21 Simple Tricks To Keep Your Clothes And Shoes In Perfect Condition

“Life’s already complicated, your dirty shoes and clothes make it more so,” is my mom’s favorite line on her laundry days. I never understood why she took laundry so seriously until I started washing my own clothes. So, now, I know your laundry problems, and that’s why I have some (not some, there are 21 of them) cleaning hacks for you all that, I hope, might make your life slightly easier.

1. There’s just one blemish, and you don’t want to wash your white sneakers. Yes, I know that feeling. Thankfully, there’s a hack to clean the blemish without having to go through the ritual of washing both your sneakers. Use a wet wipe to clean just the area with the grime. You could also use a cloth dipped in vinegar to clean the dirt away.

2. You managed to scruff your shoes somewhere and are worrying about what to do with those tiny scratches on them. Simple! Take that white nail polish out and do a simple patch-up in the area with the scratch.

3. If you have a pair of really old and dirty kicks sadly sitting on the shoe stand, use this method to clean them quickly. Toothbrushes are famous for reaching areas that your hand can’t. So, why not use one to clean your shoes as well? Take a pea-sized amount of toothpaste and use it to scrub your shoes. Wipe it away with a wet cloth or a wet wipe once you are done with the scrubbing. Your shoes will look brand new.

4. If you are tired of shoe bites and blisters, but can’t stop wearing those shoes, this hack is for you. Fill zip lock covers with water, place them inside the shoes, and throw ‘em into the freezer. After a while, the shoe takes the shape of the frozen ice and expands. This will ensure there is more legroom, and you don’t have to stuff all your toes into that narrow little shoe.

5. If you didn’t like the freezer idea, you could use some heat. Wear a pair of thick socks and put on your shoes. In places that you find your shoes tight, use your hair dryer for a couple of minutes. Repeat it until you feel the shoe has become loose enough.

6. Are you one of those who always ends up freaking out because of a static shock? Some people, quite eerily, appear more prone to these static shocks, but here’s something you can do about it. Take a tissue and use the lower surface of it to wipe your clothes. This will ensure you don’t get those shocks anymore.

7. I like things to be straight. “Like” is an understatement, you could call it a borderline obsession. So, when there’s this tiny fold on my dress, I wouldn’t mind undressing, ironing it over and over again, and wearing my dress again. Fortunately, I discovered that there’s something called a hair straightener that, apart from straightening hair, could also straighten other un-straight things. So, please use this tip if you are obsessed like me about clothes being straight. It will save you loads of time.

8. Red wine stains are as stubborn as those high on red wine. While you can’t do anything about the latter, you could use some white wine and baking soda to remove the former. Yes, use wine to remove wine stains. Sounds suspicious, but it works!

9. If you like your white clothes to look super white and soaps and detergents haven’t satisfied you enough, drop some aspirin tablets in lukewarm water. Wait until they dissolve and soak your whites in that. I guess that shall satiate your want for white.

10. That’s about whites, but we all have that special liking for colorful clothes, particularly the new ones. It is sad that clothes, even when worn the second time, don’t have that zing in them. This is when your pantry comes into the picture. Grab that salt and throw in a spoonful when you soak your colored ones, and they are going to look full-of-life when they finally dry.

11. When I messed up my white T-shirt with the foundation, I realized that even women could use shaving foam. No, I am not talking about shaving the facial hair, I am talking about shaving the foundation off. I didn’t believe it first, but now, I see to it that I spill some foundation on my tees because I love the after smell of the shaving foam.

12. Hacks are more for the obsessed is what I feel ’cause I just realized what I do to keep my blacks real jet black. I can’t have enough of black, and I am one of those who likes to buy more blacks because the old blacks are not as black as the new blacks. After that little black story, let me tell you the hack. Just brew some coffee and rinse your blacks with it. They remain as black as they originally were.

13. Warm clothes are always difficult to deal with. It is a bit of a task to clean them and fold them, and they ain’t even travel-friendly. At least there is something I can do about keeping them crumple free. Place the sweaters in a cover and keep them in the freezer for around 3 hours, and that’s it. They are easy to manage when you do this.

14. Also, when these sweaters become all fuzzy, pick up a sharp razor and clean all the mess on the surface.

15. Leather jackets are sure for the tough ones. However, the texture needn’t be that tough. Wear them on a rainy day and enjoy a quick drench. The rain water will soften the leather.

16. People, stop hyping the woes of a laundry day! Haven’t you learned the smart ways of doing work? You don’t have to sort out clothes anymore. Black will lose color, red will make it messy, and purples cling. What is vinegar for, then? Add a bit of vinegar when you soak clothes, and they will retain their color. Save yourself from that tedious sorting.

17. After finishing washing a full load of clothes, when I finally begin to feel all chirpy about it, I find these unavoidable yellow stains on the armpits of my tees. Baking soda is a savior when it comes to these sweat stains. I use a capful of baking soda and lemon juice to go back to the chirpy me.

18. Most of the times, my sense of aesthetics is associated with my olfactory senses as well. When things smell fresh, they feel fresh and look fresh. If you like things this way, add some drops of your favorite essential oil (I like lavender essential oil) when you wash your curtains, bedspreads, and floor mats. You can indulge in a soothing aromatic sleep that night.

19. If you own a pair of suede shoes like I do and find it difficult to keep them clean, don’t throw away stale bread. Yes, that sounds ridiculous, but just use one of the crusts and scrape off the uneven surface.

20. You don’t HAVE to wait for the bread to become stale, though. You can do a similar thing with an eraser.

21. I love it when they say ‘life” hacks because some of them are really effective much like how deep the word ‘life’ sounds. Did you ever think that beeswax with some baby powder dusted over them can make canvas or any cloth-made shoes waterproof? Yes, that’s why I am so fond of hacks.

Did I rub my obsession over whites, blacks, colors, hacks, and what not over you people at least a little bit? I’d be glad if I did. This beeswax hack is my top favorite, what’s yours?

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Rachana C

Twenty seventeen says Rachana Chandrasekhar is a content writer at IncNut Digital. Of course, twenty twelve thought she'd be a vegetable vendor in an Italian countryside. Don't be too overwhelmed if twenty twenty finds her basking in the raptures of driving the fastest car on some obscure racing course.

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