In the blink of an eye, the COVID-19 pandemic has ended the world’s jet-setting ways. It has forced us to stay more at home and cancel our long-awaited travel plans. As long as we are deep in the trenches of the crisis, when and how travel would resume would remain in question. In fact, even when air travel returns, it could take time before international travel returns to normal.
So, with less travel this year, how are you supposed to keep your seasonal travel clothes? As a laundry service provider in Singapore, we will discuss some storage tips in this article.
Pare Down Your Wardrobe
The situation presents the perfect opportunity to assess your seasonal wardrobe and purge what you no longer wear or want. So, first things first: Take any clothes you haven’t used for the past year, sell or donate whatever that is still in good condition and remove those that are damaged. After which, you’ll be ready to organise the rest and prepare them for laundry.
Wash Clothes First
Any seasonal clothes should be washed and folded properly before being stored away for the long haul. This should remove any stains on your clothes that could get worse during storage, causing permanent discolouration on the fabric. For your more important or delicate clothes, we would recommend collating them up for a laundry pickup in Singapore with your laundry services provider!
Use Proper Storage
Plastic storage containers can be used for storing seasonal clothes. These should keep your clothes away from rodents, bugs, insects, etc. But, make sure that the clothes are dry and that the containers are lined with acid-free tissue to prevent moisture buildup that could cause stains or mould growth.
Should You Hang or Fold?
As a rule of thumb, any item that can lose its shape—sweaters, synthetics, and silks—should be folded for long-term storage. Otherwise, you can hang your outerwear—jackets, blazers, coats, etc.—but be sure to go for wood or padded hangers for more support. More expensive items such as suits, dresses, and other formal wear should also be stored hanging up. But, it’s better if you can store them in breathable garment bags for protection and not the plastic bags that are usually provided after a dry clean.
Reduce air humidity in your wardrobe
High levels of air humidity can cause various negative effects on clothes. Living on our sunny island, Singapore, you will realize that we embrace the high humidity levels by constantly leaving our air-conditioners on. Humidifiers for clothes are a great way to reduce the air humidity that have detrimental effects on your fabrics. With lower humidity, your wardrobe will be able to reduce the chance of mold and mildew from building up. This is especially important and beneficial for people with allergies! Not to mention, an air humidifier increases your air-conditioner efficiency by helping to reduce the humidity level in the room.
Use Pest Repellents
Pests like moths and beetles can sometimes manage to worm their way into your storage, no matter how much they are tightly sealed. For this reason, you can include natural insect repellents such as cedar blocks, essential oils, or dried lavender in every container. These will not only keep pests at bay, but it will also keep your fabric nice and fresh!
Final Tips
It will take a while when the era of travel peaks again. But, at least with these tips, you can safely store your seasonal clothes and use them when you’re ready again! To conclude, below are some other steps you can take to properly care for your clothes.
• Dry the clothes completely after laundry.
• Loosely store things in the storage to allow air to circulate and prevent wrinkling.
• Do not leave the smell of body odours or perfumes unwashed because like stains, they will become more difficult to remove the longer you store them. Take them to the laundry.
• Complete necessary repairs such as fixing broken zippers or replacing missing buttons.
• Store your seasonal clothes in a clean, cool, dark, and dry place to keep them from any damaging elements: dirt, heat, sunlight, and moisture.
• Check on your seasonal clothes regularly to make sure that there are no issues such as cracks or damage to the storage.
Laundry & Dry Cleaning Services by Presto Drycleaners
Presto Drycleaners offers laundry and dry cleaning services in Singapore for your ease and convenience. We guarantee a quick turnaround so you will get your clothes clean, fresh, and packed neatly at the time you need them.
Find a Presto Drycleaners outlet near you! You can also visit our website to book a laundry pickup today.