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How do I stop my tights laddering?
First, be sure to buy the best quality you can. Layla Sargent, founder of The Seam, which connects people with skilled menders, cleaners and restorers, advises going for “a slightly higher denier, a good amount of elastane/Lycra, and reinforced toes and gussets”. Brands such as Falke, Heist and Swedish Stockings should last longer than a supermarket three-pack.
Take care when putting them on, avoiding rough shoes and sharp nails, and for washing put them in a “mesh laundry bag, always on a cold, gentle cycle”, says Sargent, and never tumble-dry – “heat weakens the fibres and causes ladders”.
If tights do ladder, clear nail polish is OK in the moment. Then, for a loved pair, Karen Bentley-Brown, founder of Simply Repair South Lakes/Kendal repair cafe, thinks darning is worth the effort. “Be sure to pick a very fine yarn to match the tights,” she says.
How do I keep my whites white?
As someone who often sneaks striped tops into the whites wash, I needed to hear this and maybe you do too: “Wash your whites only with other whites,” says Rajiv Surendra, who shares his skills in “the domestic arts” with his 380,000-plus YouTube subscribers. “You have to be strict about that.” A white T-shirt with a “decal or something ironed on … that’s tricky,” he says. “I assess the ratio of white to anything else. If it’s more than half, I’d put that garment in the lights.”
When washing, Surendra suggests the hottest water possible; historically, he says, people boiled whites. Idriz Ade from Haywards, a dry cleaner in Belgravia, London, says overusing detergent can cause greying, so stick to the amount stated on the packaging.
If your whites need brightening, Surendra cautions against bleaching. He recommends Mrs Stewart’s Bluing instead to maintain that boxfresh blue-white.
Iwan Carrington, the cleaning guru on the BBC’s Sort Your Life Out, has a separate laundry basket for his whites and uses lemon juice for a pre-soak, as well as half a cup of white vinegar, which you can “chuck in your wash”. For upcycler and fashion activist Orsola de Castro, “there is nothing better than the sun. I sunbathe anything that is white.”
If underarms look grimy, Surendra recommends Shout Advanced Ultra Concentrated Gel, and Sargent suggests an old tailoring trick: sewing a cotton or linen “sweat shield” into the armpit. If you have some sewing skills, you can do this yourself, perhaps with the help of an online guide. But Etsy is full of ready-made sweat pads that you could either handstitch or safety pin inside garments. These work well inside jackets, but might not be right for flimsy T-shirts. She also likes white vinegar “as it breaks down deodorant residue and neutralises odours.” She advises “adding it to the fabric softener dispenser occasionally and washing shirts inside out so detergent reaches the underarm”.
Surendra advises pre-empting problems: “Start these practices when you acquire something new … it’s very difficult to reverse bad habits.”
How do I stop my darks fading?
Do yourself a favour from the get-go, says De Castro, and buy quality blacks. It’s a tricky pigment and, she says, a bad black can be spotted even in the shop.
“Over-washing is the main cause of fading”, says Sargent, so instead “spot clean marks with a damp cloth and steam clothes in the bathroom to refresh”. When you have to wash them, she advises “turning garments inside out, using a detergent for dark colours and a cold cycle, and avoiding tumble-drying”.
For Surendra, separating laundry is as important for darks as it is for whites, because light fibres can fade darks just as dark fibres can dull whites.
How do I get rid of really tough stains?
“Timing is of the essence,” says De Castro, who always carries a little sponge with her. It’s about getting there early and treating it as best you can in the moment.
If you’re on the go, dabbing water on it is a great start, but Carrington advises against rubbing, which can spread the stain, and says ideally you’d take the garment off and rinse it under the tap.
As to treating stains, Sargent trots through the big ones: for oil and grease (food, makeup), “sprinkle bicarbonate of soda or cornflour to absorb oil, then gently spot wash with washing-up liquid”; for red wine, blot “immediately, then flush with cold water and apply diluted white vinegar or an oxygen-based stain remover”; for sweat and deodorant marks, as well as the white vinegar trick, you can use “bicarbonate of soda paste directly on the stain. Let it sit for 20–30 minutes, then put the garment straight into a cool wash without removing the paste”; for blood, “rinse with cold water only – never hot – then treat with mild soap”; and for ink, “dab carefully with rubbing alcohol or hand sanitiser, placing a cloth underneath to absorb transfer”. Carrington, whose new book, Clean in 15, is full of this type of wisdom, has an “if all else has failed tip”: applying toothpaste. “That can have some really surprising results,” he says.
If you truly can’t get a stain out, Smulders-Cohen recommends covering it “creatively through embroidery … or discreetly with a patch”. For Sargent, “If a stain has set or the fabric is delicate, professional stain removal is the safest option.”
How do I save a saggy neck?
Ade from Haywards recommends washing delicate garments on cold, gentle cycles, never wringing and drying flat, while Sargent says to “avoid hanging heavy knits and never tumble-dry stretch fabrics”.
If clothes do become misshapen, “A hot steam and careful reshape while damp can help,” says Sargent. For a “bacon neck” – when the collar of your T-shirt gets all stretched and crinkly – Toast repair specialist Jessica Smulders-Cohen says “You can sew a very fine elastic into the neckline seam to gently draw it back into shape, but this is best seen as a life-extending measure rather than a perfect fix.”
De Castro advises inspecting clothes “as if your life depended on them” before you buy. Aim for quality fabric and take a good look at seams. Turn garments inside out and look for wonky stitches or loose threads.
How do I mend holes in socks?
Prevention, prevention, prevention. “If socks are wearing thin, it’s always better to darn them before they fully hole,” says repair artist Gay Bennett.
Luckily, darning is easy to learn and the great thing about socks is “it doesn’t have to be ultra-neat”, says Bentley-Brown. YouTube is rife with helpful videos and Bentley-Brown reassures that it’s realistic for someone to watch a few videos and give it a go: “Every YouTube video you look at is slightly different, which tells me there’s no right or wrong way to do it and it’s just about finding your own way.” For a larger hole, an iron-on patch will make more sense. “Reinforcing from the inside is usually more durable than stitching over it,” says Sargent.
Then there’s the question of whether mending is worth it. Surendra doesn’t think it is in the case of socks, advising that we should ringfence our finite energy for garments that matter more.
How do I fix holes in knitwear?
Knitwear is different. To prevent holes, anti-moth measures are crucial. Sargent says cedar blocks or balls are the most effective natural deterrent (“lightly sand them every few months to reactivate the scent”), while lavender sachets are “nice-smelling but milder; best used alongside cedar”, and mothballs should be avoided as they are toxic and leave a lingering smell.
Surendra makes his own lavender wands. Plus, on sunny, dry days, he opens up his wardrobe and drawers because “clothes moths hate light”.
If you do find a hole, “stop wearing immediately to prevent enlargement, and never cut loose threads,” advises Ade. Then, you could try to darn it yourself or seek out a professional.
How do I stop my shirt collars becoming worn?
Carrington cites a cabin crew hack: hairspray. “The trick is to spray a little on the collar moments before you put it on to stop sweat being absorbed.” Also avoid over-washing and tumble-drying.
In terms of storage, Carrington says there’s nothing to stop you putting the collar inserts they are often sold with back in when you hang them, “to maintain shape and structure”. Sargent champions doing up the top button “so the collar sits naturally”. If a collar is looking bedraggled, she says, a tailor can replace it. At Kendal repair cafe, they often do an over-stitch to reinforce tired collars. Or collars can even be flipped, says Smulders-Cohen – “carefully unpicked, turned over and reattached, so the unworn side faces out”.
How do I remove pilling on woollens?
Again, prevention is queen. Sargent advises washing wool inside out on a cold cycle and minimising friction from bags and coats, while Bentley-Brown recommends hand-washing when possible.
When bobbles do arise, Sargent suggests using “a fabric shaver or wool comb gently, always on a flat surface”. While lots of affordable tools are available, she warns “they can easily cause holes on fine or lightweight knits. When in doubt, go slow, use light pressure, or opt for a wool comb rather than a shaver.”
How do I stop zippers breaking?
“Keep zips clean,” say Ade, and to lubricate, “occasionally rub the teeth with graphite or candle wax”, or De Castro recommends soap.
Always do up zips before putting clothes in the wash, says Bennett, which “prevents the teeth from getting damaged or catching on other garments”.
For a broken zip, it might be worth trying pliers – in Kendal, they have a “magic zip man” who works wonders. “It tends to be that they just get twisted, so they need straightening.” If that fails, a broken zipper can be replaced by your local mender or repair cafe.
How do I mend a split seam?
“Stop wearing immediately,” say Ade. Simple seams can be hand-stitched, Sargent says: “Turn the garment inside out and stitch along the original seam line using a strong thread, then reinforce the start and end points.” “A simple backstitch works really well,” says Bennett.
Be discerning. If your split seam is on a high-street skirt, De Castro says, “go ahead, mend it – no one will notice the difference.” But with top quality clothes, it’s best to go to the experts.
How do I remove strong smells from vintage clothes or sports kit?
“Soak in a cool solution of water and white vinegar or bicarbonate of soda to break down bacteria,” says Sargent, “and avoid fabric softener, which traps odours.” It may take a couple of soaks as “polyester is particularly good at trapping oils. If the smell lingers, an enzyme-based detergent can be very effective on vintage synthetics.”
Carrington advocates for popping things in the freezer in a plastic bag with a bit of bicarbonate of soda. On removal, shake the soda out and then “just chuck in the washing machine”. He also champions spritzing musty clothes with vodka. “Make sure your bottle is on the mist settings,” he says, “so you’re not splattering it with vodka”.
How do I stop leather jackets and shoes getting cracked and dull?
“Leather, like our own skin, requires some TLC,” says Hus Zekayi of expert cleaners Ace of Suedes. That means regular cleaning and conditioning. The best advice is to never let leather get too wet. If it does, “the most important thing is to let it dry naturally. Never expose it to a heat source as this will immediately cause it to dry out and damage the texture.”
Sargent recommends using a leather conditioner or cream because, “while polish is useful for restoring colour and shine, especially on shoes, it doesn’t replace conditioning. And avoid olive and coconut oils – they can darken leather permanently and attract dirt”. Carrington recommends Saddle Soap, which he applies with a damp cloth or soft brush.
Careful storage will also help. As Sargent counsels: “Store away from heat and sunlight – dryness is what causes cracking”.
