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How to get your clothes cleaner than ever: top tips and tricks for washing laundry
Debora Robertson has few tricks up her whiter-than-white sleeves, starting with vinegar in the washing machine
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If dropping food on yourself were an Olympic sport, I would be one of those nobly disappointed people all over the media right now claiming that the training hadn’t gone to waste and I would do my best to keep up my messy eating until next time. Pass the mustard.
I once thought a great business idea would be chic bibs for adults.
I do my best to keep old clothes for gardening or painting, but it never quite works out that way and I am very likely to dig a new border in my best linen trousers or paint a chair in a brand new shirt for fear that if I walk up three flights of stairs to change, I will procrastinate myself out of it and the flowers will never get planted, the chair remain un-upcycled.
This is my way of telling you, friends, that my field work in laundry is extensive.
Best washing machine tips
Start by getting to know your washing machine. I lived with my husband for more than 20 years before he confessed he thought the mixed wash setting meant mixed colours, not mixed textiles.
I am fanatical about sorting things into whites, light colours and darks. I’m keen on a stripes wash, as one of the world’s leading curators of Breton tops. As someone who wears a lot of black, I am also keen on this tip from domestic queen Aggie MacKenzie’s website, aggiestips.com: “If a black item has faded in colour over a number of washes, chances are it’s due to a build-up of detergent residue rather than actual loss of dye. To sort this, soak the item for a few hours in warm water with a little clear vinegar added, rinse and wash in the machine as normal.”
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I am a big fan of vinegar altogether. Never use fabric conditioner on towels, as it makes them less absorbent. It is much better, and cheaper (expect to pay around £10 for a five-litre bottle), to use a cup of distilled white vinegar in the dispenser drawer. It will keep them soft and colours clear.
You can also use it more generally as a fabric conditioner, as it will brighten whites and help banish odours from pets, smoke and strong foods, without leaving an eau-de-chip-shop scent. Keep some in a spray bottle to get rid of sweat stains from collars and armpits – spritz on generously and leave for 15 minutes before putting in the wash. Vinegar also helps prevent limescale build-up in your machine, if you live in a hard water area.
Many of us wear our clothes fairly lightly and they usually don’t need vigorous washing so much as freshening up. Most of the time, I use the 15 or 30-minute cycles at the lowest possible temperature. It’s kinder to clothes and the planet, and I use it quite successfully on clothes that describe themselves as “dry clean only”, though go easy on that and save such reckless laundering for things that aren’t fragile or precious.
I save the long, hot wash for sheets and other whites, to which I sometimes add a handful of Vanish Oxi Action Crystal White (£8.40 for 1kg from supermarkets), if they are starting to look a bit dreary.
Don't dry clothes indoors
Air drying in the sunshine is the best of all possible cures for dingy whites, and they always smell so much better. Wishing you all the whitest whites and good drying days ahead.
How to remove stains
There are all kinds of spot stain removers, for specific things such as grease, coffee, chocolate, tomatoes, wine… but I find I use them once, and then the next time I need them they have dried out. For almost everything, a little neat washing-up liquid will do the job.
Rub a tiny amount into the stain, leave for 15 minutes then put through the machine. Alternatively, try a multipurpose stain remover, such as Vanish Oxi Action Fabric Stain Remover Spray (£11 for 1L from supermarkets).
Act immediately
Use cold water to soak or rinse out the stain before washing – hot water will often set the stain.
Blot, don’t rub
Be gentle, repeating the treatment if necessary.
Use kitchen paper or white cloths to blot, so you don’t accidentally transfer colour from the cloth on to the stain.
If you are trying to remove a red wine stain, don’t listen to those lunatics who tell you the best thing to do is to rinse with white wine. Then all you have is a red wine stain and a white wine deficit. Ditto salt. That will simply set the stain. Blot with kitchen paper and then flush the stain with soda water or sparkling water, which will help to lift it. Repeat as necessary. For upholstery, Wine No More! is good (£7.99 for 250ml from lakeland.co.uk).
Do you have a question for Debora or a domestic tip to share? Email askdebora@telegraph.co.uk