pancakes
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,993
Feb 4, 2015 6:49:53 GMT
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Post by pancakes on Aug 9, 2023 1:42:58 GMT
My husband does our laundry. I’ve noticed that recently Little Pancakes’ clothes are fading super fast — it’s mostly prints on less expensive toddler clothing, but it’s also just the clothes themselves.
They do get washed after one wear, but it’s in cold water. He dries on normal heat.
Is there anything I can do to prevent her clothes from looking so worn out?
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Post by belgravia on Aug 9, 2023 1:52:37 GMT
I think the dryer is super hard on clothes. I hang most of our stuff to dry, and I feel like it lasts a lot longer and looks better too. I’ll throw stuff in the dryer for a minute or two to get the wrinkles out and then shake it out and hang it on a drying rack.
It’s a bit more work…especially with little toddler clothes. Thinking back to how much laundry there was when my daughter was little, I’d hang dry the cuter stuff and put the rest in the dryer. Turning clothes inside out helps as well, but also makes for more work.
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Post by crazy4scraps on Aug 9, 2023 2:00:19 GMT
I never noticed that when my kid was little. I mostly bought better quality brands on consignment gently used, took good care of them while I had them and resold for close to what I paid when she outgrew them. We live where it’s cold half the year so a lot of her clothes were polar fleece which doesn’t really fade at all.
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Post by Basket1lady on Aug 9, 2023 2:18:49 GMT
I always dried the kids’ clothes. They were messy and I had no time for special handling of everyday clothes. I did hang most dresses to dry, but that’s about it.
Are the less expensive items from the same source? I bought most of the play clothes from consignment sales, so I already knew how items would fade. But every now and then an item would fade or twist up when washed.
Really, consignment sales are great for that age. Toys, books, clothes, equipment, etc often aren’t used long enough to wear out. And I would sell my own items and use my credits to buy new (to me) items.
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Post by myshelly on Aug 9, 2023 2:32:49 GMT
I wash all clothes in cold water on the delicate cycle with Woolite or Woolite dark, depending on the color of the load. I sort by color and do lots of different loads. I use less than the recommended amount of detergent.
I hang everything to dry.
My kids’ clothes never once faded or got worn out before they were outgrown.
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pancakes
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,993
Feb 4, 2015 6:49:53 GMT
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Post by pancakes on Aug 9, 2023 2:37:54 GMT
I always dried the kids’ clothes. They were messy and I had no time for special handling of everyday clothes. I did hang most dresses to dry, but that’s about it. Are the less expensive items from the same source? I bought most of the play clothes from consignment sales, so I already knew how items would fade. But every now and then an item would fade or twist up when washed. Really, consignment sales are great for that age. Toys, books, clothes, equipment, etc often aren’t used long enough to wear out. And I would sell my own items and use my credits to buy new (to me) items. It’s mostly the stuff from Target. She goes to preschool so the clothes come home pretty messy 😅 I also have no doubt today’s toddler clothes are often less well made than those of the past. Some of the hand me downs my mom gave me from when I was a kid are still nice. But she has a Target dress that 3 other girls in her class ALSO have and no one’s looks as faded as hers. I can’t imagine their parents are hanging the clothes to dry.
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Post by **GypsyGirl** on Aug 9, 2023 2:45:38 GMT
What brand laundry detergent are you using?
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Post by crazy4scraps on Aug 9, 2023 2:50:40 GMT
What brand laundry detergent are you using? This is a really great question. I pretty much used Kirkland Free & Clear from Costco all along, and for more difficult stains I use Spray & Wash. Any time I bought DD new clothes they almost always came from Target (Cat & Jack, Carter’s Just One You) or Kohl’s (Jumping Beans, Carter’s) and even those didn’t fade.
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Post by Basket1lady on Aug 9, 2023 3:01:56 GMT
I always dried the kids’ clothes. They were messy and I had no time for special handling of everyday clothes. I did hang most dresses to dry, but that’s about it. Are the less expensive items from the same source? I bought most of the play clothes from consignment sales, so I already knew how items would fade. But every now and then an item would fade or twist up when washed. Really, consignment sales are great for that age. Toys, books, clothes, equipment, etc often aren’t used long enough to wear out. And I would sell my own items and use my credits to buy new (to me) items. It’s mostly the stuff from Target. She goes to preschool so the clothes come home pretty messy 😅 I also have no doubt today’s toddler clothes are often less well made than those of the past. Some of the hand me downs my mom gave me from when I was a kid are still nice. But she has a Target dress that 3 other girls in her class ALSO have and no one’s looks as faded as hers. I can’t imagine their parents are hanging the clothes to dry. That says a lot. I’d guess it’s either your water or your laundry detergent. Sanitizing chemicals can bleach household items. Detergent can also fade clothes, either because a lot is being used or it has whiteners in it.
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Post by Miss Ang on Aug 9, 2023 3:10:20 GMT
I stand FIRM by the method of washing like colors together and like fabrics together and our clothes look great for years.
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Post by padresfan619 on Aug 9, 2023 3:10:52 GMT
If he uses oxi clean in every load that could be fading the colors, it’s a peroxide based stain remover so it fades things if used too frequently.
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snyder
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,958
Location: Colorado
Apr 26, 2017 6:14:47 GMT
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Post by snyder on Aug 9, 2023 3:37:23 GMT
I have used cold water for eons and have clothing eons old and they don't look faded. I use Tide pods. I think it may also depend on how hard your water is. We have pretty balanced water, so I think if you clothes are that faded, it must be the water since you said your husband washes in cold.
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Post by sabrinae on Aug 9, 2023 19:24:49 GMT
Try washing on cold and drying in low heat.
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Post by Bridget in MD on Aug 9, 2023 22:27:37 GMT
I dry our clothes on low heat. i wash darks and lights in warm, whites in hot, and colors in cold. HTH
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snyder
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,958
Location: Colorado
Apr 26, 2017 6:14:47 GMT
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Post by snyder on Aug 9, 2023 22:47:54 GMT
Oh, I remember my mom always saying to soak new fabric in salt water to set the dyes. I just Googled it and its a thing. lol Salt Water Soak to Set Dye
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pinklady
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,539
Nov 14, 2016 23:47:03 GMT
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Post by pinklady on Aug 9, 2023 22:56:07 GMT
I NEVER put my clothes in the dryer, only sheets and towels. It’s way to hard on clothes. All my clothes are put on hangers to dry. I have a 4 poster bed so I have a built in hanging rack.
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Post by cadoodlebug on Aug 10, 2023 1:17:30 GMT
Try washing on cold and drying in low heat. This is what I do ~ I wash on delicate, cold water and dry on low heat. I use Persil Stain Fighter which is tops according to Consumer Reports. I think it ties with Tide.
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Post by dewryce on Aug 10, 2023 3:49:55 GMT
It’s mostly the stuff from Target. She goes to preschool so the clothes come home pretty messy 😅 I also have no doubt today’s toddler clothes are often less well made than those of the past. Some of the hand me downs my mom gave me from when I was a kid are still nice. But she has a Target dress that 3 other girls in her class ALSO have and no one’s looks as faded as hers. I can’t imagine their parents are hanging the clothes to dry. That says a lot. I’d guess it’s either your water or your laundry detergent. Sanitizing chemicals can bleach household items. Detergent can also fade clothes, either because a lot is being used or it has whiteners in it. I agree. I’d ask one of those parents what detergent they use because chances are they would have the same water issues you do. Though, they could have a water softener, but I don’t know how that would affect laundry.
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Post by natscraps on Aug 10, 2023 4:13:33 GMT
I still use newborn Dreft on DS8’s clothes. It takes out 95% of his stains without pretreating or stain remover. We have always bought most of his clothes from target and only had fading issues when we put stain remover / oxyclean in the load
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Mary Kay Lady
Pearl Clutcher
PeaNut 367,913 Refupea number 1,638
Posts: 3,074
Jun 27, 2014 4:11:36 GMT
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Post by Mary Kay Lady on Aug 10, 2023 14:35:25 GMT
Is DH adding bleach to the laundry?
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pancakes
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,993
Feb 4, 2015 6:49:53 GMT
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Post by pancakes on Aug 10, 2023 15:04:04 GMT
Talked to my husband. He’s using Tide detergent and rarely uses OxyClean — just if there’s a tough stain. He only uses bleach on whites, and mostly sheets and towels.
I can’t imagine the other parents have different water.
Maybe our dryer runs hot?
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Post by **GypsyGirl** on Aug 10, 2023 15:14:21 GMT
Talked to my husband. He’s using Tide detergent and rarely uses OxyClean — just if there’s a tough stain. He only uses bleach on whites, and mostly sheets and towels. I can’t imagine the other parents have different water. Maybe our dryer runs hot? I don't think the water is the issue either. It's most likely a detergent/temperature issue. I'd try a Free & Clear detergent, my preference is All. Then ask him to dry all clothes on low rather than normal temperature. My dryer has an automatic PermaPress cycle that is low temperature, so check and see if your dryer has that. The other thing is to make sure he isn't using too much detergent. It's pretty common for people to be heavy handed with the laundry detergent but a lot just isn't needed in the newer machines.
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pancakes
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,993
Feb 4, 2015 6:49:53 GMT
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Post by pancakes on Aug 10, 2023 15:21:09 GMT
Talked to my husband. He’s using Tide detergent and rarely uses OxyClean — just if there’s a tough stain. He only uses bleach on whites, and mostly sheets and towels. I can’t imagine the other parents have different water. Maybe our dryer runs hot? I don't think the water is the issue either. It's most likely a detergent/temperature issue. I'd try a Free & Clear detergent, my preference is All. Then ask him to dry all clothes on low rather than normal temperature. My dryer has an automatic PermaPress cycle that is low temperature, so check and see if your dryer has that. The other thing is to make sure he isn't using too much detergent. It's pretty common for people to be heavy handed with the laundry detergent but a lot just isn't needed in the newer machines. We fill the detergent up to the line the machine suggests, but it's possible it's a fallacy, ha.
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Post by Bobomommy on Aug 10, 2023 20:59:11 GMT
If they are Cat and Jack brand from Target you can take them to the store and get full credit for them. Then buy new clothes. They guarantee the clothes won’t face, shrink, or wear out.
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Post by mikklynn on Aug 11, 2023 13:26:48 GMT
I don't think the water is the issue either. It's most likely a detergent/temperature issue. I'd try a Free & Clear detergent, my preference is All. Then ask him to dry all clothes on low rather than normal temperature. My dryer has an automatic PermaPress cycle that is low temperature, so check and see if your dryer has that. The other thing is to make sure he isn't using too much detergent. It's pretty common for people to be heavy handed with the laundry detergent but a lot just isn't needed in the newer machines. We fill the detergent up to the line the machine suggests, but it's possible it's a fallacy, ha. That is way too much detergent. Cut it in half. Check out Patric the laundry guy link
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