Can you wash nylon tights in the washing machine?

Tights are a staple in every woman's wardrobe. They're a lifesaver year-round, being an essential part of office style. Since nylons are worn almost daily, the question of how to wash them properly is always a pressing one.

Nylon is a thin and fragile material that requires careful care. Let's find out whether nylon tights can be machine washed or if they're best washed by hand. What recommendations should you follow to avoid damaging the fabric?

General care rules

It's best to first read the product label. Nylon tights come in different thicknesses, and care instructions may vary slightly. The basic rules for washing tights remain the same:

• Don't load nylon tights into the washing machine with items with embellishments. During the wash, the tights may catch on the clasp, button, zipper, or sharp rhinestones and tear.
• Give preference to gels for delicate fabrics. Avoid using laundry detergents. It is strictly forbidden to use products containing chlorine or other aggressive components, as they can damage the fabric structure.
• It is better not to use soap - it may leave streaks on the nylon;
• When hand washing, remove all jewelry from your hands. Rings and bracelets may leave snags in the material.
• Machine washing is contraindicated for tights with defects, such as small holes or snags. Otherwise, the fabric will tear even more.

Nylon tights are very fragile. Women often have to change them due to snags or runs. Therefore, it's important to wash tights with extreme care to avoid throwing them away after cleaning.

Is it possible to use technology?

Stockings need to be washed very often. After a hard day at work, people don't want to mess around with them by hand, so they rely on the washing machine for help. Almost all models of nylon tights can be machine washed on a delicate cycle. If the dirt is too strong, it is better to pre-soak the item in soapy water for 20-30 minutes.

To wash nylon socks in a washing machine, you need to:

• Sort items by color. White and beige tights are placed together, while black, dark brown, and gray tights are placed in separate piles. This separation into "piles" will help prevent light-colored stockings from bleeding;
  
• Place the tights in a special mesh bag. The bag will prevent the nylons from stretching or tearing.
• Select the most delicate cycle. Nylon fabrics should not be wrung out, so be sure to disable this function.
• Make sure the water temperature doesn't exceed 30°C. Nylon doesn't tolerate high temperatures very well. Also, water that's too hot can stretch the material.
• pour liquid detergent for delicate fabrics into the powder dispenser;
• start the cycle.

If you don't have a special laundry bag, you can put the nylon socks in a regular sock of a matching color.

A sock of a similar shade is selected for each pair of tights. For nude tights, a light one, for black ones, a dark one. Next, the nylons are placed inside, and the sock is tied in a knot or secured with a hair tie.

There's no need to add bleach or stain remover to the washing machine. Any stubborn stains should be removed from the fabric before loading it into the drum.

The traditional way

If time permits, it's best to wash nylon tights by hand. The process will take about 20 minutes, or a little longer if they're heavily soiled. The advantages of the manual method are obvious: the stockings will not be in the water for a long time, and the risk of them getting tangled, stretched, and damaged will be reduced.The algorithm of actions will be as follows:

• wet the nylon caps;
• lather them with a gentle laundry detergent;
• leave the tights in this position to “soak” for 10 minutes;
• fill a basin with cool water, no more than 30°C;
• add detergent to the container, mix the soap solution well;
• place the stockings inside and leave to soak for another 5 minutes;
• Gently rub the material to remove any dirt. Keep in mind that applying too much pressure can damage the fragile fibers of the fabric.
• Rinse the nylon in clean water several times.

To squeeze out excess water, simply squeeze the nylon bags in your fist.

Don't wring your tights out when spinning. Nylon is a fragile fabric and can easily become misshapen. All that's left to do is dry them. Let's figure out how to do it properly.

Carefully remove moisture

As mentioned above, do not twist or roll the nylon tights to remove excess water. Simply squeeze them in a fist. Afterward, it's recommended to lay the tights on a terry towel or cotton sheet, cover them with the other half of the sheet, and press gently. The towel will absorb any remaining moisture. Then hang the item up to dry.

When drying nylon, consider the following recommendations:

• Accelerated high-temperature drying is harmful to the material, so you cannot place tights on a radiator or blow them with a hot hair dryer;
• You can dry nylons quickly by hanging them on hangers in front of an open window or a fan. The draft will help dry the fabric;
• It is permissible to hang stockings on the balcony, but only in cloudy weather. Direct sunlight is harmful to the material;
• On hot days, put on wet tights immediately. After 10-15 minutes, you can go about your business without any worries. Thanks to your body temperature, the fabric will dry very quickly.

If you really don't have time to wait, you can dry the nylon stockings with an iron. Be sure to set the iron to the lowest heat setting. Then lay the stockings out on the ironing board, cover them with a cotton cloth, and iron.

   

Readers' comments