13 Ways To Make Your Clothes Last Longer

We love our clothes, we really do. But sometimes we put them through horrors like a week on our floordrobe or six months on a misshapen wire hanger. So how can we give our wardrobe the love they deserve? We have turned to the experts to give you a comprensive cheat sheet to making your clothes last longer. So instead of texting your mum to ask how to wash the cashmere jumper that's stuck to the bottom of your basket, remember the experts have you covered.

Here are 13 ways to make your clothes last longer...

1. How to stop your tights from laddering...

A trick for making your tights last longer is freezing them. Purewow say that the low temperature strengthens the fibres in the tights. Put new tights in a plastic bag in the freezer over night. Or try spraying them with light hairspray.

2. How to remove marks from your coat...

'If you see a mark, blot it immediately with a damp sponge to physically lift the dirt from the surface. Never rub or scratch marks or stains as this will ingrain it into the fabric itself.'

3. How often should you have your coat dry cleaned...

'We would suggest having a coat dry cleaned once every month or two. In winter, you’ll be wearing your coat every day and if you’re regularly commuting dirt, pollution and odours will soon build up. Almost half of the UK only cleans their coat once a year or less. It shocks me to see that 13% would rather buy a new coat altogether when a little TLC can quickly get your coat back to proper condition.'

4. How you should be cleaning your cashmere...

'There are a lot of myths around cashmere. If you need to clean a jumper, for example, hand wash it in cool water with some baby shampoo. Gently wring it dry and leave flat on a clean towel to help absorb moisture. Turn the jumper occasionally and it will be left soft, clean and importantly, not shrunken.

5. How to treat your suede...

'Suede jackets need extra care, but don’t be deterred. A common mistake is that suede is very difficult to keep clean, but there’s a vast amount of suede protector and specific brushes available to prevent damage in the first instance. Prevention is key. Always keep your suede jacket on a padded coat hanger to support the shoulders; it’s near impossible to reshape suede garments. Try to have the jacket dry cleaned once or twice, to keep the material soft and oiled. Never leave a suede jacket to dry near a radiator as the intense heat can evaporate these natural oils and leave the suede card-like.'

6. How to remove marks on suede...

'Scuff marks can be erased with an un-dyed pencil rubber. Moving in small circles, the rubber grips and then lifts the dirt from the suede.'

7. How to remove splotches from your coat...

'Splotches are often left on some coats due to the rain’s high PH level. This is most common in cities, where pollution is higher. Treating marks with steam will quickly loosen and evaporate the speckled effect. Using the steam setting on your iron is a good alternative if you don’t have a steamer and will double up to remove creases at the same time.'

8. How to effectively keep away moths...

Buy and refresh cedar and/or lavender every 6 months to keep moths and pests away from your wools and cashmeres. It is much less expensive than buying new clothes and makes your closet and the clothes in it stay fresh, smelling good and remain hole-free.

9. Don't ever keep clothes in plastic bags...

Do not keep clothing in the plastic bags from the dry cleaner or any other plastic garment bags. The chemicals used to clean your clothes will cause the natural fibers to break down and ruin your clothing. If you feel you must keep your clothes covered, there are many great canvas options that will keep the dust and bugs away, but still allow your clothes to get air.

10. Don't use wire hangers...

Keep coats, blazers and suit jackets on hangers with shape for the shoulders. The shape of the garment can be ruined if kept on a wire, flat plastic or any other thin hanger. If you love uniformity like I do, companies like Real Simple who make my preferred slimline felt hangers, also offer clip-on shoulder shapers.

11. Invest in cedar lined boxes...

Invest in cedar lined boxes for sweaters and wool/cashmere scarves. They keep your folded items organized and accessible, while also protecting them from insects. There are many pretty options in the marketplace that can beautify a closet, too.

12. Wash your new clothes before wearing them for the first time...

Professor of dermatology at Columbia University Medical Center in New York, told WSJ, that you should wash new clothes, because they can contain chemicals that can cause itching and rashes. “I have seen cases of lice that were possibly transmitted from trying on in the store, and there are certain infectious diseases that can be passed on through clothing,” he tells WSJ. He recommends washing all new clothes twice in the washing machine before wearing them.

13. How often should you wash your jeans...

Opinion is fiercely divided on how often you should wash jeans. Head of design at J Brand, Mary Bruno, said to Who What Wear that you should never wash a pair of new jeans: "Almost all jeans have been washed as part of the fit process. If you are buying a rigid or raw jean, wearing them in from a rigid state is the best way to get them to form to your body." She recommends washing jeans every four or five times, as washing too often will change the colour. Always wash them inside out.