How to wash polyester in a washing machine

In today's world of synthetic fabrics, polyester clothing is an essential part of any wardrobe. However, like any other fabric, polyester eventually requires washing. This begs the question: can 100% polyester be machine washed or is hand washing better?

Getting ready for washing

In fact, these days, almost any item can be machine washed. However, each fabric has its own care requirements, which should be carefully studied before loading the laundry into the drum and confidently pressing the buttons on your washing machine.

When purchased, a garment usually comes with a sewn-on fabric tag that specifies basic care instructions, including washing instructions. The only restriction on washing an item in the washing machine is the symbol depicting a crossed-out container of water. If there is no such symbol, the item is machine washable.

1. Before washing clothes in the washing machine, it is better to patch all holes and tears in the clothes, fasten all zippers and remove foreign objects from the pockets, if there are any.
2. It is better to spot-treat serious stains with soap before loading them into the drum.

That's all about preparing for washing. Now we can move on to the actual process. An important detail is the detergent, which should be chosen carefully, not haphazardly. Here are a few recommendations.

1. If the laundry is white or light-colored, capsule gel products are preferable.
2. For colored or black fabrics, products are sold with the appropriate markings “For colored fabrics” or “For washing black”.

Why is it better to avoid bulk powders? Synthetics tend to be very difficult to rinse.Even ordinary natural fabrics can be extremely difficult to remove laundry detergent from. Long-term washing with loose laundry detergent can cause a significant buildup of detergent in the polyester fibers, which can damage and irritate the skin.

We wash the fabric in the machine

It's worth mentioning the spin cycle right away. Intensive washing isn't suitable for polyester, so limit yourself to 800 spin cycles, or even 600 if the fabric is particularly delicate.

As for washing modes, the delicate or hand wash cycle is ideal for polyester and is available in absolutely every washing machine model. Perhaps you're lucky and your machine has a "Sport" cycle, specifically designed for sportswear, which is typically made of pure polyester. However, this cycle is also suitable for dresses, coats, and even throws, as long as they're made of polyester.

For light soiling, you can simply use a quick wash cycle or a program with an additional soak, if available. This way, your item will receive high-quality, gentle care and will be washed thoroughly.

As mentioned above, the detergent you use depends on the color of the fabric, so remember to wash whites, blacks, and multicolored items separately. Sort the items and wash them in several batches, purchasing detergents for blacks, whites, and colors beforehand.

Important! Wash polyester fabrics at a low temperature—maximum 40 degrees Celsius. Firstly, synthetics become terribly deformed at high temperatures, and light-colored polyester items take on a sickly yellow tint, significantly detracting from the garment's appearance.

The use of air conditioners is not only acceptable, but highly desirable, as modern hard water significantly degrades the quality of items. To avoid such consequences, conditioner will help; it will make the item softer and give it a pleasant scent.

What should you do if your item has severe or stubborn stains that are unlikely to be removed using the above method? No problem. There are several ways to remove stains before washing.

1. Use a stain remover, but only if you are sure that it will not ruin your item.
2. A folk remedy involves wetting the item and generously sprinkling the stain with table salt, which will absorb the stain. Then, hand wash the item with regular soap.
3. There's also a 10% borax solution that can be applied to the stain with a cotton pad, and then the excess removed with lemon juice. After this treatment, the item should simply be hand-washed.

Now about ironing and drying. After washing, hang the garment on the balcony or in a well-ventilated area. Synthetic fabrics rarely need ironing, as they do not tend to wrinkle much. However, if you want to be 100% sure of its appearance, you can only iron polyester in the "Silk" mode on an iron through a damp gauze.

What is polyester “afraid of”?

Don't want to ruin your PE item completely? Here's a list of the strictest care instructions:

• no boiling!
• no bleaches!
• no high temperatures!
• no sun rays!

Moreover, the above rules apply not only to clothing made from 100% polyester, but also to mixed materials, since there are many items in which polyester is included along with other fabrics. Drying clothes automatically is also prohibited.Natural drying is the only option! To speed up the drying process for synthetics, gently wring them out by hand and hang them to drain in the bathroom or on the balcony. With the latter option, you likely won't even need to iron them, as polyester doesn't wrinkle when dried naturally.

Why shouldn't you bleach it? Although polyester is a purely synthetic fabric, it doesn't tolerate chemicals, unlike, for example, nylon or other synthetic fabrics. Therefore, make sure your item is truly made of polyester.

In general, polyester fibers are made from polyesters, which are highly susceptible to various erosions. They are destroyed by even the slightest exposure to high temperatures, so avoid boiling, washing in hot water, or drying in the hot sun, let alone on a heater or radiator. While the item won't burn or evaporate, its structure will be seriously damaged, rendering it completely unusable and making it unsuitable for outdoor wear.

   

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