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Washing special-care items
Most garments and household textiles have care labels with laundering instructions. Always
follow care label directions when they are available. Below are general washing instruc-
tions for some special washables.
ITEM
CARE INSTRUCTIONS
Blankets
Pretreat spots and stains. Select water temperature, cycle, and
(electric or woolen)
time according to the type of blanket being washed. Two rinses
may be necessary. Check care label to see if manufacturer
recommends machine washing.
Curtains, drapes,
Wash small loads. Crowding may cause wrinkling. Replace
slipcovers
slipcovers while still slightly damp. They will dry to fit tightly.
NOTE: Sun-damaged curtains and draperies will tear whether
hand or machine washed.
Diapers
When using chlorine bleach for soaking, add extra detergent to
the load. Avoid overuse of fabric softeners - absorbency will
be reduced.
Elastic, spandex
Elastic picks up oil from the body. Oil can damage elastic. Wash
often to reduce the damage. Use warm water and sufficient
detergent to remove oils. Do not use chlorine bleach.
Flame-retardant
Items will be clearly labeled as flame-retardant. Follow
clothing
manufacturer’s instructions to retain flame-retardant qualities.
Knits, washable
Knits are comfortable to wear because they stretch. However,
this means that knits are more likely to be stretched and dam-
aged when washed (especially bulky knits). Knits made of
synthetic fabrics such as polyester, nylon, and acrylic tend to
keep their original shape more than knits made of cotton
or ramie.
Pillows, stuffed
Washing feather pillows is not recommended unless they will be
toys
dried in a dryer.
Plastic, rubber
Treat as delicate items. Wash in warm water. Wash small items
items
in a mesh bag.
Quilts, bedspreads
Do not wash cotton-filled comforters unless they are quilted or
stitched. Tucked cotton batting tends to slip and become lumpy.
An extra rinse may be necessary.
Scatter rugs
Shake or vacuum rugs to remove loose dirt. Wash more than
1 rug at a time. If washing only 1 rug, add bath towels to
balance the load.
Snowsuits, jackets
Wash only 1 or 2 items at a time. You may need to stop the
washer occasionally to press air from the items being washed.
An extra rinse may be necessary.
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