15 Clothing Hacks That Actually Work

Spoiler: There's no way to get rid of sweat stains, sorry.

Rebecca Hendin / Thinkstock / BuzzFeed

There's a lot of conflicting advice about how to care for your clothes.

Pure Wow/uk.pinterest.com

Can't I just shove the sweater in my chest of drawers?

And some of it seems...unnecessary.

FOX/ New Girl

There are four more steps in that sweater folding tutorial btw.

So we decided to ask the experts all our stupid questions.

We spoke to the cleaning experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute and Tony Glenville, fashion expert and course leader at London College of Fashion, UAL.

1. Do hangers really affect your clothes?

Instagram: @_uzangi

When it comes to choosing hangers, gauge the weight of the garment. If it's a heavy item, like a coat or a suit, choose a wooden hanger. A wire hanger is fine for shirts, and a non-slip hanger is perfect for silky items.

"Soft, rounded hangers are best but a range of hangers is what's required. Big strong wooden ones for coats and men's suits, soft padded silk for chemise cocktail dresses and blouses, neat skirt hangers, and sturdy trouser hangers. Soft plastic-covered wire coat hangers for shirts. Just use your common sense and look at the garment and its weight. " – Tony Glenville

"Non-slip hangers are ideal for loose knits and silky blouses. They gently curve to protect the shape of clothing." – Good Housekeeping Institute

2. What does "dry clean only" mean?

Instagram: @dry_clinique

"Here's a simple rule: Items with the label 'dry clean' don't have to be dry-cleaned – this is simply the manufacturer's recommendation. If it says 'dry clean only', obey!

"Also take into account the price of your item – if a £15 skirt's label says 'dry clean only' take a look at what it's made of first – though always bear in mind if you go against the advised washing instructions you won't be able to complain to the retailer or manufacturer if the item shrinks or discolours, etc." – Good Housekeeping Institute

3. And how often do I need to dry-clean items?

Instagram: @shopraeofsunshine

"With many things it's best to hang them up on a good hanger, shake them, hang them either in the fresh air or by an open window, and let the air blow through them. Not with silk but with many fabrics, a gentle brushing or if needed a moist sponge wiped gently across works wonders." – Tony Glenville

4. Can you ever really get rid of sweat stains?

American Horror Story / FOX

Short answer: No. Long answer: You can give it a shot. Longer answer: Prevention is better than cure.

"Sweat stains will often still leave a ring when washed or dry cleaned, so to be honest it's often best to jettison them. If you are prone to perspiring, old-fashioned flat dress shields fixed in with safety pins (or in fact a fine cotton handkerchief folded and pinned as they did in the old days) works wonders. " – Tony Glenville

"For older, yellowed sweat stains, try the methods below, but be prepared for limited success.

"Non-washable fabrics: For light soiling dab with a solution of white vinegar (15ml vinegar to 250ml warm water) to help to clean and deodorise the area; however, this may also cause watermarks. Dry-cleaning is a better option.

"Washable fabrics: For cotton, immerse in an enzyme-based pre-soaking agent. Scrub affected areas with a nailbrush, and then machine-wash with a biological detergent, adding an in-wash stain remover to the load. For stubborn stains, rub with a solution made up of half glycerine and half warm water, and leave for an hour before washing as previously described. Unfortunately, nothing works very well on silk and wool, but with light staining, you may have some success with the glycerine method described for cotton." – Good Housekeeping Institute

5. What about using aspirin and lemon juice?

Flickr: catrocketship / Via Creative Commons

You could try one of these more unusual methods, but it's unlikely that you'll get rid of the stain entirely.

"Aspirin: Use this one on white cotton shirts. Take two soluble, white, uncoated aspirin and dissolve them in half a mugful of water. Apply to the stained area and leave to soak for a couple of hours. Rub a little liquid detergent into the stain, and then wash as normal.

"Meat tenderiser: Not as mad as you might think when you consider that perspiration is a protein-based stain and meat tenderiser works by breaking down proteins! Dampen the stained area with water and apply half a teaspoon of tenderiser powder. Allow to stand for 30 minutes, and then wash as normal.

"Lemon juice: Squeeze the juice from a lemon and add an equal amount of water to it. Apply to the stained area and scrub in well with a nailbrush. Place in a sunny area and allow to dry – the lemon juice and sunlight are both good bleaching agents and will help fade the stain. Follow by washing as normal." – Good Housekeeping Institute

6. How do I remove a curry stain?

Instagram: @nikkiseyes48 / Via Creative Commons

It's notoriously hard to get rid of a curry stain, but if you act quickly, there's some hope.

"Stains from curry are usually caused by the pigment curcumin, which is found in turmeric. It is one of the toughest stains known to man, and the best advice here is not to eat curry while wearing silk or wool. There's no foolproof way to get rid of a turmeric stain, but if you act quickly enough, the following suggestions might just do the trick.

"General directions: Use white paper towels to absorb as much of the stain as you can. Apply methylated spirits to the stained area and leave it for a short time. The mark will turn bright red initially, but don't be alarmed, this is quite normal. Blot with white paper towels to remove as much colour as possible, moving to a clean area of the towel regularly.

"Repeat this process until there is no further transfer of colour to the towels. Flush with cold water, and then apply a mild detergent solution to the stained area. Allow this to soak in for a few minutes, then machine-wash the item as normal, at as high a temperature as the fabric allows. If traces still remain, you'll be pleased to hear that curcumin is unstable when exposed to light, and placing the affected item in direct sun for a few days will fade the stain further." – Good Housekeeping Institute

7. Does lavender really keep moths away?

walmart.com

The key to keeping moths at bay is vigilance. Use cedar and lavender spray, and also keep your wardrobe dust-free.

"Before putting clothes away, air them thoroughly overnight. Moths are particularly fond of natural fibres, such as wool and silk, and are attracted to sweat and dirt, so to stop them feasting on your favourite jumper use cedar and lavender spray in wardrobes and drawers as a natural repellent. Vacuum the insides of your cupboard and drawers regularly. Don't cram your wardrobe and drawers. Keep clothes well ventilated – air should be able to circulate freely to help moisture evaporate. Use Pack-Mate Anti Mould Flat Vac Bags to compactly stow away your winter wardrobe." – Good Housekeeping Institute

8. What do I do if I rip something?

My Little Pony

Try to fix it! If it's ripped on a seam, or if the hem is loose, then it's pretty easy.

"If the garment is ripped on a seam and there's plenty of room, take it in a bit. It's also worth taking the garment to a local dry cleaner to see if they can give it a new lease of life. Alternatively, there's a company called British Invisible Mending that may be able to professionally fix the damage.

"For a loose hem, use iron-on hemming tape (£2, johnlewis.com) or fabric glue (Bostik Fabric Glue, £1.80, tesco.com). Garments fraying at the ends? Try Fray Check, (£3.85, amazon.co.uk), a quick-fix liquid that strengthens and binds fabrics to prevent them from fraying further." – Good Housekeeping Institute

"Rips can be darned in some fabrics but make sure you don't feel conscious of the mending depending on where it is, and how well it is repaired. Invisible menders do still exist and should be hunted down and used." – Tony Glenville

9. Should I shave my jumpers to stop bobbling?

Instagram: @missmkucmer

"Bobbling on jumpers? Remove using sticky tape or a de-fuzzing gadget such as the d-Fuzz-it Sweater & Fabric Comb (£3.04, amazon.co.uk). Try washing prone garments inside out on a delicate cycle with reduced spin. Fabric conditioner also helps." – Good Housekeeping Institute

10. How can I save a wool jumper that has shrunk in the wash?

Parks and Recreation / NBC

Short answer: You can't.

"Once the damage has been done to the fibres, there's very little chance of restoring it. The only suggestion would be to thoroughly soak the pullover in tepid water, add fabric softener, leave for 15-20 minutes, then start gently squeezing the pullover making sure the water and the fabric softener cover the full garment. Lift out of the water after approximately 30 minutes and then put into tepid water without fabric softener. Then, by gently squeezing, try and get all the fabric softener out of the pullover. After that just allow to drain, don't squeeze as the weight of the water might help to pull the pullover back into size. Best thoughts would be on a hanger and pulling gently back into shape, then softly dry on a towel." – Good Housekeeping Institute

"No. Once wool has been heated and has matted or shrunk it's time to give it to a size-zero person or a child." – Tony Glenville

11. Does a pinch of salt in your wash really stop colours fading?

lifehacker.com

"Salt is a useful natural remedy for setting a dye and maintaining vibrancy, so a pinch in your wash of colours isn't a bad idea. However, if any of the garments have a tannin-based stain (red wine, coffee, tea, cola, etc.) then the salt can set the tannin stain and make it impossible to remove." – Good Housekeeping Institute

12. Are garment bags worth it for everyday wear?

30 Rock / NBC

"No. It's often difficult to find stuff and unless you have a picture on the outside you keep unzipping them to check the contents. Also some garment bags actually crush clothes. Fibres and threads need air and space to resume their original elasticity, so shaking and hanging is good for them." – Tony Glenville

13. Is a tumble dryer really damaging for your clothes?

Instagram: @gigi_joss2016

"Always follow the care label. If it advises not to tumble dry, then don't. Be careful not to over-dry in the dryer as it could set in the creases." – Good Housekeeping Institute

"Too much washing and too much dry-cleaning is bad for clothes but once in a while a tumble dryer won't do any harm." – Tony Glenville

14. Is it worth colouring in bleach marks with a Sharpie?

Instagram: @naunu

"If it happens to be your favourite garment, then using a sharpie is worth a try, as you certainly can't cover bleach with a fabric dye." – Good Housekeeping Institute

15. Does ironing really help your clothes to last longer?

Instagram: @fun_pugs

"Why should it? With all clothes it's care which counts, and no one wants an ironed sweater. Crisps linens can still complete. The art of clothes care is to check the fabric and then decide. One-hundred per cent crisp white cotton responds well to ironing, but silk mousseline doesn't . As with so much in life, common sense and taking a few moments to check makes all the difference.

"When you take your clothes off hang them up, button or zip them closed, shake them, let them have some air and treat them well – from your T-shirts to your ball gowns and dinner jackets. They will respond to care by lasting longer." – Tony Glenville