Valuable tips on how to wash your pleated skirt to keep it in shape

foto12614-1Silk, knitted or chiffon pleated skirts require proper care. Mistakes in washing, drying or ironing irrevocably spoil the appearance of such products.

But this is not a reason to give up the pleasure of replenishing your wardrobe with a stylish and beautiful thing. If you follow simple rules, a pleated skirt will last more than one year, while maintaining its original lightness and structure.

How to wash a pleated skirt at home in an automatic machine and by hand, we will tell in the article.

Preparing to wash at home

Clothing labels contain manufacturer's recommendations for care behind pleated fabric: maximum permissible washing and ironing temperatures, bleaching and spinning options. Before starting cleaning, you should carefully study them.

foto12614-2Before washing a pleated skirt, you need to:

  1. Assess the degree of contamination of the fabric, the presence of stains. If necessary, remove them using pre-made stain removers or home remedies.
  2. Determine the method of washing (hand or machine), temperature.
  3. Select a detergent suitable for the specific material (powder, gel, capsules).

It is important to secure the pleats before processing the pleats.... To do this, they are neatly stitched horizontally along the bottom edge or vertically along the entire length. It is important to ensure that the thread is passed freely and does not pull the fabric. After drying, it is removed.

This mounting method is not suitable for leatherette skirts or very thin delicate material. The needle can leave visible damage to the fabric. In this case, it is better to carefully roll (but not fold!) The skirt vertically and place it in a special bag or regular stocking.

How to wash pleats with your hands?

Skirts made of delicate materials, without significant dirt, can be washed manually, observing simple rules:

  1. The water temperature should be no higher than 30-35 degrees.
  2. Do not rub, twist, or stretch the pleated fabric.
  3. For washing, it is better to use gels or capsules, or carefully monitor the complete dissolution of the powder granules. Non-dissolved particles can leave streaks and discolor fabric.
  4. Rinse thoroughly, changing the water at least 3 times.
Hand washing is the safest way to wash pleated fabrics. For better cleansing, removing dirt, things should first be soaked in soapy water for 10-30 minutes.

Then:

  1. foto12614-3Prepare a soapy solution. Submerge clothes in it.
  2. Wash your skirt gently. Do not rub!
  3. Rinse in cool water with the obligatory addition of fabric softener. It will help remove static electricity, return lightness and airiness to delicate fabrics.
  4. Do not squeeze!
  5. Place to dry: fasten the thing to the belt above the bathtub or basin, let the water drain. The fabric should dry naturally.

With active wear, the pleated skirt should be washed quite often (after 4–5 dressings), avoiding the appearance of heavy dirt and stains.

Processing in an automatic machine

Clothes made of pleated fabric can be cleaned in an automatic machine, subject to the presence of a gentle mode and the possibility of completely deactivating the spin function. In this case, the use of a special washing bag is mandatory.

The skirt cannot be stuffed into a bag in a shapeless lump. It must be carefully rolled into a roll, being careful not to wrinkle the folds.

If your machine is pre-soaked, you can use this option. Such processing is safe for the fabric, subject to the rules:

  • foto12614-4delicate operation of the machine;
  • minimum water heating (up to 30 degrees). It is preferable to wash in cold water;
  • spin should be turned off or not exceed 400 revolutions (for polyester items);
  • it is better to choose gel detergents marked "For delicate fabrics";
  • an additional rinse mode is allowed, but with the obligatory use of a fabric softener.

Drying is carried out in a standard way: the skirt must be fastened to the belt, and the water must be allowed to drain. Knitted or wool clothing can be dabbed with a terry towel, being careful not to damage the folds.

How to wash a pleated skirt in a washing machine, the video will tell you:

How to dry?

Improper drying of pleated garments leads to creases and deformation of folds.

It is important to remember that such things cannot be stretched, thrown over a rope, rolled across or crumpled.

Immediately after washing you need:

  • fasten the skirt to the belt on "trouser" hangers with clothespins;
  • let the water drain freely into the bathroom or basin;
  • then you can take out the thing to fresh air, but avoiding drafts;
  • so that the fabric is better straightened under its own weight, the skirt should be shaken periodically.

The wet material should be gently smoothed out with your hands, forming folds. This will help to avoid steaming the dried product.

How to pet?

foto12614-5With proper drying, chiffon and silk skirts will not need to be ironed. The fabric will stretch and expand under its own weight.

Skirts made of heavier materials are smoothed using the lowest possible heating of the iron. Each section is carefully worked out, moving along the folds.

Synthetics are ironed from the seamy side, putting gauze, thin fabric or a special ironing net.

There should be no creases or marks from the iron.... When ironing pleated clothing, you must carefully monitor the formation of clear folds, without displacement.

A crumpled leather or denim skirt is placed in the bathroom over a basin of boiling water, the door is tightly closed and left for 30-60 minutes. The steam easily smoothes the material without damaging the pleats.

Read more about how best to iron a pleated skirt in our separate article.

Removing stains and whitening

The use of bleaches is possible only if there is a corresponding icon on the label for the product. Chlorine-containing products can cause irreparable harm to colored things, as well as skirts made of chiffon, silk, wool.

Stains and stubborn dirt from a pleated skirt must be removed immediately after they appear.

Fat

foto12614-6You need a fresh greasy stain:

  1. Cover with talc, baking soda, starch, baby powder. After absorbing, gently shake off.
  2. If a trace remains, fill up again.
  3. Wash in any way.

Difficult dirt should be carefully treated with dishwashing detergent:

  1. Apply a few drops to the damaged area.
  2. Leave on for 20-30 minutes.
  3. Rinse under warm water. Wash the skirt completely.

Blood

Fresh drops are needed:

  • blot with a napkin soaked in hydrogen peroxide or lemon juice;
  • leave for 5-7 minutes;
  • rinse with cool water.

You can use baking soda and vinegar gruel on dried spots.

Tea, coffee, wine

foto12614-7Drink stains can be removed:

  1. Citric acid solution (1 tsp. Per 100 ml): pour over the damaged area, leave for 20 minutes. The agent is effective against stains from red, white wine, juices, compotes.
  2. Table vinegar (9%): moisten a napkin, blot the drops from tea or coffee.
  3. Glycerin with vodka (1: 3): apply on traces of champagne or wine, leave for 15 minutes, rinse under running water.

After removing stains, the item must be washed completely in cool water.

Lipstick, cosmetics

Traces of cosmetics can be removed with rubbing alcohol:

  • apply to a cotton pad;
  • gently blot the stain from the inside out, after placing a clean napkin or paper towel on the front side.

Similarly, you can use vodka or ammonia.

Ink

Ink can be removed from white items with a solution of hydrogen peroxide and ammonia (1: 1).

A universal remedy for any stains is ordinary laundry soap.... It should be applied liberally to the contaminated area, and left for 10-60 minutes (depending on the severity of the damage). Then rinse the clothes thoroughly and wash in any way.

When choosing a stain remover, you need to take into account the material from which the item is sewn, as well as its color. When in doubt, use a store-bought delicate stain remover.

To remove a ballpoint pen stain:

  1. Apply lemon or onion juice to the damaged area.
  2. After 15–20 minutes, rinse with running water.
  3. Hand wash or machine wash.

Dry cleaning

foto12614-8When creating pleated fabrics, manufacturers use a special impregnation that holds the folds and prevents them from straightening. The ability of the material to maintain a given shape depends on the quality of impregnation.

Most often pleats tolerate home washing well.... On a new thing, before the first cleaning, it is worth moistening a small area and assessing how the fabric will behave.

If the fold becomes indistinct or straightens out, the skirt cannot be washed. In this case, only dry processing is suitable, which can only be done in a dry cleaner with high quality.

Do not neglect the services of professionals even when persistent, complex pollution appears... Homemade stain removal methods are not always effective and can lead to fabric deterioration or deformation of folds.

Recommendations and rules for care

So that the skirt does not lose its original appearance, it is important to properly care for it, to follow the recommendations of specialists and manufacturers:

  1. You need to carefully examine the label on your new clothing and save it.
  2. You can not neglect the restrictions on the temperature regime of washing and ironing.
  3. Drying and storage of pleated skirts is carried out only in an upright position with a clip-holder on the belt. It must not be thrown over a crossbar in a closet or on a hanger, placed on a shelf, or crumpled.
  4. Do not allow strong contamination of pleated clothing. It is very difficult to remove stains without damaging the folds.
  5. Help from professionals should not be avoided. Only a dry cleaner will be able to remove complex dirt without spoiling the texture of the fabric.

foto12614-9If the folds become fuzzy, you can fix them at home in one of the following ways:

  1. rub the folds with soap;
  2. then, gently fold and iron with a hot iron;
  3. use a spray bottle to spray a solution of vinegar with water (1: 1);
  4. after that, carefully iron each fold through a thin cloth or gauze;
  5. use gelatin or starch - you need to prepare a solution, moisten gauze and iron the skirt from the wrong side.
But do not forget that fixing folds before washing often helps to avoid such difficulties.

Conclusion

A pleated skirt can be easily ruined by improper care. In order for it to serve for many years, you need to strictly follow the rules and recommendations for washing, drying and ironing, take good care of storage and remove dirt in a timely manner. In addition, you should not neglect the help of professionals.

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