there are a few tricks out there to get the best out of your fabric softener, as well as some important things to avoid.

If you are washing by hand, then at the end of the washing process you can use the fabric softener. Pour the recommended amount of fabric conditioner in a bucket of clean water. Let the clothes soak for 5 minutes in the solution, then remove the clothes. You don't have to clean your clothes again-just hang them to dry up!

For machine wash, the usage of softeners varies from fully automatic machines to semi-automatic machines.

For a semi-automatic washing machine, just add the correct amount of fabric conditioner to the last rinse.

While using fabric softener, it's crucial to read the directions on the care label. This way, you can be sure that you'll get the best results. By doing this, you’ll prevent damaging the garments. 

There are certain types of clothes where you can completely avoid using a fabric softener. 

Microfibres has dedicate fibres that are capable of collecting dust and absorbs spills easily. If you add softener to them while washing, you could end up destroying their effectiveness. So next time don’t use softeners on your towels nylon, and polyester. Based clothes that are made up of microfibers.  

When it comes to athleisure, we strongly recommend that you shouldn’t use fabric softeners. Since most sportswear has wicking technology that removes moisture from your skin and keeps you cool while you work out. Softening agents can clog those pores, breaking down its wicking skills. 

In order to reduce the risk of clothes catching fire, it's necessary to be flame-resistant. But washing these clothing with fabric softener impacts the fabric's flame-resistant properties. 

We hope that these hacks and tricks might have solved most of your queries related to fabric softeners.

For any laundry related issues, we’d also recommend you to give Launderette a try. The launderette is a laundry and dry-cleaning app. We have multiple top-rated partners that offer both laundry and dry-cleaning services. To know more, we request you to download the app. http://onelink.to/launderette.