Summer is here, and that means more trips to the beach, lake, or pool! With all this fun in the sun, you're likely using more towels and swimwear than usual. Keeping up with the extra laundry can be a challenge, but with the right tips and tricks, it doesn't have to be. As your local dry cleaner in Farragut, Tennessee, we're here to walk you through the best practices for washing and drying your towels, swimwear, and other summer essentials to keep them looking fresh and lasting longer.

Wash & Dry Your Towels

If you have been swimming, going to the beach, or hanging out at the lake, you will likely be using more towels than usual, so knowing how to wash and dry them efficiently can be a huge help with keeping on top of your laundry. Our first tip is always to wash your towels separately from your clothing and other laundry. There are a couple of reasons for this. Heavy towels can cause damage to your more delicate clothing when they are all being thrown around in the washer together. The second reason is that your clothes are much dirtier than you think, even if they are not visibly marked. Towels, in general, are not really dirty, but they can get musty from being wet. Washing them separately will help to keep them looking fresher for longer.

It is also important to choose the right setting if you are washing your towels at home. Most of them have a high cotton content, so the regular wash cycle is enough. However, if they are looking a little bit worse for wear or are smelling bad, using the whites cycle now and then is also acceptable. It is also important to separate out your dark and light towels to make sure there is no color run. It is also important to skip the fabric softener when washing your towels if you want soft, fluffy towels! That might seem like a contradiction, but fabric softener actually has a negative impact on the absorbency of your towels. For fluffy towels, it is better to use less detergent and no softener!

If all of this seems like too much effort, there is another solution. You might be surprised to learn that you can actually take your towels to a local dry cleaner in Farragut, TN, to be cleaned! This will help ensure that they are deep-cleaned and stay in great, fluffy condition! Plus, it saves you time! It's a win-win situation.

Washing Your Swimwear

All that swimming means you'll also have a lot of swimwear to wash, but do you know the best way to care for it? Swimwear can be delicate, and even gentle dryer cycles can damage it. It is also daunting to deal with getting rid of the excess moisture and those unpleasant odors when it has been left wet for a little too long! Be sure to follow our helpful tips and tricks to care for your swimwear and keep it looking great for longer.

• Rinse Your Swimwear Before & After Swimming - It is important to wash your swimwear before and after taking a dip. Bathing suit material contains polymers that break down when exposed to grainy minerals in salt water and chlorinated pools. Rinsing your suit before swimming saturates it with fresh water, reducing the impact of the grainy minerals. Rinsing it again afterward removes excess minerals on the surface until you can properly wash it.
• Hand Wash Using Gentle Detergent - It is best to wash your swimwear as soon as possible after swimming. Follow the instructions on the care label, and if you are in doubt, handwashing is always the best option. Cool water and a mild detergent are the way to go. Make sure you don't leave your swimwear balled up in a swim bag, as it will begin to get mildew, and the smell and staining can be tricky to remove.
• Lay Flat to Dry - It is best not to put your swimwear in the dryer as this can damage the fabric and fade the colors. Drying it out in the sun is also not recommended for the same reasons. The best course of action is to lay your swimwear out flat to dry in a well-ventilated spot. Make sure it is 100% dry before storing it away; otherwise, you risk getting mildew.

Handling Summer Stains

Summer means spending a lot more time outdoors, which can lead to messy stains on your clothing. It's always best to take stained clothing to your local dry cleaner in Farragut, Tennessee; however, let's take a brief look at how to handle some common summer stains.

• Grass Stains - Start with a solution of two parts water to one part vinegar and stock the stained fabric for 15 minutes. Then dab gently with a clean cloth to lift the stain before washing as normal in an enzyme based detergent.
• BBQ Grease - If you splash grease on your shirt from the BBQ, blot it gently with a paper towel and then apply a little dish soap. Allow it to saturate the stain, then wash as normal.
• Sunscreen - Sun safety is crucial, but dropping sunscreen on your clothes can spell disaster! Gently wipe off the excess and rinse with cold water before dabbing the stain with detergent. Soak in cold water for another thirty minutes, then wash as usual.

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Farragut Cleaners is your locally owned and operated full-service dry cleaner. From dry cleaning to alterations and wedding dress preservation to home textiles, we are here to keep you fresh, clean, and looking & feeling impeccable.

Call 865-966-9414 or visit our website.