The Crucial Task For Once You've Taken Winter Clothes Out Of Storage

As winter rolls in and summer comes to a close, it's time to unpack your winter gear and prepare for the blustery, cold weather. Unless you have a huge walk-in closet, you probably put your winter clothes away during the warm months. If this is the case, it may be tempting to pull your winter items out of their storage boxes and hang them right up in your closet. However, you need to clean them before wearing them. This crucial step helps to refresh your winter clothes and works to keep bugs and other nasties from mixing in with your clean clothes. 

Keep in mind that doing laundry isn't a one-size-fits-all, and you can't just throw all your winter clothes in the wash at once. You need to wash each piece according to their care labels so as not to ruin anything. Even though doing laundry feels like a chore, it's an essential part of the process when preparing your winter wardrobe, especially if you want your items to look new for years to come.

Do you use fabric softener? If so, it's advisable to avoid it before you store winter clothes. These chemicals throw the Bat-Signal up to a ton of creepy, crawly insects. So, if you forgot to skip the fabric softener, chances are your winter clothes have bugs on them. This is one reason why you need to wash them as soon as you take them out of storaifge. Otherwise, you run the risk of transferring bugs to your clean clothes. Follow the care instructions on your clothes, and if something says "Dry Clean Only," bring it to a professional. However, double-check the label to make sure there isn't an alternate method of washing the items. 

You should always throw your winter coats in the laundry, but wool coats usually can't be cleaned in the washing machine. If the label doesn't say "dry clean only," you might be able to hand wash them. It all depends on what the label says and the specific materials. Other winter items, such as cotton, do well in the washer and dryer. Just be careful not to shrink anything. You may also notice some stains on your winter gear — this can be from the time it spent in storage. If this is the case, pretreat it to remove any stubborn stains before giving it a wash. When you're all done, you'll have winter clothes ready for another season.