Expert advice to prevent the formation of lint balls on your garments
Lint and fluff balls can form on ours clothes through use and washing. This can give our garments an old, worn-out look, even if they are relatively new. So, what is lint and how does it form on our clothes? These small balls are nothing more than small bundles of broken, knotted fibers and can appear on all types of fabric, but in particular those with a mixed fiber types and those with a loose weave, such as knits (sweaters, pulls, jumpers, etc).
It is usually possible to remove lint using a special comb or brush, but is it possible prevent this from happening at all?
There are various reasons why lint develops on fabrics: the type of fabric, the use of the garment and the washing cycle. By paying attention to these elements, it is possible to prevent lint forming on your clothes - read on to find out more:
How to prevent lint forming on clothes
There are various strategies you can adopt to prevent lint from forming on your clothes:
First of all, always read the labels that detail the washing instructions and follow these instructions to the letter.
To wash your clothes in the washing machine, chose detergents that contain with enzymes that help to smooth out the garments and prevent the fibers from breaking and knotting; select a delicate wash cycle with low spin rpm's. Another important step is to load the washing machine correctly, separating the items by fabric type and turning them inside out. Also do up any zips, buttons and hooks. Washing heavy items such as jeans with lighter garments could cause strong friction which causes the formation of lint balls.
Whenever possible, wash your most delicate garments by hand, leave them to dry laid out flat and leave them in the open air to dry out, if possible (rather than using a tumble dryer).
How to remove lint from fabrics
But what can we do if lint has already formed on our clothes? Well, there are some very simple ways to remove it:
- A lint brush or regular scotch tape will be sufficient to remove light-to-mild lint balling;
- When there are a lot of lint balls on the garment, use a comb, a fabric brush or a battery-powered lint remover (which essentially shaves off the lint balls);
- If you don't have any of these items at home, just use a regular razor, passing it delicately over the lint-covered surface to shave off the lint balls.
Now that you know about these tips, you should have a lot less lint on your clothes!