Vinegar is a natural brightener that won’t wear out the fibers of your clothing the way chlorine bleach will. Plus, it’s better for the environment—we love that.t

Protect the important part of a garment—the outside—by simply turning it inside out before you toss it in. It may not seem like much, but embellishments on the outside of a garment, even screen printing, can be worn away or

Most Americans use top-loading washers, which have an agitator inside that pulls your clothes around. Front-loading washers use gravity to tumble clothes in and out of the water, much like the motion of a dryer. This is much gentler on

Hot water wears out fabrics more quickly. Save the hot water for really soiled loads—kids’ baseball uniforms, gardening clothes, dirty sheets—and wash everything else in cold. Even if a garment says wash in hot water, washing in cold won’t hurt

When changing out of your clothes, be sure to let suits, coats and shoes air out for at least 30 minutes before you store them in your closet. Hang them up on a clothes rack or on a hanger outside