How to Keep Colors Bright?

Just about every laundry detergent in the world claims to whiten whites and brighten brights, so why do our most colorful clothes seem to come out of the wash looking less vibrant than before they went in?

Keeping your colors bright may not be the first thing on your mind when you wake up in the morning, and we hope you're not losing too much sleep over it at night, but unless you're going for that comfortably faded look, there's no denying that clothes look their best when the colors are crisp and new. Preserving the original color can also help you save money by extending the life of your clothing, since the best techniques for brightening colors tend to be gentler on fabrics than the old tried-and-true method of jamming as much as you can into the washer and hitting "start." (It's OK, we've all done it!)

Some of the best tricks for keeping colors bright rely on inexpensive, environmentally friendly ingredients you probably already have in your home. If you enjoy doing laundry as much as I do (which is to say, not much at all), you'll be glad to know that these color-saving tips are almost as simple as the throw-it-all-in-there approach, but with much better results.

Colors fade when the chemical bonds between the dye and the fabric break down, so the best way to keep your colors bright is to wash clothes in a way that either prevents dyes from dissolving, protects the fibers in the fabric -- or both. Follow these tips, and your colors will look as good as new!

Turn clothes inside out -- According to experts, the tumbling action of the wash cycle and the dryer can cause fabric fibers to break as clothes collide into each other and against the walls of the machine. While you can't prevent the damage entirely, turning clothes inside out before you wash them will keep the worst of the fraying on the inside, where it's out of sight. If you dry your clothes on a clothesline, hang them inside away from direct sunlight to help prevent fading.

Soak clothes in salt water -- Salt is inexpensive, environmentally friendly and great for keeping your colors bright. Before you wash that colorful new top, soak it overnight in salt water. Simply fill your washer with cold water, add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of salt, and then add your clothes. In the morning, just add detergent and run the washer as you normally would. You can add additional clothes at this point, too -- just be sure not to overfill the washer.

Wash only when necessary -- The simplest way to prevent colors from fading in the wash is to wash your clothes less frequently. If you're careful, you can get several wears out of clothes you wear to work in an office or for a few hours to a dressy event. Promptly blot and spot-treat any liquid spills, and use a dry sponge or a fabric softener sheet to remove white deodorant streaks or powder makeup.

Wash in cold water -- Washing in cold water instead of hot not only helps keep your colors bright, it also conserves energy and saves you money. For best results, use a detergent formulated for bright clothes and cold-water washing.

Tips for Washing your Bed Sheets

For health purposes, It's recommended that bed sheets and pillowcases get changed once a week. More washing and drying means more wear and tear on your sheets, so ideally, you'll have at least two complete sets that you alternate each week. Your typical set of sheets in the 300-to-500 thread count range should be washed in hot water with regular detergent and then dried on a hot setting. This is especially important for allergy sufferers, because the hot temperatures help kill dust mites. But once you're up in the 1,000-thread count range, most of which are considered luxury sheets, the washing instructions are a little different. High thread count sheets use cotton threads that are thinner than regular yarns, so when they're exposed to high temperatures, they're much more likely to break. These sheets should be washed in warm water and dried in the dryer on a cool setting. If you prefer your sheets to be wrinkle free, then you're probably going to have to do a little ironing.

When washing sheets, It's important not to overload your machine because the rinse cycle won't be able to get all of the soap residue off. Leftover soap means your sheets won't feel as soft. If you wash a full load, you may want to consider running an additional rinse cycle. It's important not to use chlorine bleach or detergents with brighteners on your bed linens because they can weaken the fibers. If you want to naturally brighten white sheets, just add a quarter cup of lemon juice to your load. If you use powder detergent, be sure to dissolve it in the water before adding your sheets to the mix. And try not to wash sheets with towels.

Laundry and Dry Cleaning Pick Up and Delivery Service

Raspberry Laundry & Dry Clean Services offer a Pick Up and Delivery Service within Pasig City ( Ortigas Center, Renaissance Tower, Goldland Millenia Tower, Riverfront Residences, Valle Verde, Hampton Gardens, The Grove, Astoria Plaza etc.).

The process is as simple as calling us on 0917.447.4068  and arrange a convenient time for us to collect and when it will be suitable for us to deliver. We are open 7 days a week (apart from certain National Holidays). If the phones are busy, please be patient or you can text us.

Rapid turn around. Your laundry and/or dry cleaning will be ready and delivered typically in 2 days. Express, Same Day and emergency service is also available.

We recommend you place your items in a bag clearly labelled with your name and instructions. We collect your order at the arranged time slot from you or your porter, receptionist, house-keeper, etc. Please allow a 2 hour window for collection and delivery - we can guarantee our service but unfortunately we cannot predict the traffic.

Your items will then be Professionally cleaned and delivered back to you as per your instructions. Payment is by cash.

We provide collection and delivery either to your home or place of work. If you wish to have your dry cleaning and laundry picked up from work but don't know how, let us know which company you work for and let us organize it.

Laundry Practical Tips

Over the past few weeks I was thinking of new ways to make my laundry routine the natural way using stuffs that are found in my kitchen. I had to face new ways to treat faded clothing and yellowish whites.So I began experimenting because I don't want to use chemicals on a regular basis. I still prefer using biodegradable materials and alternative solution that has proven results. I've collected empty jars filled it up and labelled each.Below are the tips you can try for yourself.

1. Keep Your Whites Their Whitest

Do your white T-shirts tend to go grey? White socks look dirty no matter how many times they're washed? Try one of these tried and trusted methods for making whites stay white.

Soak in a solution of 4 liters water and 180g bicarbonate of soda.

Soak in hot water in which you've dissolved 5 aspirin tablets (325mg each). Add 240ml white vinegar to the washing machine's rinse cycle.

2. Get Blacker Blacks, Darker Darks

While faded and distressed-looking garments are the rage for some age groups, you may prefer not to look as if the last time you went clothes-shopping was 1998. Here are some tips for keeping black and dark-coloured wardrobe items looking like new.

• For blacks, add 2 cups brewed coffee or tea to the rinse cycle.

• For dark colors like navy blue or plum, add 1 cup table salt to the rinse cycle.

• For denim that will be slow to fade, soak jeans in salt water or a 50/50 solution of water and white vinegar before the first wash. Turn the jeans inside out before putting them in the machine and turn the temperature setting to cold.

3. Get Rid of Odours

Know that "new" smell of dye or chemicals that comes with just-bought sheets or shirts? Have a teenager who thinks nothing of leaving sweaty clothes in a locker or gym bag for weeks on end? Worse, ever have a run-in with a skunk? Grab two old deodorizer standbys. First, add ½ cup baking soda to 1 gallon (3.78 litres) water and presoak any smelly washable items for about 2 hours. Then, as you machine-wash them, add ½ cup white vinegar to the rinse cycle.

4. Get Rid of Yellow Stains

With time, white cotton and linen tend to turn yellow — hardly the fresh, crisp look for which cotton is famous. Let sodium come to the rescue by mixing ¼ cup salt and ¼ cup baking soda with 1 gallon water in a large cooking pot. Add the yellowed items and boil for 1 hour.

5. Freshen a Laundry Hamper

Hampers are handy for keeping dirty laundry in one place, but they can get a little ripe when packed with soiled clothes. Two ways to prevent hamper smells:

• Cut the foot off a pair of old panty hose, fill it with baking soda, knot it, and toss this makeshift odour eater into the hamper. Replace the baking soda every month or so.

• Keep a box of baking soda next to the hamper and sprinkle some on soiled clothes as you throw them in the washer, where the soda will freshen and soften the load.