Hand-Washing Tips

If you’ve perspired in your cotton top, get thee to a basin—the fabric may become discolored if you wait more than 48 hours to wash it.

Hand wash sweaters and knits that have buttons or other adornments. The action in the washing machine can loosen or damage them.

Can You Machine Wash?

Yes, but turn garments inside out to avoid the pilling all that rubbing up against themselves and each other in the spin cycle can cause, says Mary Ankeny, manager of textile-chemistry research for the industry association Cotton, Inc.

Drying Tips

The tumbling—not the heat—is what shrinks clothes in the dryer, says Julie Bundy of Maytag. To keep sizes pristine, stick to air-drying.

Bulky knits should be dried flat to avoid stretching. Light woven cottons can dry on a hanger. Things like T-shirts can be machine dried.