How to take care of second hand clothing

Taking care of second hand, used, and older clothes is important to help keep the quality of them to last longer. If you like thrifting for the season or are new to vintage fashion taking proper care can make a huge difference. Here are the best tips for maintaining second hand clothing. Learn how to properly wash, store, and repair your clothes to keep them looking clean.

Taking care of new pieces of clothing

First we’re going to talk about the process of cleaning your clothes. When you bring home vintage or used clothing, it’s important to clean them well before adding them to your closet. You can start by checking the care labels they might have. Many older clothes have specific instructions because of their exquisite fabric. For most pieces, a gentle cycle in a washing machine with cold water and a gentle detergent is the best way to wash them so you don’t ruin it. I would avoid using bad chemicals or bleach because they can ruin the fabric. For pieces that are delicate or have very specific instructions, I would consider taking it to a professional cleaner who cleans and specializes second hand clothing.

Maintaining your clothes

You’re going to want to focus next on how to maintain your clothes. Storage is what helps keep the quality of second hand and vintage clothing last longer.

You could store them in a cool dry place away from bad smells and sunlight to prevent it from the color to fade. I would recommend using padded hangers for items that are more delicate to help it not stretch and lose their shape. For heavier clothing items like coats or jackets, you should use wooden hangers. If you are wanting to store something for a long time, use a garment bag to keep them from getting dusty and pests. On top of that, to prevent bad odors, airing out your clothes is ideal.

Spot cleaning your clothes

Next, if your second hand or vintage clothing has a stain and you need to spot clean, be gentle. Try to stick with hand washing or a gentle cycle. For stains water and mild detergent mixed together and applied onto the stain will work amazingly well. Dab the stain gently, do not rub it and be aggressive as this can lead to the fabric to stretch and ruin the piece. Rubbing it will also spread the stain. For stains that are stubborn, use white vinegar and water to use on the affected area. Before spot cleaning, always test a small portion of the fabric before going all in to make sure that it causes discoloration or damage. If the stain is too stubborn and persists, it might be best to take it to a professional cleaner.

Keep your clothes to live longer

Consider practicing maintaining your clothes for the life of your clothing. Things you can do to keep your clothes to last long is to regularly rotate your clothes in your closet to prevent you from wearing the same thing over and over again.

Sewing small tears and replacing buttons can give your clothes more life. Taking these steps, not only are your clothes not going to last longer, but you are achieving more sustainable fashion.

Washing your clothes

Back to the topic of washing your clothes. You might be surprised but washing your clothes is very important and can make a huge difference. Some tips I like are washing your clothes inside out because it protects the outer side of your clothing and also helps any stains on the inside of your clothing like pit stains. Don’t overload your washing machine as this can damage the fabric. Feel free to do separate washes if you have to. Avoid unnecessary washes. I know when I’m cleaning my room or just in general getting ready for bed, I get lazy and instead of putting it away I’ll just throw it in my hamper. Practice on making better habits and if you had a long day, it’s okay I get it. You can just leave it on your floor and put them away when you wake up. Another useful tip is avoiding dryers. Dryers almost always ruin the fibers on the fabric and can cause your clothes to shrink and age permanently. This is why some people hang up their clothes to dry. Hand washing your clothes is another really good way to keep your clothes alive longer. You can do this with cool water with 1 tsp of detergent (make sure it’s gentle.) You don’t have to hand wash all of your clothes but the delicate ones need more care. This goes along with drying your clothes without a dryer but it’s all up to you and washers are okay as long as you don’t use too much detergent as it can ruin your clothes and lead to excess suds. I know this is a lot to take in but keep these tips in mind and apply some of them.

One other thing, your clothes don’t always have to be perfect and put together. If there’s any imperfections of any vintage clothing you might have, it makes the piece more unique, it adds more character and tells a story about them. So, don’t feel like you need to fix all your clothes that have imperfections on them because your clothes will get worn out or ruined and that’s normal.

In the end, caring for second hand, used clothing, and vintage clothing does need more effort but it is so worth it. Cleaning properly, storing them, and trying to maintain your clothing will extend their life longer so you can enjoy them for longer. By practicing these steps, you’re reducing waste and maintaining clothes. Keep these tips in mind, have an open mind when washing your clothes and practice good habits. Thank you for not wasting your clothes, and keeping a positive impact on the environment. Have fun thrifting!