- 1). Pre-treat the fabric under the arms and around the neck of white cotton shirts with a stain remover. Residue from perspiration, natural oils and deodorant build up over time to create permanent stains.
- 2). Turn embellished cotton clothing (anything with beads, graphics or glitter) inside out before washing. Do the same for dark denim jeans you wish to keep dark.
- 3). Put cotton dress shirts and lingerie in mesh laundry bags to protect the items during the wash cycle.
- 4). Use regular bleach on all-white cotton items, but only use color-safe bleach on dyed cotton garments.
- 5). Wash cotton in your washing machine using warm water and laundry soap; use the gentle cycle when washing delicate items like lingerie.
- 6). Dry cotton fabric in your dryer on low heat or hang it to dry on a clothesline. Drying dark-colored fabric in the dryer will fade the color over time.
- 7). Iron your cotton fabric with a hot, steamy iron to remove unwanted wrinkles. Check the fabric for missed stains before you iron it to avoid permanently "setting" the stain.
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