If you’re on the go, carry a stain-remover pen with you to treat small spots that show up over the course of the day. If you can, treat a stain as soon as possible. Dab at the stain rather than rubbing, and use cold water to try and rinse it away. This will make it less likely that the stain will become permanent.

If you’ve never bleached this particular item before, test the bleach on an inconspicuous location first to make sure it doesn’t ruin the fabric (the inside of a cuff or collar is a great spot to try). Set a timer when working with bleach—leaving the clothes in the bleach mixture for too long could ruin the fabric.

When rubbing the stained area, use very gentle pressure. Too much rubbing can wear out the fabric and could even fray it if it’s done too hard.

You have to use real lemons for this. The pre-bottled stuff won’t work as well. This is especially good at getting armpit stains out. [5] X Expert Source Susan StockerCleaning Professional Expert Interview. 8 November 2019.

Treat armpit stains every time you wash the garment to keep them from building up and becoming permanent.

Pay special attention to directions regarding bleach. If an item says “do not bleach,” you’ll be better off heeding that advice. Bleach can be great and get items bright and clean, but it also can be pretty abrasive and can wear down fibers quickly, making your clothes threadbare before too long.

Make sure your sink or tub is clean before you use it. If needed, give it a quick scrub with warm water and dish detergent. Rinse it out thoroughly so there is no soap residue. If the temperature wasn’t specified on the label, use cool to lukewarm water.

You can also use a small amount of chlorine bleach with the laundry detergent for whiter and brighter clothes. 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of chlorine bleach is enough for 1 gallon (3. 8 L) of water. Wear gloves if you use bleach and work in a well-ventilated area. [10] X Research source

Never wash your white clothes with dark clothes.

You don’t need to fill the tub back up all the way. Just fill it enough so that the clothing is completely submerged and you have some room to swish it about some more.

Having used the appropriate amount of detergent really pays off at this stage. If you didn’t measure and used too much, you may be standing at the sink for a while rinsing out the excess suds. Smell the clothes if you’re not sure all the soap is gone. A strong scent indicates there is still detergent that needs to be rinsed away. }}

If you do wring the fabric, use the amount of force you’d use to open a bottle of water.

Towels that have been washed and dried a few times should be primarily lint-free.

Use another towel if the first one gets too wet and can’t soak up any more water.

If you do line dry your clothes outside, don’t forget to bring them in before you go to bed. Early morning dew will make them wet again and could cause them to wrinkle.

Putting away clothes as soon as they have dried will help keep them from getting wrinkled in the first place.

Putting away clothes as soon as they have dried will help keep them from getting wrinkled in the first place.