Cotton fabric is made from natural plant fibers and is widely used in clothes, table linens, bedding, and everything from delicate baby onesies to denim blue jeans.
Cotton clothes are comfortable, breathable, and durable, and though cotton blends are typically ready to wear right out of the wash, 100% cotton clothes need a bit more care to keep them looking their best for years.
Washing tips for cotton.
To maintain its shape, color, and quality, try to wash your cotton clothing—especially denim—not too often. Wash it every two to three times it's worn, of course depending on how soiled the item gets.
Cotton items can generally be washed by hand or in the washing machine. However, to keep your clothing in good shape, always check the care labels in garments for proper laundering directions and before tossing clothes in the washer. Some clothing may be fragile, like a cotton garment that is made of lace or is embellished, which requires hand-washing or the delicate cycle in the washer.
Other cotton clothes or accessories may have materials that provide structure and shape―like linings and interfacings in structured jackets and blazers―that are not washable.
Don't overstuff your washer.
If there's no label, wash garments inside out and try to use cold or lukewarm water when possible, to prevent bright, coloured or darker colours from fading. It's a myth that cotton shrinks in cold water.
High temperatures can cause color bleeding, and the shrinkage and stretching of cotton fibers. The amount of shrinkage depends on how the fabric was woven at the textile plant, as well as how it was finished (a process that improves the look and feel of the fabric) and sized (a protective substance).
The exception is cotton garments worn close to the body, like underwear, socks, pajamas, bed linens, bath towels and kitchen towels, which should be washed in hot water to remove bacteria, body soil, and bodily fluids. This is especially important if someone in the household is very young, very old, ill, or has a weakened immune system.
A heavy-duty, high-performing detergent is best for removing body soil, odor, and most stains. However, if your clothes are only lightly soiled, any detergent is safe to use on cotton fabrics, even for handwashing. Fabric softeners will make cotton fibers feel softer and may reduce some wrinkling. However, it is not essential to the care of cotton clothes and is optional.
Cotton can be washed on just about any cycle. Normal works well for most garments and linens. Washer cycles can run from 10 to 45 minutes depending on the cycle chosen and the size of the washer.
If you are new to doing laundry and see a tag that specifies dry clean only, pay attention. For dark cotton jeans, slacks, or blazers you want to keep from fading, dry cleaning is always a good option. A professional cleaner will know how to handle the fabric properly.
Drying tips for cotton
Cotton can be dried on an indoor drying rack or outdoor clothes line. While the ultraviolet rays of the sun will help brighten white cotton clothes, hang colored cotton clothes away from direct sunlight to prevent fading.
Cotton can shrink in the tumbledryer if the temperature is set too high. When a cotton garment is woven, the fibers are stretched, but heat releases the tension which causes shrinkage. Select the permanent press setting for cotton clothes or use a lower dryer temperature setting. (Sheets, towels and kitchen linens can be dried at a higher temperature to speed up the process.)
Drying time depends on the size of the load. Over-drying cotton can cause excessive wrinkling.
Wrinkles and Creases
To help remove wrinkles and give you a crisp finish, you can hang cotton clothes in a steamy bathroom, iron it, or use a clothes steamer.
Most cotton fabrics need very little ironing if the clothes are removed from the dryer while slightly damp. A good rule of thumb is to take them out halfway through the dry cycle. Hang clothes to finish drying to prevent wrinkling.
If you don't have time to iron or steam your cotton garment, simply mist the item with a tiny bit of water and use your hands to smooth out the garment's wrinkles and gently stretch them out. This method removes minor wrinkles from setting in and stretches the fibers to reduce any shrinkage.
Some cotton fabrics become extremely wrinkled or develop curled hem edges when washed and will require ironing.
Extremely high temperatures when ironing can scorch cellulosic fibers, and yellowing occurs as the fibers begin to burn. Use a medium hot iron and always iron on the wrong side of the cotton fabric. For extra protection, use a pressing cloth between the iron and the fabric. For an even crisper finish, spray the item with laundry starch or sizing while ironing. For stiff laundry-starched shirts, use liquid starch.
Storing Cotton Clothes
To keep cotton clothing in optimal condition, hang cotton shirts in a closet to prevent wrinkling, and fold and store cotton pants in a dresser.
When storing 100% cotton items long-term, place them in cool, dry, and dark spaces. Avoid storing them in places where temperatures and humidity fluctuate which could damage your items.
Though airtight plastic containers work short-term for cotton items, the fabric needs to breathe longer term, so choose storage containers and bags made of natural materials.
You won't need to worry about moths or moth larvae eating vegetable-based fibers like cotton (moths prefer animal fibers), however, you will need to watch out for carpet beetles and their larvae. Place natural repellants, such as cedar balls and cedar oil in the bag or container to deter them.
Treating Stains
With the right method, it's possible to remove any stain from clothing.
As with any type of fabric, attack stains on cotton clothes as quickly as possible —any stain is removable if you treat it early enough. Have you spilled red wine at dinner? Immediately start flushing out the stain under cold water. The quicker you act, the more likely the stain will come out.
To remove almost any stain:
Scrape solids with a dull butter knife.
Pre-treat them with a commercial stain remover, dish soap, or a heavy-duty laundry detergent. Follow the stain remover instructions.
Allow this to penetrate the stain for five to ten minutes. The amount of time for letting the item set will depend on how fresh the stain is.
Toss them into the washing machine or wash them by hand.
For extra tough stains, rinse the garment in warm water. Otherwise, launder as usual in cold water.
Check to see if the stain has lifted. If necessary, add more stain remover to the garment. Then, wash the garment as usual.
When using a stain removal product for the first time on colored cotton fabrics, especially dark colors and khaki, test it on an inside seam or hem to make sure the garment is colorfast. Fibers in garments each react differently when treated with stain removal products and during laundering.
Avoid using undiluted chlorine bleach to treat stains that can weaken fibers and cause holes in cotton fabric. A better option for stain-removal, whitening or brightening of colored and white cotton fabrics, is to use a diluted bleach solution or oxygen-based bleach, which works more slowly than chlorine on cellulosic fibers. However, even diluted solutions will weaken cotton fibers causing them to rip and prematurely wear out if it is used too often. It's always best to read the product labels and follow the manufacturer's recommendations. Allow the fabrics to soak for at least one hour for the best results.
Remove old stains from clothes
Saturate a stain with white vinegar and allow that to penetrate the stain.
Sprinkle the stain with baking soda and allow that to work its magic. Rub this into the fabric gently and allow it to settle in for 20-30 minutes.
Rinse the garment
If the stain persists, treat with a heavy commercial stain remover or take it to a professional dry cleaner.
Common Stains to Consider
Oil
When oil splatters from your frying pan and onto your white shirt, remove any oily solids from the fabric with a dull knife or spoon, and blot excess liquid oil with a paper towel.
Use baking soda to pull even more oil out of the fabric. Once this sits, you should be set to begin washing the garment.
Apply a heavy-duty laundry detergent to the stained area, and inspect the stain to see if it's disappeared. Launder the garment, and voila—no more oil.
Coffee
For a fresh coffee stain, run cold water from a faucet through the backside of the fabric to keep the coffee from penetrating the cloth.
Rub liquid laundry detergent or liquid dish soap and a little cold water into the coffee stain and allow this to sit for 5-10 minutes.
Apply a stain remover spray or gel to the coffee stain.
Wash the garment as you usually would.
Red Wine
Begin by blotting the wine stain with a clean cloth or paper towel.
Soak clothing in an oxygen-based bleach powder mixed with the warmest water your fabric can handle.
Inspect the piece to see if the stain has lifted. If not, add a stain remover on top, let that sit, and launder the garment.
Paint
Lift and remove as much of the excess paint as possible carefully using a dull knife or spoon.
As quickly as possible, flush the paint from the fibers with a forceful stream of warm water.
Work a solution of liquid laundry detergent and water into the stain, soaping and rinsing until the stain is removed. You may need to repeat this several times.
Then, wash the garment as usual.
What stains cannot be removed?
The longer a stain is left untreated, the most difficult it is to remove. So yes, there may be set-in stains that will not totally be removed. Some difficult stains to remove after they've set in include chocolate, permanent marker, red wine, oil or grease, and yellowing from smoke.
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