Sarah Shah makes her living making sure her clients look good. The image consultant says sometimes that includes a laundry lesson refresher.
"The washing and drying process is really tough on our clothes," Shah said.
Shah took us to Soap Suds Coin Laundry in the Heights to help us sort it all out. Tip number one is to wash all your clothes inside out, on the gentle cycle in cold water.
"(That's) so the abrasion happens on the inside of the clothes," said Shah.
Washing in cold water will also save your clothes from fading and next is to air dry.
"The heat of the dryer can really break down the fibers and it will also fade," said Shah.
When it comes to the whites, try to wash them immediately after wearing.
"The oils from our body get on our white clothes and over time turn our whites yellow," she said.
If you really want to make them bright white use Borax. It's a laundry booster than can really brighten up your whites. These are white towels washed without borax...this is a white tank that has received the Borax treatment.
Next, close the closures. Zip the zippers. Button the buttons, and velcro the velcro.
"My husband has a pair of shorts that has destroyed so many clothes," said Shah.
"You really want to close the velcro and turn it inside out and I even put it inside a mesh bag to keep them totally away from my other clothes," she said.
Wash your delicates in a mesh bag, especially lingerie. Mesh bags like this one are made just for bras and underwear but skip the Woolite on your lingerie.
"There is something in Woolite that degrades elastic and spandex so if you are washing your delicate athletic wear or your lingerie, it's actually degrading faster," Shah said.
A better product, according to Shah, is to use ivory Snow for delicates.
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