As great as summer is in terms of going outside and wearing cool clothes, it sure can have an impact on said clothing! Sweat, sunscreen, deodorant, and even the sunlight itself can all create some pretty nasty looking after-effects on your wrap dress if you’re not too careful! Even when we’re eating summertime foods, such as hot dogs or ice cream, things can get pretty messy on our clothes by accident!
We say, no more! Here are some valuable wrap dress care tips so you can enjoy the summer season at ease.
Stain care tips for wrap dresses
As much as we need deodorant, it can sure leave a bad residue behind on your dress! If your summer outfit is brand new for the season, it can be especially disheartening to discover that not only has your deodorant left behind some white residue, but also it failed to clear up the pit stains!
Deodorant is not the only summer hazard to worry about staining our beautiful wrap dresses either. These culprits can be pretty bad:
Condiments (think mustard, ketchup, etc.)
Ice cream
Grass
Sweat
Sunscreen
Grease (from riding bicycles, i.e. another summer pastime)
Fresh berries (such as strawberries and blueberries)
Here are tips on how to tend to these bothersome summertime stains on your wrap dress, in the event they appear:
For deodorant and sweat stains, use a pre-wash stain removal laundry product. Rinse, then launder on the hottest settings safest for the fabric in your dress. If the stain is old, use white vinegar before rinsing and laundering.
For grass stains, try pre-soaking or pre-washing the dress in warm water (either in a bucket or in your washing machine, using the pre-soak setting) using a detergent that contains enzymes. Then launder as usual.
To get rid of sunscreen stains, scrape off any and all excess you’ve applied to your skin off of your dress. When you’re at home, apply a stain remover for oily stains or a solvent spot remover. Then, launder as usual.
If you’ve got ice cream stains, it’s best to try and pre-treat or pre-wash the garment in warm water with a laundry detergent that contains enzymes. Thankfully there are a lot more well-known brands that contain enzymes in their products, allowing you to use lower temperatures and a shorter wash time on your clothes. Launder as usual after pre-soaking.
Ketchup and mustard have their own kinds of stain removal. If you’re out and about and a drop happens, first, gently scrape off the blob(s) that were spilled on your dress. Next, dip a cloth or paper towel in cold water and blot (don’t rub at!) the stain. Once you get home, that’s where the specific come in. For mustard, work a dab of glycerin (you can find this in drugstores) into the stain; let this sit for about five minutes, then rinse. For ketchup, flush the stain from the back side of the fabric with cold water. Next, for both types of stains, apply liquid detergent to the front of the stain and then tamp down with an old, clean toothbrush to break up any hard residue. Add more detergent to the stain, and then machine wash.
If the fruit you were snacking on fell and left a mark on your dress, here’s what to do. Immediately apply cool water to the spot. Later, stretch the stained cloth over a pot in the sink or a bowl. Hold a kettle full of boiling water about 12 inches above the spot in the fabric, then pour the hot water through the stain. If the mark still doesn’t disappear after this, dab the mark with rubbing alcohol before putting your stained dress in the machine to wash.
If you get off your bicycle and discover a grease stain, this is how to deal with it. Blot the stain, then sprinkle with an absorbent powder over the grease (cornstarch or baking soda work really well here!). Work the powder in gently and let your dress sit for half an hour. Then, brush the powder off. Repeat as needed until the spot is gone.
I’m fading away….
As great as the sun may feel on your skin, it sure can fade out clothing! Sun care applies to our clothes as well as our skin.
Wear your brightest whites! White doesn’t soak in or retain heat the way black or dark coloured clothing does. Plus, unless it’s been stained over time, white or cream or other neutral colours will always look spanking new even if it fades out.
If you don’t already sort your white clothes into a whites-only laundry load, now is the time to start. Once you’ve got the white laundry separated, set your washing machine to hot and use a detergent with enzymes. Add a booster to your laundry such as washing soda to make those whites for summer come out looking bright!
You definitely don’t want your new wrap dress to look faded the day after you buy it. So, wear colours that won’t look faded right away, or offer a more tropical or summery design to your style.
If you wear denim with your wrap dress, try going for lighter shades as opposed to dark so you get less of that bleached out and faded took to this material.
Sunlight can really fade out accessories made of leathery products such as sandals and purses. Try storing these accessories in an old pillowcase to keep their colours from fading. When you need them or take them off, brush lightly with a warm wet cloth to remove dust and dirt.
Summer accessories can also wear out
Yep, even our favourite pair of sunglasses or bathing suit can wear out over time! It happens. Again, so long as we take care of our favourite fashion pieces, we can keep on sharing our sense of summer style.
For bathing suits, always rinse them in cool tap water after swimming to prevent body oils, sweat, and chlorine from harming your bathing suit’s elasticity and colours. Next, hand-wash your suit in the sink with cool water and a tablespoon of liquid detergent. Allow the suit to air dry before putting it back on (and then maybe putting your wrap dress over top…if that’s what you want to do!).
For sunglasses, yes, even these can wear out overtime. That on-the-head look we know so well? That stretches out the bands over time. The best way to tend to your sunglasses this season is by carrying them around in a proper case and clean them with a microfiber cloth when necessary. This will ensure you keep your sunglasses fashionable year after year!
We hope these tips help you with your latest summer dress if things get too messy! If you’d like to wear a dress that really reflects your summer style, will help you stay cool, and is really easy to keep clean, why not check out our latest wrap dress prints and patterns? We’re sure you’ll find something that looks smoking hot while helping you stay cool! Have a great summer!
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