Clothes made from linen are breathable and comfortable to wear. If you wash linen fabric incorrectly, it may lose color or become stiff. This time, we will introduce the correct way to wash and dry clothes made of hemp fabric that you can do at home.
Linen is often used for clothes such as shirts, blouses, and dresses, and it is breathable and airy, so you can stay comfortable even on hot summer days. However, there are also delicate parts, and if you wash or dry them incorrectly, you will have to spend more time ironing them, or they may shrink too much and become unwearable, ruining your clothes. So, how often to wash hemp (linen) at home, how to wash it correctly, and how to dry it. We will introduce you to recommended detergents and hand washing methods.
A type of fiber called “hemp”
Hemp is a general term for the soft fibers inside the epidermis of plants and fibers collected from leaf stems. There are different types of hemp,
- Hemp (hemp) ・・・・・・A plant of the cannabis family Cannabis (Cannabis plant)
- Ramie: Urticaceae, Fiber name: Ramie
- Flax (flax)・・・Laxaceae, fiber name: linen
These three plants are used in the main hemp products.
There are 3 types of hemp! i didn’t know
Advantages and disadvantages of hemp (linen)
Advantages of hemp (linen)
Advantages of linen fabric
- good ventilation
- Excellent water absorption
- durable fabric
- resistant to water
- Cool in summer, warm in autumn and winter
These five points are the main advantages. Good breathability means that the fabric is easy to dry because it is well ventilated, and it has excellent water absorption, so it will quickly become dry even if you sweat. Another advantage of linen is that it is resistant to water, so the fabric becomes durable after repeated washings. If you wear warm fabrics as an inner layer, you can stay very warm in autumn and winter.
I had an image that hemp clothes would be cool on hot days, but if you wear a proper inner layer, you can wear it warmly in autumn and winter.
Linen is four times more absorbent than cotton, but it’s also breathable, so it’s helpful to wash and dry quickly.
Disadvantages of hemp (linen)
Disadvantages of hemp (linen) fabric
- wrinkles easily
- Easy to discolor
- inelastic
- prone to fluff
- Easy to shrink when washed in a washing machine
Mainly, these 5 points can be said to be disadvantages. Looking only at this disadvantage, there is an image that if you wash or dry it incorrectly, it will wrinkle and be difficult to handle.・You can eliminate the disadvantages by drying.
Hmm···? Looking at this, does hemp have many disadvantages? I wonder if it’s troublesome. I hate that.
If you don’t wash and dry your clothes correctly, there may be disadvantages, but if you know the tricks of washing, you won’t have to worry about anything!
Wrong washing method
When clothes made from linen fabric are washed, they become stiff, wrinkled and stiff. Have you ever experienced that? You may be washing or drying it incorrectly. First of all, I will introduce the wrong way to wash and dry.
I’ve made a lot of mistakes and crumpled up! First of all, let’s see what went wrong and what to do in that case!
Well, first of all, it’s important to know why you haven’t been able to wash well until now.
Wrong washing method ① Put it in the washing machine as it is
Put linen clothes in the washing machine as they are and wash them together with other clothes. The problem here is “ as is” . Clothes that tend to shrink or wrinkle easily can be folded and placed in a laundry net to prevent them from tangling with other clothes and preventing them from fuzzing and shrinking due to friction.
Even when I put it in the laundry net, it was crumpled. But looking back, I didn’t fold it or put it in carefully.
I want to be careful with this. If you put it on the net, you will feel safe. Let’s treat it gently.
Wrong washing method ② Detergent choice
There are various types of laundry detergents, but using detergents that are not suitable for hemp fabrics can cause discoloration. Laundry detergents on the market generally have different detergency depending on the type.
- Delicate Fashionable Detergent (Neutral)
- Regular detergent (weak alkaline/neutral)
- Powder detergent (weakly alkaline) to remove stubborn stains
Weak alkalinity has higher detergency than neutrality, and neutrality reduces the burden on clothing.
Neutral detergents do less damage to clothes! It is safer not to use detergents with strong cleaning power on linen clothes.
I never thought about what kind of laundry detergent I usually use. Check the display!
Wrong washing method ③ dehydration
Even if you put it in the washing machine and select a course such as automatic operation or fashionable washing, you want to be careful about “dehydration”. By dehydrating in a washing machine, you can quickly squeeze out the moisture, but on the other hand, dehydration can cause wrinkles and shrinkage for delicate fabrics such as hemp. If you use a washing machine to wash it, dehydrate it within 30 seconds.
I always leave it on automatic mode until the wash is done…
As it is, even dehydration is set. It is important to wash only in the “wash” and “rinse” modes without dehydration!
Wrong washing method ④ How to dry
After washing, dry it in a “sunny place”. This drying method is not suitable for hemp fabric. Since hemp fabric dries easily, it dries quickly when dried in the sun. There is also a washing instructions on how to dry, so be sure to check it out.
There are good and bad things about drying in the sun. Dry delicate fabrics in a well-ventilated shade.
On the veranda of my apartment, I didn’t worry too much about the shade, so I hung it out to dry. If the sun is good, consider drying it indoors.
You can do it at home! Tips for properly washing linen ①
Tips for washing properly ① Check the washing label
First, check the washing instructions for clothes made from hemp fabric. Items marked as not washable should be taken to a dry cleaner or specialty store to prevent damage. If it is not labeled as “No water wash”, you can wash it at home in a washing machine or by hand. When washing, it is a good idea to check whether it can be ironed.
It might be a good idea to make a habit of always checking the washing label before washing!
Make sure to check the washing instructions before buying! It’s safe to wear clothes that can be washed at home.
Point of washing indication
- Always check the washing label before washing
- Items that cannot be washed with water should be taken to a dry cleaner or specialty store.
Next, you can do it at home! Tips for properly washing linen ②
You can do it at home! Tips for properly washing linen ②
Tips for properly washing linen ② Frequency of washing
During the hot summer months, it is easy to sweat, so it is preferable to wash frequently before bacteria grow. may cause Therefore, if there is little dirt overall, it is possible to prevent fuzzing and discoloration by reducing the frequency of washing in the washing machine, such as partially hand-washing areas of concern.
I see, how often do you wash? If you wash only the dirty parts by hand, the whole clothes will not be damaged.
Shirts and blouses in particular tend to get dirty around the neck and cuffs.
Washing frequency points
- Reduce the frequency of using the washing machine by hand washing only the dirty parts
- In the summer, bacteria may grow from sweat, so change depending on the situation.
You can do it at home! Tips for properly washing linen ③
Tips for washing properly ③ Detergent uses “neutral detergent”!
When washing hemp (linen), if the dirt is stained, before putting it in the washing machine , partially remove the dirt with “oxygen bleach for colored items” , etc. When you turn it in the washing machine, the color will fade. It is a good idea to use a fashionable detergent (neutral detergent) that prevents wrinkles and shrinkage . As I mentioned earlier, neutral detergents are less harmful to clothes. When removing stains, be sure to use “oxygen bleach for colored fabrics” to prevent unnecessary discoloration.
Fashionable detergent is a must. I have to be careful not to make a mistake with the bleach when the dirt is conspicuous!
It’s convenient to have one bottle of detergent for fashionable clothes and bleach for colored clothes at home!
Good detergent for linen
- Use fashionable detergent (neutral detergent)
- Use oxygen bleach for colored fabrics
You can do it at home! Tips for properly washing linen ④
Tips for proper washing ④ How to wash in a washing machine
When washing linen clothes in a washing machine, select a course for washing delicate clothes, such as “hand washing” or “fashionable washing”. Turn the clothes inside out, fold them, put them in the laundry net, and finish them without dehydration. If dehydration is unavoidable, limit dehydration to no more than 30 seconds to prevent your clothes from wrinkling and shrinking.
When washing with other clothes, it might be a good idea to finish without dehydrating and take out linen shirts and blouses first.
Dehydration in the washing machine takes a lot of force. No matter how much you put it in the net, it will cause wrinkles and clothing shrinkage.
washing machine point
- Turn the clothes inside out and put them in the laundry net
- Choose a washing method that is OK for delicate clothes, such as hand washing or a fashionable course
- Dehydration up to 30 seconds!
You can do it at home! Tips for properly washing hemp ⑤
Correct washing method ⑤ How to wash by hand
When washing by hand, turn the garment inside out and wash the dirty areas first. At this time, if you use an oxygen-based bleach for colored items, you can remove the dirt in a short time. After rinsing thoroughly, fill with water or lukewarm water, add a small amount of neutral detergent, put the clothes in and wash them. After washing, rinse thoroughly and lightly towel off without squeezing too much water.
When washing by hand, it is important not to add too much detergent. If you add too much, rinsing will be difficult.
hand washing point
- Turn clothes inside out and press wash
- Be careful with the amount of detergent
- wash with water or lukewarm water
- Do not squeeze too much
You can do it at home! Tips for properly drying hemp ①
Tips for properly drying linen ① Dry while wet
After washing with a washing machine or hand washing, it is a method of drying without dehydration. Because the water drips, it is necessary to lay a towel or the like underneath when drying indoors, but you can prevent color fading and shrinkage by not dehydrating in the washing machine. Linen is a fabric that dries easily, so it can be dried in a short time even if it is wet.
Drying while wet may not be done much with other clothes! What will happen?
Water drips, but it dries quickly! Care should be taken when drying indoors.
Points to dry while wet
- Be careful when drying indoors as water will drip
- It dries easily, so you don’t have to worry if the water is dripping.
You can do it at home! Tips for properly drying hemp②
Tips for properly drying linen ② Dry it flat
You can hang it on a hanger to dry while it is still wet, but if you are concerned about losing its shape, we recommend laying it flat to dry. Flat drying can be done easily by using a special net for flat drying, and the type with a little depth prevents clothes from slipping off. On windy days, you need to be careful not to be blown by the wind together with the net.
Flat drying point
- use a flat drying net
- Take measures not to be blown away on windy days
You can do it at home! Tips for drying hemp correctly ③
Tips for drying hemp correctly ③ Use a hanger
If you use a hanger to dry, we recommend a wide and thick type hanger. Linen clothes that are not dehydrated to dry are heavy with moisture, so if you hang them on a thin wire hanger, they may lose their shape. Plastic hangers are better because wooden hangers can cause color transfer. We recommend drying in a shaded area that is well ventilated and not exposed to direct sunlight.
Hanger drying point
- use thick plastic
- Dry in a well-ventilated shade
If you get wrinkles
Even if you wash it carefully, shirts and blouses tend to get wrinkled. If it gets wrinkled, it’s okay. If the laundry label indicates that ironing is not a problem, mist the semi-dry or dry linen clothes and iron them quickly. If you dehydrate it in the washing machine, it will be wrinkled overall, but if you make a mistake, you can iron it.
Point when wrinkled
- Check the care label to make sure it’s okay to iron.
- Iron when semi-dry or lightly damp
summary
How was it? Linen clothes may have a delicate image of being difficult to wash and hand washing only, but if you are careful about how to wash and dry them, you can easily take care of them at home. increase. If you pay attention to the frequency of washing, the detergent you use, and the place to dry, you can prevent wrinkles from occurring. Please try the challenge at home.