Grail Talks: How to Clean Thrifted Clothes

Most fashion enthusiasts are encouraging people to find grails on thrift shops– and for some, thrift shopping is therapeutic! Nothing can beat the excitement when you see a vintage shirt or luxury brand RTWs at a thrift shop. Aside from looking for grails at thrift shops, wearing hand-me-downs is a sustainable act. You are reducing the amount of fabrics dumped in landfills.

However, some are not open to the idea of thrifted clothes, they see the items as disgusting. But, have they thought of cleaning the thrifted garments? There are ways to clean thrifted garments properly– wash and deodorize them!

How to Clean Thrifted Clothes

Now that you are on board with thrifting vintage and second hand clothes, there’s one thing you should know about finding reliable and safe thrift stores. Ask about their source. Although most thrift store owners do a thorough process of vetting their items, it is best to politely ask about the source of their second hand items.

Some are skeptical about larger thrift stores, not because of their standards, but they offer larger collections so there’s more room for error and you have to deeply inspect each item before buying them.

Inspect the Thrift Clothes Carefully

If a garment catches your attention, check for obvious flaws on it– loose fabrics, holes, or large stains. Although these signs do not totally mean they are unusable clothes, it can help you decide if you truly want a damaged garment or go with pristine conditions.

Next to inspect is the odor of the clothings. You do not have to smell it up close, if the clothing emits an unpleasant odor, that’s enough to tell whether it has been washed or it already has a permanent, unwanted smell.

Nevertheless, the process whether you will vet the item or not is within your best judgment. Although it is expected that some of the thrift clothes are imperfect, there are others that are put into proper care by their previous owners.

Remove Stains

If you have brought home an item that has an obvious stain, do not worry, it might still have a chance. There are several ways to remove different types of stains without using any chemical or harsh cleaners. You can make use of the household products you have– baking soda, salt, vinegar, lemons, these things work wonders on clothes with stubborn stains.

Do a little research on how you can safely remove these stubborn stains. Remember, your goal is to revive the original condition of the garment. If you are not confident to do it yourself, ask for help from a dry cleaning expert.

Machine Wash Thrifted Clothes Carefully

You may be excited to wear your grails, but you need to stop yourself and clean them before you wear them. If the clothing items have a care label follow the instructions carefully to avoid damaging your thrifted clothing.

If the cloth label indicates that the fabric is compatible to wash with warm water, do so. It will remove more bacteria. You can wash the clothes with your washing machine, and to ensure that you will eliminate the germs successfully, add a bit of vinegar along with the detergent.

After you wash your clothes, you need to dry them. The best way to do so is to attach them using pegs and Pegs for Life is the place you can find the ones made of stainless steel. This is a convenient way to dry your laundry especially the first time you bring it home from the shop.

Hand Wash for Missing Care Labels

Since not every thrifted garment is perfect, some of them have cut tags, with their care labels missing or illegible. If you have these thrifts, it is safer to hand wash them with natural detergents and stain removers. Dilute vinegar with water and wash the clothes with the solution to kill the germs.

Ask Assistance from Dry Cleaning Experts for Delicate Thrifts

Oftentimes you will purchase a delicate piece, and these clothings may have details that are intricate to handle by yourself. This is the time you need to opt for dry cleaning services. According to lioxclean.com, traditional washing and drying of delicate garments may be unhealthy for secondhand clothes. Sidestep the danger of opting for traditional wash and dry services, instead look for dry cleaning experts.

Look online for reliable laundry services around your neighborhood. Ensure to check their website for information about the services and detergents they use. Do not be shy about asking about their cleaning process on certain fabrics or everything you want to know. Experts can answer any questions confidently.

How to Deodorize Thrifted Clothes

If you have cleaned your thrifted garments yet there’s still a lingering smell or odor from them, you can deodorize them in two ways:

Sprinkle Baking Soda

Before you wash your thrifted clothings, sprinkle baking soda over the garment and let it sit for a few hours. It is recommends to do a patch test on the fabric to ensure it will not discolor the garment. If the coast is clear, you can throw the clothes into the wash without removing the powder. Moreover, turn the garments inside-out before you sprinkle the baking soda over it.

Use Vinegar Solution

If you have not encountered using a vinegar solution before, mix a cup of vinegar and a liter of water, or you can completely make vinegar as a detergent alternative in washing the thrift garments.

Vinegar does not only remove the unwanted smell on the clothes, it will soften and remove any residue on the clothings. Ensure that you are using distilled white vinegar, do not use apple cider vinegar, its brown color might stain the garments.

Whenever you purchase thrift clothings, use these routines to clean your grails and freshen them. Always remember to wash your amazing finds before storing them in your closet or wearing them. That way you are wearing a clean and fresh vintage find.

Final Thoughts

If you are fond of going to thrift stores and enjoy buying vintage finds or second hand garments, you are keeping garments from landfills. There’s no time for stigma around wearing good finds on thrift stores. The only concern you should have with these second hand garments is how to keep them clean and freshen them. Do the mentioned routines or ask assistance from dry cleaning experts and you will surely enjoy your thrifted clothes.