Sort of Budget - Keeping my clothes looking good!

[sookie]

I must be hard on my clothes. I buy a lot of nice ones (on sale), and I try to keep them looking nice...
I have an HE washer. I wash them alone with like colored clothing. I use Tide.
I don't usually iron, but I hang some things up when they are partially dry or still slightly damp. I almost always dry clean things that are dry clean only - the tops are an always. Dry clean pants - if they are pants I don't care too much about, sometimes I wash on gentle. If they are suit pants, I keep them pristine by following the directions. But I hardly wear them if they are dry clean only.
I'm still finding that my things tend to fade or seem to just - fall apart after one season.
What do you guys think about using a steamer? Would that help at all?
Thanks in advance.

 

[clh2]

HE washers IMHO are hard on clothes.

 

[sookie]

HE washers IMHO are hard on clothes.

I am seriously wondering! I would have thought an agitator would have been worse. I have a top loader and a front loader, both HE.
It doesn't seem to make a difference either way.

 

[clh2]

I am seriously wondering! I would have thought an agitator would have been worse. I have a top loader and a front loader, both HE.
It doesn't seem to make a difference either way.

The "super-duper" spin cycle does it. I find that our HE (top loader) is really hard on towels. That is where I made the "hard on clothes" connection.

 

[QVCshopper]

I have an older top load washer (it's ten years old, not HE) and public water. Anyway, my clothes seem to last forever. I don't have a need right now for clothes that require dry cleaning, but my LL Bean and Lands End clothes can last ten or more years and still look good. I was air drying them for a while, but I started using my dryer again during my pregnancy. My kids mostly wear Gymboree and Lands End clothes, and those are still in great shape by the time they outgrow them. Maybe it is your water or washer. And, I don't use Tide, just whatever is on sale... My mom and sister swear by Tide but I haven't really witnessed a huge difference myself. Oh, and I don't sort by color, either.

 

[LJSquishy]

What specific brands of clothes are you buying?

I also use Tide in my HE front load washing machine and mine is extremely gentle on all clothing. I use either the gentle cycle or permanent press cycle (same as gentle but slightly higher spin speed) and always wash on cold. If you wash on warm or hot, that is what causes your clothes to fade, as well as your dryer. As far as drying goes, I dry everything on low heat. I haven't had any problems with fading or clothes looking worn or damaged, even with some Old Navy clothes which are poorly made. Heck, I even have a long sleeved tee from Walmart that I wear with pajamas that still looks like new.

 

[sookie]

What specific brands of clothes are you buying?

I also use Tide in my HE front load washing machine and mine is extremely gentle on all clothing. I use either the gentle cycle or permanent press cycle (same as gentle but slightly higher spin speed) and always wash on cold. If you wash on warm or hot, that is what causes your clothes to fade, as well as your dryer. As far as drying goes, I dry everything on low heat. I haven't had any problems with fading or clothes looking worn or damaged, even with some Old Navy clothes which are poorly made. Heck, I even have a long sleeved tee from Walmart that I wear with pajamas that still looks like new.

Ann Taylor, Loft, various Macy's Brands. Some Banana Republic.