Tips and tricks on how to properly wash thermal underwear

Thermal underwear is made from various materials, there are models with heating. These clothes are washed in different ways. But there are general rules as well.

Is it possible and how to properly wash thermal underwear in a washing machine and by hand, how to bleach, how to dry after washing, can it be ironed? You will find answers to these and other questions in the article.

Preparing for washing

Thermal underwear, which contains wool, synthetics, becomes covered with pellets after frequent washings. So that small balls do not form, the product must be prepared in advance:

1. Turn things inside out, nap inside.
2. Remove dirt stains with a dry brush, getting rid of the adhesion of the villi.
3. Comb long pile, "against the grain", shake. Then turn inward.
4. Study carefully the information on the model's label, which indicates the water temperature, washing method, contraindications for this product.
5. On the panel of the automatic machine, the minimum drum rotation speed is set so that the pile does not get confused, does not get confused.
6. The temperature is chosen no higher than 30 degrees so that the weaving threads do not stick together, melting.
7. Disable the spin mode.
8. Fill a basin of sufficient volume with warm, soft water, in case of hand wash.
9. The resulting pellets are removed with a safety razor or a special machine.

Before washing heated thermal underwear advise you to follow some recommendations:

1. Fasten zippers, rivets, buttons, Velcro.
2. Sew on buttonholes while washing with a few light stitches to avoid stretching of the woven fabric.
3. Remove heating elements and wires from special pockets so that they do not get into the water. Shake out dust from grooves.
4. Remove all contents from pockets. So that no sharp objects remain, which, during the rotation of the drums, tear the fabric and spoil the mechanisms of washing machines.

A short circuit of current occurs in them. Therefore, before washing, they must be removed from special pockets.

How to choose a detergent?

It is preferable to wash thermal underwear with means specially designed for this. They are somewhat more expensive, but retain quality and gently clean the fabric. These are usually viscous liquids that soften water and remove static charge, which is especially important.

Recommended conditioners and specific detergents:

• Toko Eco Textile Wash;
• Grangers Performance Wash;
• NIKWAX BASEFRESH;
• Nikwax BASEWASH;
• TOKO Funktional Sportswear Care;
• Grangers Active WASH.

Simple detergent clogs the pile of warm fabrics and wool, microfiber holes. It is better to refuse from it or thoroughly dissolve it before use in order to get rid of tough grains.

Special cleaning solutions, gels are more economical and convenient... The big plus is that there are no environmental phosphates in the flowing gels. Due to this, they are not capable of causing allergies. That allows you to wash linen in these solutions, adjacent directly to the body.

Such an environmentally friendly method is more convenient to use in the process of hand, gentle washing of woolen and fleecy items.

How to properly handle in a washing machine?

The prepared thermal underwear is placed in the washing machine, by programming to the mode:

• "wool";
• "delicate wash";
• "handwash";
• "silk".

These machine options are designed to be gentle on the fabric.

The delicate effect is due to several factors:

• maximum volume of water;
• temperature is not higher than 30 degrees;
• spin is disabled;
• a special bag is used for products that require particularly careful handling.

This preserves the shape of things and prolongs the service life of the automatic machine. It is advisable to place different parts of the kit in different bags for washing.

The machine will wash and rinse. If cloudy water flows out, the rinse can be repeated several times.

Immediately after stopping the mechanism, you need to open the door and leave things inside to glass the water. For 10-15 minutes. Then things are taken out of the drum, laid out on a horizontal surface for drainage.

Manual cleaning

You should also prepare thermal underwear for hand washing. Take a deep basin of large volume.

Warm water (30-35 degrees) should cover the clothes completely, and the detergent should form a high lather... Then small balls will not roll on the products.

The cleaning liquid should soften hard water and eliminate static electricity.

Soak

Prolonged soaking for wool fabrics is contraindicated. The faster the entire wash is carried out, the better (45 minutes per process). Synthetic fabrics that are heavily soiled can be soaked for 1-2 hours before washing.

Removing stains

Heavily soiled areas are cleaned first... To do this, the linen is spread on a washboard over the bathtub. Apply a few drops of an active stain-removing agent with oxygen to the stain.

Foaming, the product removes the stain in 30 seconds. At the same time, the color and properties of the fabric are not lost.

After 30 seconds, pour a little warm (30 degrees) water onto a dirty place, gently rub the area with a soft sponge or brush. Place the laundry in a basin with high foam, continue the general wash. The disappearing stain can be walked twice with a brush with natural bristles.

What can’t be done?

During washing, thermal underwear it does not follow:

• twist;
• rub with great effort;
• crumple strongly;
• stretch;
• boil;
• heat water above 30 degrees;
• use chlorine bleaches;
• use corrosive dry cleaning agents.

Rinsing

It is recommended to rinse the details of the thermal underwear in a large amount of water, changing it several times, until it becomes transparent.

Clothes are washed and rinsed in water of the same temperature. Otherwise, the fabric shrinks.

When rinsing, they shake and shake clothes very carefully, without effort, so as not to disturb the complex weaving of wool and microfiber fibers:

• without twisting;
• without stretching;
• without squeezing.

Spinning

Under no circumstances should the thermal underwear be twisted, like ordinary cotton sheets. Otherwise, the layer of thermal underwear that allows moisture evaporating from the body to pass through will be broken.

To remove water from the washed items, spread them evenly on the washing board.... Such a board is usually found in every home, it is installed on the edges of a bathtub, a large trough.

Details of clothing, edges and some parts (sleeves, trousers), are lowered down, directing the flowing water.

How often?

Clothes worn daily are washed as they get dirty... Usually two or three times a week are enough.

Athletes wash their clothes immediately after active training. Especially when thermal underwear is worn for insulation under ski suits.

Thermal protective products, which include down, fine wool, which has antibacterial properties, are not advised to wash often... Enough once every six months. Especially if it is outerwear.

Fabrics made of synthetic, woven threads are recommended to be washed before use. After wearing, if there is no smell of sweat, this does not mean that the clothes are clean. If these things are rarely washed, they stop "breathing", the holes between the fibers are clogged.

Features for different materials

Fabrics from which they sew thermal underwear:

• natural cotton;
• elastane;
• polypropylene;
• polyester;
• fleece;
• wool of merino sheep.

Natural cotton

Cotton thermal underwear has a breathable structure. If you rarely wash it, the pores become clogged with sebum and sweat. The laundry ceases to remove moisture to the outside and to be aired. Therefore, they wash it often. With active use - daily.

Let's consider how to wash:

1. The water temperature should be up to 40 degrees.
2. Underwear is washed with laundry soap or special gel, without chlorine, Chistown, Beliv powders, dissolved in water.
3. Do not use chlorine-based bleaches and chemical stain removers.
4. Hand wash gently, without stretching, immersed in a large basin with plenty of water.
5. Rinse several times to remove any remaining detergent.
6. Do not twist with force, only slightly squeeze.
7. Program the washing machine for a gentle mode.
8. Do not spin in an automatic centrifuge.
9. The water should drain freely into the sump.

Features of washing cotton products are discussed in detail in this article.

Polyester

T-shirts and underpants made of polyester can be washed by hand and in an automatic machine, on a delicate cycle. The temperature controller is set at 30-35 degrees, or between warm and cold.

Automatic spin is turned off... It is impossible to twist with effort by hand. Things are laid out on a washboard above the sewer drain so that the water drains off under the influence of gravity.

The main nuances of care for a particular product are indicated on the tags. For more information on washing polyester clothes, read here.

Polypropylene

It is better to hand wash heat-saving clothes made of polypropylene. Having previously dissolved a special detergent, taking into account the color, in warm water.Modern industry produces liquid detergents for colored synthetic fabrics and black.

When washing delicately, rub a little harder on especially dirty areas... Do not twist the product, only squeeze it slightly when changing the water. Wash in soapy water two or three times.

Rinse several times in clean water, achieving complete transparency. There should be enough water for a good wash and rinse.

Having thrown wet linen over the board above the drain into the sewer, they wait for the water to drain completely.

Elastane

Elastane underwear should be treated with extra care... These items are highly stretchable and permanently lose their shape from rough handling during washing.

All recommendations that apply to delicate hand washing will be appropriate: do not twist, do not stretch, do not overheat, do not bleach with chlorine.

Fleece

Consider the step-by-step instructions for washing:

1. Prepare water for washing fleece by adding special solvents to preserve the waterproofness of the fabric. At the same time, conditioners are used to soften water and reduce static stress.
2. The water should not be hotter than 30-40 degrees.
3. Shake the product, lightly comb the pile. Turn inside out.
4. Rub heavily soiled parts with a brush with detergent gel, laundry soap. Do not use chlorinated liquids or harsh stain removers.
5. Wash by hand, delicately or at the lowest speed in a typewriter. The spin is turned off.
6. Without squeezing, without twisting the product, the water is allowed to drain. To do this, put it on a hanger over the bath or lay it horizontally on a washing board.

For details on how to wash fleece clothes, you can read here.

Errors - what, consequences, how to avoid?

Errors made during the washing process violate the thermal insulation qualities of multilayer laundry.... This happens due to damage to the fibers of the tissue. The threads stick together, the pores that remove moisture are clogged.

Errors leading to tissue damage:

• boiling clothes, washing at temperatures above 40 degrees;
• use of dry cleaning, dyes;
• caustic stain removers;
• spinning and washing in an automatic machine at high speed;
• no protective mesh is used for washing.

You can avoid damage to your clothes by following all the recommendations for proper washing.

How to bleach clothes?

Darkened laundry bleached with laundry soap or natural remedies that do not affect the fibers:

• baking soda,
• lemon juice
• vinegar
• hydrogen peroxide.

A weak solution of manganese or mustard powder is used with caution. Keep things in the solution for 15-20 minutes.

It is not recommended to bleach heat-preserving linen with chlorine-containing products. It is better to use special liquid solutions for white thermal underwear according to the instructions.

How to dry?

Dry thermal protective clothing in a well-ventilated place on a special dryer, in a horizontal position... For 5 minutes, wrap wet things in a dry towel, sheet. This way the shape and quality of the products are preserved.

If drying is carried out in a room, do not place a damp product:

• over open heat sources;
• on the central heating battery;
• next to the Russian stove, potbelly stove.

It is not recommended to dry thermal underwear in severe frost. Water turns to ice at temperatures below freezing. The ice crystals expand and break the microfiber strands. When cracked, the clothes will lose the necessary qualities and integrity.

In addition, there are a few more drying rules to consider:

1. Clothes are hung on hangers or laid out horizontally on the racks of the dryer in a well-ventilated place. Under a canopy in the shade of trees, a very suitable corner.
2. Avoid direct sunlight.
3. Drying in a washing machine or dryer is prohibited.

Read about the rules for drying clothes after washing in this article.

Can I iron?

Synthetic fibers melt under a hot iron... The complex structure is violated, the useful properties of clothing are lost. Heat-protective underwear with artificial threads in the composition should not be ironed.

Woolen thermal underwear is ironed at the temperature indicated on the iron, through a cotton pad. The synthetic wool / wool blend is not ironed.

It is better not to iron polyester with a hot iron. Read about how to do it correctly. here.

It is impossible to iron the fleece after washing... The thing loses its velvety, airiness, ability to retain heat, water-repellent qualities.

Conclusion

Respect for thermal underwear during the washing process, compliance with all the rules for choosing a detergent, drying, spinning, ironing, machine operating mode and other nuances, increase the wear period.