Make your clothes last longer (without spending big)

**MRAHoffman** · 01-31-2009, 08:37 AM

My mothers words were in my thoughts today about how to make your clothes last longer. We dry VERY little of our clothes (and usually only for 5-10 minutes to get the wrinkles out first and THEN hang everything on hangers to dry), we have my grandmothers HUGE wooden drying bars which we hang ALL of our underwear on (as she says, drying things in the dryer makes the elastic wear out sooner) and when the weather is warm (aka, non snow...but I AM thinking of changing this as coming from work the other day I saw some sheets on a clothesline) I hang my towels and sheets on the clothesline, but here are some additional tips.

http://www.wisebread.com/make-your-c...t-spending-big

**ahmom** · 01-31-2009, 08:43 AM

Don't let your kids eat in their good clothes. Don't clean in your good clothes.

**thesightofoneself** · 01-31-2009, 08:49 AM

"It's really easy to want to wash an item of clothing after having worn it just once. But washing an item of clothing is the fastest way to help the fibers break down. The fewer times you have to wash an item of clothing, the longer it will last."

i cant wear something and NOT wash it... everyones different

**Grayce** · 01-31-2009, 09:31 AM

I wear a full apron when I cook, stop those grease splatters from getting on my clothing.

**Grainlady** · 01-31-2009, 09:53 AM

- Get a "fuzz buster" - one of those little battery-powered razors that remove "pills" from areas of your clothing where there's lots of friction, which causes pilling. I've purchased beautiful sweaters at thrift stores that looked like new once I "shaved" them.

-Clean up those collars and cuffs and that will help your clothing look better longer. Sometimes just a light application of shampoo/water solution and a quick rubbing will remove rings around the collar and grim on the cuffs.

-A stitch in time saves nine.... Small mending jobs are barely noticed when done properly. Patch a garment before you wash it to keep the rent or tear from getting larger. You can fix sweaters by using a crochet hook to pull back a snagged or pulled yarn.

-I'm another person who line-dries clothing to keep them longer. I use my basement lines even more than outside because the sun can take it's toll on colors and weaken fabrics over time, and elastic can get weak when exposed to the sun. Strong winds can whip clothing enough to break the fibers where the clothes pins are attached or from snapping in the wind.

-Avoid over-drying clothing in the dryer. Not only is that wasted energy, it's beating fibers from your clothing. If you have a combination load, remove lightweight or synthetics items before the load is completely dry.

-Carry a TIDE to go Instant Stain Remover pen. (LOVE 'em!)

**shellyrhds** · 01-31-2009, 02:41 PM

Note on the fuzz buster clothes shaver: You can just use a disposable double edged razor, and it will work just as well. In fact, in my experiences, it works better. Just shave the surface gently. Dry cleaning shops use this all the time! So if you don't want to spend moolah on a fuzz buster and the batteries to go with it, grab a generic razor and go to town!

**gardening momma** · 01-31-2009, 04:26 PM

I use the beard trimmer on dh's electric razor for trimming sweater fuzzies. Will have to try the reg. razor too.

**khjmom** · 02-02-2009, 07:03 PM

Originally Posted by shellyrhds

Note on the fuzz buster clothes shaver: You can just use a disposable double edged razor, and it will work just as well. In fact, in my experiences, it works better. Just shave the surface gently. Dry cleaning shops use this all the time! So if you don't want to spend moolah on a fuzz buster and the batteries to go with it, grab a generic razor and go to town!

I would have never thought of doing that...........

**frugalchick** · 02-05-2009, 09:53 AM

I have used my dryer the least this winter I have ever in 25 years.....for 2 reasons,

1. Being that I did find out that the dryer 'eats' your clothes......

2. It is helping on the electric bill!

I have 1 wooden drying rack and am purchasing another on.....and the stuff on hangers gets hung on the shower curtain rod..works like a charm!

**RetiredVeryEarly** · 02-05-2009, 02:01 PM

I haven't used a dryer in my home since 1991. It is both a plus and minus to have your clothing last forever. :-) I used T-shirts I got free on freecycle for gardening. They get hopelessly dirty and no amount of washing gets them clean, so I don't wear just any garment for garden work.

I wear shirts and pants more than once all the time. The only things I only wear once and wash are socks and underwear. Shirts don't really get ucky unless you spill on yourself or you do something sweaty in them. Seriously, try it. Pants are even more simple to wear again and again, it isn't like you don't have underwear on?!?

**Thevail** · 02-12-2009, 06:39 PM

If you have shirts with logos or pictures, wash them inside out. It keeps the logo or picture from fading.

Buy pants an inch too long, once they get "grubby" or "ratty" on the bottom turn the hem under and re-hem.
You can re-dye older or just lighter colored blue jeans in loads with Navy Blue RIT dye for that attractive, oh so slimming "dark wash" effect.

If you have a really nice long dress, but what the heck would you wear it for...get a friend to help you mark a new, at the knee-or-just above the knee hemline (don't forget to allow for the hem length though). Cut off the excess fabric, hem to length. Now use the extra fabric to make a cute shoulder wrap, or little drawstring bag, or even matching hair scrunchy. Sooo custom looking, and you can easily add the detail of the year to make it current.

Got an old trenchcoat that's seen better days? Cut it, hem it to the high hip length, dye it a bright color..the newest spring trend for the price of a bit of dye. Or even leave it neutral since heaven help us "oatmeal" and gray are in this year.

Men's sweaters can be revamped with very little work into awesome sweater dresses, since men always wear out the cuffs and elbows first. (if you can sew stretch material..seriously read up on it, it's a bit wierd)
Cut off the sleeves to a length that pleases you and looks good. Stitch around (either stretching the material for a lettuce edge, or carefully avoiding doing that). Cut off the bottom band and do the same. Layer with leggings and a plain turtleneck, belt as necessary..practical, attractive and cheap.

Sorry..forgot to say..really big men's sweaters. All of my husbands are XL and XT so I didn't really think that through.

Oh and check out Threadbangers!

**RetiredVeryEarly** · 02-15-2009, 12:59 AM

All of my husbands are XL and XT so I didn't really think that through.

Gosh, can't help but ask, how many husbands do you have? Maybe if I had more than one, more things would get done around the house. :-)

Ditto to the don't dry clothes in a dryer, and wash shirts inside out to keep them newer longer. Also don't be afraid to wear ratty clothes around the house if you know you aren't going anyplace. I think a lot of people throw out clothing that is still quite wearable.

**Luv2BeFrugal** · 02-19-2009, 06:30 AM

Great tips!! Interesting article!

Thanks so much for sharing!

**phoeny_moonstar** · 02-19-2009, 06:38 AM

Thanks for all the awesome tips!!

**noelwellin** · 02-26-2009, 09:03 PM

Does anyone know where I can buy one of those fuzz busters? I really haven't seen one in about 15 years, I forgot all about them until one of my sweaters was washed with a towel and came out covered with towel-y pills all over it. I tried one of those tape rollers but that didn't really do anything at all. Any ideas?