Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Preparing the polyester for washing
• Part 2 of 3: Washing the polyester
• Part 3 of 3: Drying the polyester
• Necessities

Polyester is a synthetic fabric that generally does not crease, fade and shrink if you treat it properly. The fabric is also used to make material mixes to make cotton and other fabrics stronger. Like other fabrics, however, polyester has drawbacks. It can get fluffy and stains easily if you spill oil on it. Polyester also becomes static quite quickly. Therefore, it is necessary to properly wash and treat polyester garments to keep them looking and feeling good.

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Part 1 of 3: Preparing the polyester for washing

1. Read the care labels in your garments before washing them. The best way to wash polyester garments is to follow the instructions on the care labels inside the garments. Following these instructions will keep your polyester garments looking and feeling good for a lot longer than they would otherwise. Keep the following in mind:
   • Garments that should only be dry cleaned should be taken to a dry cleaner instead of washing them at home.
   • Garments with a label with a white circle indicating that dry cleaning is allowed can often also be safely hand washed.
   • When in doubt, follow the directions on the care label.
2. Turn polyester garments inside out before washing. Garments made of a material mix with knitted polyester can easily catch on something, such as closures, trims and buttons on other garments. To prevent your garment from snagging and getting damaged, turn it inside out before putting it in the washing machine.
3. Soak white polyester garments overnight. Soak white items overnight in a mixture of 4 liters of warm water and 120 ml of dishwasher detergent. This will help remove dirt and stains from the white fabric before washing.
   • If you have less time, you can soak the garments for 1 to 2 hours.
   • The detergent will help whiten the garments.
   • Consider using colourfast bleach if you have heavily soiled colored polyester garments.
   • Do not use bleach to wash white polyester garments.

Part 2 of 3: Washing the polyester

1. Select the easy-care washing program to wash polyester. Many experts recommend washing polyester garments with the easy-care program. In this program, the garments are rinsed in cold water before spinning. This reduces the chance that your garments will come out of the washing machine wrinkled.
2. Wash polyester garments in warm water. Most experts agree that it is best to wash polyester with warm water. With warm water, there is the best balance between washing and protecting polyester. So stick to warm water if you want to make your polyester garments last longer.
   • Cold water cannot always remove stains from polyester well, especially when it comes to oil stains.
   • Hot water can gradually shrink the polyester and cause the colors to run.
   • Warm water removes stains and keeps the garment the right shape and size.
3. Choose a regular detergent that is not too aggressive for polyester. Most common detergents are very suitable for washing polyester garments. Do not choose a detergent specifically designed for stubborn stains or stains that have penetrated deep into the fabric. This can cause the color of the fabric to fade or the quality of the fabric to be affected.
4. Pour some fabric softener into the washing machine to prevent your clothes from becoming static. Polyester quickly becomes static if you do not use fabric softener. This means that light and small objects stick to larger objects because they are electrically charged. For example, if you wash polyester shirts together with white towels, you will notice small white fuzz sticking to your polyester shirts.
5. Hand wash polyester garments to maintain quality. Hand washing polyester is the best way to maintain quality. If you choose this, it is important that you handle the fabric carefully and do not rush. If you hand wash your polyester:
   • Soak the polyester in a mixture of warm water and a light detergent.
   • Stir the polyester in warm water.
   • Rinse the polyester with cold clean water.
   • Fold the clothes and push them against the edge of the sink to squeeze out the excess water.
   • Garments with oil stains or that have yellowed due to age are best washed in the washing machine to make them look as good as new again.

Part 3 of 3: Drying the polyester

1. Use a tumble dryer cloth with fabric softener if you prefer. Since polyester quickly becomes static, consider using a tumble dryer cloth. The cloth reduces the amount of static electricity in the dryer. A tumble dryer cloth can also make the polyester less likely to wrinkle. Keep the following in mind:
   • If you have already used fabric softener while washing, you no longer need to use a dryer sheet.
   • Most tumble dryer wipes are scented, so make sure to buy wipes that you like smelling good.
   • This step is not mandatory.
2. Put the polyester in the dryer and dry it on a low setting. Make sure to set the dryer to a low temperature before putting the polyester garments in the drum. Polyester can melt and shrink when exposed to high temperatures. Depending on the reliability of your dryer, you should be able to dry most polyester garments safely on a low setting.
   • If you've bought a new or second-hand dryer, test a polyester garment that you don't mind if something happens to it.
   • If you are concerned that the polyester will be damaged, use the lowest possible temperature.
   • Read the dryer user manual if you have any questions about the different heat settings.
3. Allow the fabric to air dry to maintain quality and prevent fabric from shrinking. One of the easiest ways to prevent shrinkage and other damage caused by tumble drying is to air dry your polyester garments. Keep the following in mind:
   • Hang the polyester garments on plastic hangers on a clothesline to dry.
   • Make sure to hang the garments outside on a dry, sunny day. You can also hang them in a place in the house with good ventilation.
   • Remove the clothes from the clothesline when they are dry.

Necessities

• Washing machine and tumble dryer
• Laundry detergent
• Fabric softener
• Washing line
• Clothes hangers