For many families, clothing represents the largest share of the back-to-school expenses each year. The amount of money that goes into a new wardrobe for the school year, paired with the reality that kids tend to be careless about stained clothing, can be daunting. With proper care, you can take steps to better protect your investment.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, approximately $8.5 billion was spent in family clothing stores in August 2012.
This compares to approximately $2 billion spent in bookstores during the same timeframe, highlighting the significant investment that families make in new clothing each year.
Here are some tips for keeping your family’s clothes in top shape year-round:
Start fresh. New clothes are notorious for bleeding dye during their initial washes. Protect garments by grouping like-colored items and washing them according to their tag instructions.
Take precaution. Give clothing a quick scan before tossing it in the washer to identify and pre-treat any stains before they’ve been washed, dried and set into the fabric. Also check pockets for overlooked items like tissues, pens, or makeup can to damaged clothing.
Keep clothes looking new. Kids’ clothes attract stains like flowers attract bees. With a quality detergent, you can keep your whites bright and colors vibrant while fighting tough, dried on stains. Look for single-dose packs or powder detergents for stain fighting, whitening and long-lasting fresh scents to deep-clean and freshen your whole wash.
Sort and learn. Get the kids involved after school or on the weekends and invite them to help out with simple, age-appropriate laundry tasks. Have them help sort clothes by color, match socks or fold towels.
Share the load. Most families have a consistent way of grouping loads of laundry (whites, darks, linens, etc.) Make a list of your common loads and instructions for handling each, and post it in your laundry room so others can help. Be sure to include details about proper detergents, pre-treatment use and settings for the washer and dryer.
As safety is first, always triple-check that detergents and chemicals are our of reach of children.
