How to wash cotton

Proper washing of cotton should include several important steps so that white linen does not turn yellow, and colored linen does not fade or shrink.

First of all, we sort the laundry into white and colored. Before washing, the housewife must carefully read the label, which indicates the temperature, ironing mode, whether the laundry can be twisted, and whether it should be bleached. After this, the correct mode is selected; for particularly dirty or white items, additional soaking may be necessary.

When washing, you need to choose a detergent for cotton (liquid or washing powder).

Basic washing rules

For different types of cotton items, it is recommended to select your own washing modes.

• White linen is washed at temperatures from 40 to 95 degrees. Dirty things, especially shirts and bed linen, need to be soaked. Recommended detergents: powder containing bleaching agents; oxygen-based bleaches; chlorine bleaches. After washing, it is necessary to rinse the laundry thoroughly, preferably 2 times.Such underwear is not afraid of spinning at high speeds. It can even be dried in a machine. The denser the fabric, the more aggressive washing mode you can choose for it. Dense fabrics can easily withstand exposure to chlorine and oxygen bleach, and the spin cycle can be increased to 1400 rpm. But before drying, you should carefully examine the label. Only those items are dried on which the manufacturer has indicated the possibility of drying in an automatic machine. White cotton items should be ironed slightly damp.
• Colored laundry “loves” a washing cycle of 30–65 degrees. The most durable dyes begin to fade at temperatures above 65 degrees. It can also be soaked before washing if there is heavy soiling. Recommended detergent: laundry detergent for colored items. The spin speed for them should be from 600 to 800 rpm. They should not be dried in a machine. Before washing, you can check the item: moisten a corner in soapy water and rub it over a clean white rag. If a trace remains, it means that the item has faded during washing; it is better to wash it at a lower temperature, or by hand. Colored laundry is not bleached.

Preparing for washing

• We sort things, separating white from colored so that they do not become stained;
• We select heavily soiled laundry;
• Linen with stains is pre-soaked;
• Things are turned inside out, all zippers are fastened on them.

Sorting is carried out by type of material. Thin and colored cotton fabrics shrink greatly and are recommended to be washed at 30–40 degrees.

How to remove stains from cotton (handle and other difficult stains)

Blood stains soak in cold water; Domestos can be used on white cotton fabric. Leave it on for a while and then wash it off. You can use regular laundry soap.

• Oily spots. Take a paper napkin, heat the iron and iron the item well. As the paper becomes dirty, replace it with a cleaner one. You can wash the item with dishwashing detergent. For cotton, you can use a slurry consisting of laundry soap shavings, ammonia, and purified turpentine (2 to 2 to 1). We apply it to the fabric, wait until the composition dissolves the stain for two hours, soak it and wash it.
• Marks from a ballpoint pen are removed using a mixture of ammonia (4 ml) and a glass of warm water. After this, the mixture is applied to the stain. For colored fabric, a mixture of turpentine and ammonia (2 ml of each component) is suitable.
• Yellow sweat stains wash with a solution of ¼ cup salt and hot water. Then the item is washed as usual.
• Rust stains can be removed with a toothbrush and soap. If the stain is not severe, it can be easily removed with lemon juice. The item is moistened with lemon juice and ironed with a hot iron with a steam function. Old stains are eliminated using a solution of citric acid (a teaspoon of powder per 250 grams of water).

How to wash cotton

Cotton washing temperature

White cotton items can be washed at temperatures of 35–40 degrees, while thicker cotton materials can be washed at temperatures up to 90 degrees.

To prevent colored fabrics from fading, you need to sprinkle salt into the water at the rate of 2 teaspoons per liter of water. You can wash things with baby powder. Recommended modes: 40–45 degrees. It is better not to wring it out, but to lay it out on a horizontal surface and place a clean terry towel on top. Do not use products containing chlorine.

Cotton wash mode

This mode is one of the most common in automatic washing machine models.This is a heavily soiled wash at 95 degrees. This mode can last up to 2–3 hours, and push-ups are carried out at the maximum number of revolutions.

How to wash cotton without shrinking

• We sort things correctly. Do not wash cotton and synthetic materials together. Separate items with soaking and delicate washing.
• Machine washable. In most machines, if the programs are for soiled, white or colored cotton. Therefore, there is usually no need to additionally set the temperature and other parameters.
• Manual, recommended for items with embroidery, lace, thin fabrics. Usually they are not soaked additionally before washing, but are done with powders that do not contain chlorine and other aggressive components. They should not be rubbed too hard.
• The thing is not twisted, but simply wrung out. Rinse in cool water until traces of soap disappear. Ironing should be done while damp. It is recommended to dry things in a place without sun, so that things do not fade or turn yellow. Do not dry it in an automatic machine to avoid shrinkage.

How to wash cotton so it shrinks

• We study the composition of the laundry, look at what mode it should be washed on. If it is 30–45 degrees, then increase it to 60 degrees and increase the number of revolutions by another 200.
• Fill a basin with boiling water and pour out the cap of the conditioner. Place the item in a basin, cover it with polyethylene film and wait 5–7 minutes. Such measures will help things fit to size.
• If you put the item in the dryer, you can achieve another half of the amount of shrinkage.

How to bleach cotton items

Things can be bleached using:

• Bleaching agents (oxygen, optical, chlorine-containing).
• Soda
• Hydrogen peroxide
• Whiteness
• Ammonia, etc.

How to dry and iron cotton correctly

Dry cotton fabrics, evenly laying them out on a horizontal surface, blotting them with a dry terry towel. Do not dry cotton items in direct sunlight.

The fabric must be sprayed with water before ironing. She will become more pliable. Ironing is carried out at maximum temperature. You can apply wet gauze to the item being ironed. It is recommended to iron cotton while still dry or using steam mode. If the iron does not have such a function, then wet cotton can simply be covered with paper and ironed. The effect will be the same. If items have bright patterns, then ironing from the inside out is recommended.

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