A Few Tips for Taking Care of Polyester & Nylon Clothing

When buying everyday clothing, we often come across synthetic fabrics such as polyester and nylon. These fabrics are lightweight, resistant to shrinkage, wrinkles and stretching, and generally easy to care for. Polyester is often used to create blends that make cotton and other fabrics more durable. Nylon fabrics are stronger and softer. On the other hand, polyester clothing is easier to dye compared to cotton or silk fabrics. It dries quickly, and is resistant to abrasion.

To ensure that polyester and nylon clothes remain in good shape and have a long useful life, it is important to follow these precautions:

1. Heat sensitivity. Never use high heat in the dryer or use very hot iron to remove wrinkles. Polyester garments can get damaged by high heat. Instead, use low-medium temperature when machine drying. To minimize the need for ironing, synthetic garments should be hanged immediately after drying.
2. Exposure to the sun. Synthetic fabrics in bright colors readily fade when exposed to the sun.
3. Discoloration and staining by perspiration. Sweat often leaves stains on polyester clothing and if not cleaned in a timely fashion, the sweat can also cause discoloration.
4. Oily stains. Synthetic fibers hold onto oily stains, and we all know that oil and water do not mix. So if you get an oil-based stain on a polyester blouse, it will not be removed in normal washing. This is a stain that is best handled by a professional dry cleaner like Utopia Cleaners.

Polyester clothing can either be cleaned by washing at home or by dry cleaning. When washing the garments, turn them inside out. Use the permanent cycle which is shorter and gentler compared to cotton cycles. If there are oil stains, try using warm water to wash. If the polyester garment has a ‘Dry Clean Only’ label, then it needs to be washed by a professional dry cleaner.

About Utopia Cleaners

Utopia Cleaners offers dry cleaning and laundry services to the communities in Boston, Cambridge, Newton, Arlington, Woburn, Brookline, Everett, Chelsea, Medford, Belmont, Winchester, and Lexington via dry cleaning delivery service and laundry pickup service. Other services include alterations, wedding gown preservation and shirt laundry.