Having a wide selection of tights for different occasions and outfits is great, but in order to keep them looking their best, it’s important to know how to care for them. With around eight billion tights being made each year and many of them thrown away after just a couple of uses, this guide will help you know how to wash your hosiery and keep it looking good for longer.
Wash After Buying
Many women say that washing brand new tights before you wear them helps them last. A drop of liquid starch can be added to help strengthen them.
Check Care Labels
Always look at the care labels before you wash your tights for the first time, as there may be guidance on whether you can put them in your washing machine and at what temperature. If there are no instructions, it’s best to wash them in cool water and use only mild laundry detergents.
Handwashing
Any delicate fabric benefits from gentle handwashing. If you have fishnet tights, you might think this will be tricky, as they are more likely to snag on fingernails, but they are just as suitable for regular washing as other types of tights. You can look at the different types of fishnet tights before buying. You’ll find a variety of fishnet tights. Always use cool, not hot, water, whether you’re hand washing or using a hand wash setting on your machine.
Use a Laundry Bag
Putting your tights in a laundry bag or old pillowcase will help to protect them in the washing machine. Never put them in a tumble dryer; it’s best to hang them on an airer or in an airing cupboard if you have one.
Storage
After washing and drying, make sure you fold or roll them carefully. You can use what’s called the Cannoli method, which is when you lay the tights out flat and fold them in thirds from the toe. You then roll upwards until you reach the waistband and check that the toes are still tucked in.
Related: Why choose tights with gussets?
Wash-day habits that protect delicates
How you load the machine affects tights as much as what you wash them in. An overfilled drum cannot move clothes around properly, so they come out less clean and rub against each other more, which is how fine hosiery gets snagged. Smaller loads also make it easier to wash everything at the right temperature, so sort by colour and fabric weight, and keep delicates away from heavy items such as jeans and towels.
A few small steps before the wash help too. Do up zips, hooks and buttons on other garments so they cannot catch on anything fine, and tie drawstrings so they do not wind around other items. Turning dark clothes inside out lets the detergent reach the side that touches the skin while protecting the outer surface from fading. Mesh bags are not just for underwear either; they are useful for socks and anything with straps, and keep pairs together.