Your Ultimate Guide To Washing Your Viscose Dresses
Posted by Alex Melen on
Viscose is shiny and moisture-absorbent. It can be dyed easily that is why you will see viscose dresses of different colors on that clothing rack. While it has beautiful attributes, one thing for sure is that it weakens when wet, is poorly resilient, and is more prone to mildew when compared to other fabrics. Before even washing dresses made from this material, it is best to read this guide first. That way, you will be able to enjoy your clothing for a long time.
Checking the Care Label
The first step to washing your viscose dresses is to check the care label first. This will answer all your questions on whether it can be washed or not, or on what method should be used when washing it. If you are in doubt of what is written on the label, it will be good to perform a water test first. As always, you must treat the dress as a delicate item. When you are done with this part, you can proceed to the following steps.
Pretreating Stained Areas
Your viscose dress can have that cotton and silky feel to it. This makes stain easily washable on the area. Using a stain solution mild enough to be applied on colored fabrics will be a good idea. Use stain bars for oil-based stains. Pretreat the area with the solution, using your finger when applying it over the fabric. Make sure you use cool water only whenever necessary.
Hand Washing the Fabric
When hand washing your viscose dress, make sure that you soak the item in water for at most 30 minutes. Use cool water when rinsing and never wring it after. Just simply press the water out while laying the fabric over a flat surface so it won't lose its natural shape. You can also use a clean towel that can absorb the water from the fabric before hanging it to dry.
What About Machine Washing?
If you do not have the luxury of time to hand wash your viscose item, you can use the washing machine to do the laundering for you. A mesh bag should be available on hand so that you can put the clothing inside it whenever using this washing method. That way, you will avoid snagging and tearing on the fabric. Press on the delicate (or gentle) washing cycle, cold water temperature, and low spin. Add soap according to the machine load you have at the moment.
Drying the Fabric
You may be tempted to put the clothing in the dryer once you are done washing it. Never do that since the fabric may shrink and give the apparel a terrible appearance thereafter. For wrinkle removal, steaming is the best way to do it. In case you don't have one, make sure you use the flat iron cautiously. Use the steam setting and hover the iron over the item to give it the best shape after.
When caring for viscose dresses with knit materials on them, it is best to fold instead of hanging them in order to prevent clothes from distorting and stretching. Woven ones can be hung inside the cabinet. Make sure you protect the clothing from pests by using a breathable cotton storage bag when storing them.