Isn’t it the worst when your favorite sweater starts pilling or you spill your drink on your favorite pair of shoes? We’re rounding up the best easy clothing hacks you may not have heard of to fix your ruined clothing or prevent these fashion emergencies from ever happening.
1. Dry hand washed clothing faster using a salad spinner.
Dry cleaning can be so expensive, so I really try to buy pieces that can either go in the washer and dryer or at the most require handwashing. One of the biggest hassles of handwashing is that the wet items take forever to dry. Speed up this process with a salad spinner to wick away the excess water, leaving clothes that will dry in half the time. (via Hello Glow)
2. Get rid of armpit sweat stains with this brilliant concoction.
Simply mix together 1 part Dawn dish soap, 2 parts hydrogen peroxide, and a sprinkle of baking soda. Then, brush the mixture on the stained area. Let it sit for an hour and then wash regularly. This is perfect for undershirts or workout clothes and will save you money by making them last longer.
3. Repel moths from your sweaters with a natural moth sachet.
There is nothing worse than finding a moth hole in an expensive sweater. So, prevent this from happening without any toxic chemicals by storing your sweaters with this cute little moth repelling sachet that is all natural and will make them smell great too. You can either stick it in the drawer with them or tie it to your hanger. (via Hello Glow)
4. Put deodorant on your heel to avoid blisters from your shoes.
Whether you have a new pair of adorable heels that gives you blisters or you are going to have a long day of sightseeing ahead of you, this is the perfect hack for you. The deodorant will prevent those obnoxious blisters from popping up and ruining your day. (via Better Homes & Gardens)
Check out this video to see the clothing hacks 5-11 listed below in action:
- Get rid of deodorant marks using a sock.
- Clean shoe stains by using equal parts baking soda and laundry detergent.
- Dampen shirt with water and then blow dry to remove wrinkles.
- Make your own hanger grips with a hot glue gun to keep your clothes in place
- How to properly roll up your shirt sleeves.
- How to hang sweaters to prevent shoulder bumps.
- Quick DIY tote using just a tank top.
12. Make temporary polka dot tights
Do this with your little girl’s tights and she will think it is magic! Simply use a chalkboard marker to create the polka dots, then when you want to get rid of them just throw them in the wash! It is like you just turned every pair of tights into 2! (via Say Yes)
13. Waterproof your shoes in under a minute!
I had seen this hack before using beeswax, but I thought this idea was so much smarter! Almost everyone has a little, inexpensive tea light candle lying around to use instead. Simply coat your shoes with the wax candle and set it with the heat from your hair dryer. (via Baby First Blog)
14. Buy silicone nipple covers to solve your bra strap dilemmas.
Speaking of life-changing clothing hacks, this one is an absolute must. I still wish I had bought these sooner and saved myself so much hassle. Don’t you hate when you put together an adorable outfit and then you put it on and your bra straps ruin the whole thing? No more! For any tricky tops that show your bra, just wear these nipple covers for an instant fix. You can use them quite a few times and just wash with soap and water before needing to buy a new pair (via Amazon) <–affiliate link
15. Use a disposable razor to fight pilling.
This clothing hack is pretty widely known, so I almost didn’t include it. But, it is so valuable and one that I use so often, that I had to ensure everyone knew about it. In fact, I just used it recently because a pair of fleece lined leggings that I bought from Stitch Fix started to pill up. If I didn’t have an easy solution, I would have been so annoyed since they weren’t cheap. But, I was able to use this clothing hack to make them look like new. (via BuzzFeed)
16. Fold your shirts with a clipboard for perfectly organized drawers.
Watch the demonstration in the video below (fast forward to 3:10):
Have you ever walked into a clothing store and wonder how the clothes can be folded so perfectly so they stack together just so. Well, many retail stores train their employees using this genius clothing hack that helps you easily create the perfect folds every time.
17. 5-Second Shirt Fold Trick
Speaking of folding clothing hacks, if efficiency is your top priority, this hack is for you. You can finish your folding in half the time with this genius 5-second folding trick! It may take a bit of practice to master, but once you do there’s no stopping you. (via BuzzFeed)
18. Fix last minute wrinkles with a hair straightener.
This hack is brilliant because you may already have your hair straightener plugged in and heated up while you are getting ready. So, when you notice a little wrinkle in your top or your husband’s collar, no need to heat up the iron. You can fix it in seconds by ironing it out with your straightener.
19. Prevent falls by easily making your heels non-slip.
As women, we live in fear of that embarrassing moment when we slip in our heels at work, at an event, or getting out of the limo at the Bachelor mansion. Do your part to make sure it never happens to you by easily making your heels non-slip. (via BuzzFeed)
Although, it did make us love JLaw even more.
20. How to fix a stubborn zipper.
There are a bunch of great clothing hacks for this classic fashion emergency. In fact, it just happened to me the other day with my purse zipper. To fix, you can rub wax paper, a candle, or a graphite pencil on the stuck zipper. This should coat the zipper prongs so it easily glides when you pull. However, if you are on the go and don’t have any of these, try lip balm. (via Facebook, Nifty)
21. Eliminate static cling with a safety pin attached to your clothing.
Static cling is so unflattering. It makes your hair frizz up and your clothes stick awkwardly to you. Keep a safety pin in your fashion emergency kit and just attach it to your clothes to get rid of it in seconds. (via The Mama Girls)
22. Repurpose an orphan sock as a reusable Swiffer cover.
I hate when, after finishing the laundry, I am left with a lonely sock. Usually, the pair will turn up. But if it doesn’t, I have a great clothing hack to repurpose your orphan socks: make it into a reusable Swiffer sheet. Plus, it saves you money! You can also do this when you have to retire old socks that get worn out get or holes in them. (via First for Women)
23. Use a bobby pin to fix a snag in a sweater.
You may have heard about the traditional way using a sewing needle, but when you are out and about or traveling, you probably won’t have one at your disposal. Instead, use a bobby pin, which (if you’re like me), you have in just about every bag you own.
24. Throw your wrinkled clothes in the dryer with a couple ice cubes for a quick, no-hassle fix.
If you haven’t noticed from previous clothing hacks, I try to avoid the iron at all costs. If you’re the same way, you’ll love this idea.
25. Use hairspray to remove lipstick stains from clothing.
Bold lip colors are on trend, but they can lead to some laundry challenges. If you get a lipstick smudge on your blouse, simply spray the fabric with hairspray, let it sit for a few minutes and then wash it. (via Country Living)
26. Sew a coin inside your pant’s hem to make them hang perfectly.
This clothing hack is actually inspired by the great Coco Chanel. She used to sew small chains inside the sleeves of her jackets to ensure they hung flawlessly. I can’t think of a better endorsement for a clothing hack. You can easily recreate this trick by sewing in a small coin to the hem of your pants to make them hang perfectly straight for that impeccably tailored look. You can also buy special sewing weights at the store, but using coins saves you a trip. Click here for a full tutorial.
27. Use a straw to re-string your hoodie.
When I saw this, I immediately had to show someone. This has happened to me with sweaters, PJ’s and sweats and I never knew how to fix it! Now, I do! I was definitely kicking myself for not knowing about this sooner.
28. Use shaving cream to get rid of foundation smudges
Speaking of clothing hacks for stains, perhaps the most common one is from foundation when you are changing shirts or hugging someone with a lot of makeup on. Don’t let it ruin your perfect white shirt, use this genius clothing hack next time. (via Cosmopolitan)
29. Unshrink your clothes in 3 easy steps.
We’ve all accidentally shrunk one of our favorite pieces of clothing; it’s the worst! You just wish you could go back in time and undo it. Well, you may be able to fix it without time travel using this brilliant hack. I sure wish I had known this when I ruined my favorite pair of Banana Republic Sloan work pants. Be sure to share with your friends and save them the pain. (via One Good Thing by Jillee)
30. Stick a sweater in the freezer overnight to prevent it from shedding.
Break that angora sweater out of retirement and try out this freezer hack to keep it from shedding everywhere. (via Hello Glow)
31. Remove sharpie with rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer.
We recently had a laundry disaster! My husband accidentally left a sharpie in his jacket and it came open in the dryer and got EVERYWHERE. When I saw the mess, I panicked, but this hack saved the day. Use rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer to treat the spots, let sit, and then rewash the items. I also learned first hand that it will take sharpie off the inside of your dryer.
32. Get rid of shoe odor using tea bags.
Simply, add tea bags to your smelly shoes and let sit overnight. They will absorb the odor and leave them smelling fresh. I recommend using a peppermint variety for a real fresh scent. (via Cosmopolitan)
33. Use Windex to shine patent leather shoes.
I would never have thought of this, but now that I know, it makes perfect sense. Any other non-name brand glass cleaner will work too.
34. How to wash a dirty hat while keeping its shape.
It takes forever to perfectly break in a hat, but with all that wear, it inevitably gets pretty dirty. So how can you wash your hat without shrinking it or losing its shape? We’ve got the answer for you. No appliances required. (via Down Home Inspiration)
35. Replace a broken zipper pull with a key ring
No need to get rid of your favorite purse or jacket because the zipper pull breaks. This can save you a ton of money to not have to replace it. (via Krazy Coupon Lady)
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