Plaid can be called a real salvation on cool evenings, in inclement weather it is so nice to wrap yourself in it and enjoy reading your favorite book. However, over time, your favorite product will certainly lose its pristine purity, freshness and attractiveness. It is then that the question arises of washing the plaid in the laundry room or at home. Today we will talk about how to make the plaid remain pleasant to the touch and retain its original appearance for a long time.
What are the plaids?
Today you can find products that are associated with home comfort and bring comfort and warmth to the house, absolutely for any, even the most demanding, taste. Among the most common materials from which plaids, cashmere and fleece, acrylic and linen, fur and silk are made, there are cotton and polyester products. Features of washing the bedspreads depend on exactly what material it was made of. By the way, most of these interior decoration items include synthetic fibers that produce static electricity. It is for this reason that rugs begin to attract unpleasant odors and dust, and therefore it is extremely important to regularly clean them from dirt and wash!
Washing features
Laundry and dry cleaning experts say: washing the plaid is a procedure that should be carried out no more than once a month. The fact is that each treatment can lead to a loss of brightness of the paints and slight deformation. Before you decide to wash the product, carefully study the labels: here you can find information on the composition of the fabric and recommendations for washing. There are three ways to clean the rugs: hand wash, machine wash and dry cleaning. Consider each of the methods in more detail!
Hand wash the plaid
This process is incredibly time-consuming and very troublesome. Best suited for products that are not too large. Experts advise washing the plaid directly in the bathroom: you need to draw warm water into it, then dilute the detergent or carpet cleaner. Please note: the cost of this product usually does not affect the quality of washing the product. In the resulting solution, you need to put a blanket, leave it for two to three hours. After that, you need to process the plaid over its entire surface with your hands, while lifting it from the water is not necessary. By the way, if the plaid is too dirty, you can trample on it with your feet.
Then move the product to the edge of the bath, open the drain and let out all the water. After that, put clean water into the bathtub, carefully remember the plaid with your feet or hands, and once again drain the soapy water. The process of washing the plaid and rinsing it is recommended to repeat at least two to three times. At the last rinse, add fabric softener to the water. After that, let all the water drain, usually it takes about 20 minutes. Then you should roll the product into a roll, lift it by the middle and lean it against the wall in the bathroom, giving stability to this design. After half an hour, the plaid can be thrown over a stick located above the bathtub, and immediately after all the water drains, it can be hung on a clothesline. Please note: the bedspread may fade in direct sunlight. In order to prevent this from happening, it is better to hang it in the shade.
Machine wash
Separately, you should talk about washing the plaid in a washing machine. In this way, dirt and dust can be removed from small items that enter the drum of the washing machine. Usually these are blankets made of fleece, or small children's bedspreads. Most often, there are no difficulties with this process. It is necessary to choose a quality powder, to rinse add a good conditioner with a pleasant aroma. On what washing to wash a plaid? Experts recommend choosing a program that is suitable for the material, for example, for wool it is the “wool” program, for other fabrics a delicate wash is suitable. Water temperature should not exceed 40 degrees. Do not squeeze these products at high speeds, otherwise they will change their shape or simply stretch. The maximum speed is 400.
Step-by-step instruction
We bring to your attention step-by-step instructions for washing a plaid in a washing machine:
- Load the blanket into the drum of the appliance.
- Place the selected detergent and rinse in the appropriate section of the washing machine. By the way, it is recommended to use liquid substances, because they create a small amount of foam, are well rinsed from the fibers of the fabric.
- Do not forget to add air conditioning, it will give the bedspread aroma, reduce the ability to form a static charge, which means that the material will become more fluffy and soft, will attract less dust.
- Set the desired washing mode and the number of revolutions of the drum during the spin cycle. By the way, the drying function should be discarded.
- After all the performed manipulations, be sure to press the "Start" button.
By the way, you can entrust the washing of a large blanket to industrial automatic machines, usually the cost of services includes washing and drying the product, and therefore you will receive a blanket ready for use without any effort.
Subtleties of care: synthetics
In order to keep the attractive appearance and shape of the bedspread as long as possible, you need to take into account recommendations for caring for different materials. The easiest synthetic blanket to clean. His washing can be safely fearlessly entrusted to a washing machine; hand washing is also acceptable. Of course, polyester should not be boiled, the maximum temperature is 60 degrees Celsius. True, the temperature of up to 30 degrees can be indicated on the labels of some products, be sure to consider the information that is indicated on the coverlet itself. Washing in a synthetic plaid machine is possible in the “delicate” or “synthetics” modes. If the product is not too dirty, you can use a quick wash.
Microfiber
Like a synthetic blanket, a microfiber product can be washed manually or in a typewriter. It is best to give preference to liquid detergents or special microfiber shampoos. Never use stain removers. The water temperature in the machine should not be more than 60 degrees. Dry such a blanket in a straightened form, away from sunlight or heating appliances.
Fleece
There are a number of rules to preserve the pristine beauty of a fleece blanket. Please note: it cannot be soaked, the fleece simply does not absorb dirt, therefore this procedure is meaningless. If you chose to hand wash, take ordinary laundry soap instead of powder. The maximum water temperature is 35 degrees. If after washing immediately straighten the fleece blanket well, then you will not have to iron it later. By the way, such products dry very quickly. If you prefer machine wash, you should choose the delicate mode. Do not add bleach to the detergent that contains chlorine. It is also worth giving up the use of an air conditioner, it can violate the water-repellent properties of the material. The best option is to wash one product with incomplete loading of the drum.
Natural fabric
Cotton and linen blankets are fairly easy to care for. In order to prevent shrinkage of the fabric, it is recommended to set the temperature to no higher than 30 degrees. By the way, iron products made from natural fabrics should be until they are completely dry. This will make it easier and faster to straighten folds. Silk or cashmere blankets can be washed exclusively by hand using a special shampoo. Water should be cold. During the last rinse, a small amount of conditioner can be added. Please note: any tissue, even a weak spin, is contraindicated for these tissues. After you wash the blanket, simply lay it on a horizontal surface and periodically turn it over until it is completely dry. The fur blanket must be thoroughly shaken before washing to remove dust accumulated in it. By the way, natural fur can react to any home washing products in the most unpredictable way. How to be in this case? Entrust a dry cleaning of a plaid!
Wool
Washing a woolen blanket, according to many housewives, is an extreme measure. The fact is that you can freshen up products made of such material by simply hanging it on the balcony for several hours and removing dirt with a brush. This is explained by the fact that even the most accurate washing wears out woolen blankets. What to do if you still decide to wash the plaid at home? Type cold water into the bathtub or large basin; its temperature should not exceed 30 degrees. Add a special detergent suitable for delicate fabrics. Soak the plaid in the solution for 10-15 minutes. Never rub the bedspread! After it lies in a soapy solution, rinse it thoroughly and let the water drain. Do not twist or squeeze the product, lay it on a horizontal level surface and allow it to dry.
Dry clean
Dry cleaning and laundry experts recommend replacing water procedures with dry cleaning. For home conditions, the following method is suitable: shake the wool blanket intensively, thus cleaning it from hair and dust. Prepare 100 milliliters of warm water, a couple teaspoons of shampoo and one teaspoon of table vinegar. This composition must be thoroughly beaten until a thick foam is formed, which must be applied to the surface of the wool product with a soft brush designed for clothing. After that, you need to wet a soft cloth in a solution of vinegar and wipe the blanket with it. Using a brush, you will need to comb the fibers of the cover, and then repeat the whole procedure, turning the product on the wrong side. Only if you thoroughly clean the plaid on both sides, it will become pleasant to the touch and incredibly gentle and fresh. After carrying out the above procedure, it is recommended to ventilate the product in fresh air to remove the pungent smell of vinegar from the fabric!
Useful Tips
So that dust and dirt do not accumulate in your favorite rug, just wrap it in an old pillowcase during storage. But in the package of polyethylene to keep a blanket from any materials is not recommended. Experts say that the lack of ventilation can lead to stagnation of air and the appearance of an unpleasant odor. The appearance of moths and other pests is not excluded.
Never dry blankets in the immediate vicinity of various heating appliances, and even more so, do not lay them out for drying directly for directly on the batteries. For bedspreads that need horizontal drying, you can prepare old terry towels. They need to be laid out on a horizontal surface, and the blanket should be laid out on top. After some time, towels need to be replaced with others, and turn the blanket over. This procedure will need to be repeated several times - until the blanket is completely dry.