Washing a pleated skirt

Washing a pleated skirt Pleated items have not lost their relevance for many years now. The characteristic folds in the fabric help create a light, feminine look. But such clothes require more careful care, which differs from regular washing. How to wash a pleated skirt and iron it carefully? Let us tell you the secrets of preserving the shape of pleated products.

Preparing the skirt for washing

Before you begin to properly wash clothes made from pleated fabric, you need to prepare the item. Clothes should be put in order and only then placed in the washing machine. What's the best way to do this?

Sew the folds loosely to preserve the characteristic folding of the material. It is best to use light threads that will not fade when washed. You can move in different directions - vertically along each fold or horizontally. There are recommendations to make large stitches in the middle of the pleating, and closer to the bottom of the product - frequent ones.
Place the pleated garment in a regular stocking. It should be in it not only during washing, but also after it.

Please note that when sewing the folds of a pleated skirt or dress, you should not pull the thread too tightly. The fact is that the tightened fabric in the washing machine can become deformed or even tear. The first method of preparing items for washing, although it takes more time, is the most effective. With its help, clothes will retain their appearance.

Basic washing rules

Proper washing of pleated items differs from the usual procedure. Before throwing pleated clothes into the washing machine, be sure to read the recommendations for caring for such fabric.Let's look at the main ways to tidy up a capricious wardrobe item.

If you are familiar with the composition of the material and are sure that you know in what mode it should be washed, you can use a washing machine. Consider the washing temperature (usually these are minimum values) and other features of the selected program. You should avoid spinning and give preference to the mode for delicate items.

Attention! When washing in the machine, you must use a special bag for delicate fabrics, which contains a neatly rolled pleated skirt.

Instead of loading the item into the washing machine, you can wash it by hand in cool water. Please handle pleated clothing carefully, do not squeeze it or use much force when wrung out.
Twist the skirt loosely and place it in the stocking. Wash using a washing machine on a delicates program or by hand. After washing, do not wring out the item, but simply hang it to dry without taking it out.

Regardless of whether you wash by machine or by hand, you need to add a special conditioner to the water when rinsing. It gives lightness to the material and acts as an antistatic agent. In addition, such products make it easier to further iron pleated clothing.

Separately, it is worth mentioning the process of drying pleated items. You can’t just hang a washed item or lay it out on the fabric. Experienced housewives have their own secrets for maintaining wrinkles in clothes. After washing the pleated skirt, it must be rolled up and tied with a ribbon at the waist. In this case, the fabric should hang freely and not be pinched. The product is hung by this tape and left there until it becomes semi-dry.

What powder should I use?

Proper washing of pleated items includes not only choosing the appropriate mode and temperature, but also a special product. It is better not to use regular washing powders, but to give preference to gels. They cope well with dirt and are easily washed out of the fabric. Let's see what care products for pleated clothing you can buy.

Gel Der Waschkonig Black is designed for washing black or dark fabrics. It can be used by machine or by hand. The product is suitable for synthetics, cotton and mixed materials. The gel contains a stain remover and a component to reduce corrosion of washing machine elements. This gel costs about $4 for 1.63 liters.
Unicum gel for delicate fabrics (wool and silk) can also be used for machine and hand washing. They are allowed to wash clothes of any color, it is also suitable for pleated items. The cost of a concentrated product with reduced foaming is quite affordable - about $1 per 750 ml.
Purox Color gel is intended for washing colored fabrics, synthetic or cotton. It rinses well and does not remain on the fabric or in the washing drum. It can be used in the washing machine or when washed by hand. 3 liters of Polish-made products will cost $4.

Important! When choosing a detergent, be sure to take into account the composition of the fabric and the recommendations indicated on the label.

Washing gels can be used simultaneously with or without conditioners. Rinse aids will make the fabric soft and pleasantly fragrant, and also help get rid of sticking due to static electricity. Using special products will help maintain the attractive appearance of pleated clothing.

How should I iron it?

If you sew all the pleats before washing your pleated skirt, ironing it will be easy. Moreover, it is necessary to remove the threads after you iron the item, and not before. If you didn't catch the folds with stitches before washing, you can do this just before ironing. The iron selects a program with a temperature suitable for the specific material. Depending on the type of fabric, it is necessary to follow certain rules for processing pleated items.

Silk products (including non-natural ones) must be ironed while they are semi-dry. At the same time, it is forbidden to specifically spray the material with water during ironing, because marks may remain on the clothes. Be sure to turn the product inside out. Please note that silk pleated dresses and skirts may not require ironing.
Knitted pleated clothing is ironed through gauze folded in two layers. Essentially, this is steaming, not ironing in the usual sense.
Thick woolen items will also require the use of gauze. Only in this case is it soaked in a diluted vinegar solution, and then the folds are ironed. Before you begin the procedure, be sure to look at the manufacturer's recommendations indicated on the label.

There are also general tips for ironing pleated items. They must be ironed only when wet, because completely dry fabric will not yield. A program suitable for a given fabric is set, after which the folds are ironed at the desired temperature. The best result is achieved when ironing a pre-stitched item, after which the threads must be removed.

If you are not sure that you can wash and iron pleated items correctly, take them to the dry cleaner.

Typically washed pleated skirts and dresses do not need to be ironed. If you use a special bag when washing, the clothes will not wrinkle. But when you want to update the appearance, it is better to steam the fabric.

To do this, take the items out of the laundry bag and shake them. Then fill a full bath of hot water and close the doors to trap the steam. Pleated items are hung up and left there for about fifteen minutes. After this, you need to open the bathroom and leave your clothes for another five minutes. Usually this is enough to return the skirt to its original appearance.

If your iron has a steam program, this will make the task much easier. Hang the product on a hanger and straighten it by hand. Set the desired temperature for processing the fabric according to the recommendations on the label. Steam the folds using vertical steam, but remember that the settings should not be too high.

How to keep your skirt looking perfect?

Tips on proper care for pleated clothing will help maintain the attractiveness of pleated clothing. So, some types of fabric are prohibited from ironing. In this case, things are washed in a bag or stocking, using the mode for delicate fabrics. Particular attention is paid to the spin speed - you need to set the minimum value or abandon it altogether. After washing, hang the clothes, carefully straightening out the folds with your hands.

Rolling it into a tube before putting the item in the washing machine will help preserve its appearance. If after this the folds still disappear, they can be restored. To do this, rub each fold with soap on the reverse side and iron it well with pressure at the desired temperature.Cotton items can be starched.