How to store summer clothes during winter

There are three simple steps to keep your seasonal clothes in perfect shape between seasons: Wash. Seal. Refresh.

Goodbye summer, hello sweater weather! With colder days approaching it is time to put away your light summer clothes and start enjoying more autumnal vibes with cosy jumpers, knitwear, and jackets. To protect your summer clothes from mould, mildew, bug holes and stains just follow these simple tips. 

Wash your clothes before storage

It is essential to pack away only clean and dry clothes. Even if you have worn a dress just once and it looks clean, pop it in the washing machine on a short cycle. With a Hisense washing machine, your clothes will be washed in just 15 minutes. 

Sweat or food spots can ruin your clothes while stored. Stains set into the fabric and can alter colour of your favourite garments (think about ugly yellow or grey stains on your crisp white shirt), or even worse, organic residue can attract moths, rodents and bugs that are more than happy to feast on natural fabrics like cotton or linen. Also, do not use starch when washing and ironing clothes for storage, as it attracts bugs during storage time.
 

Take time to make clothes completely dry

After washing your clothes in an energy efficient washing machine, take your time to make sure they are completely dry. Use a powerful Hisense dryer to kickstart the process, but do not store clothes in airtight containers straight away. Let them hang for a bit to come to room temperature – this will help get rid of any excess moisture. Stashing damp or even just humid clothes into plastic containers will make them mouldy and with a terrible mildew smell. 

Seal your clothes to protect them

Now that your clothes are spotlessly clean, it is time to store them. The best solution for everyday clothing is vacuum-sealed bags. Use a vacuum cleaner to suck all air from the bag, making it airtight and completely safe from outside factors. Your clothes will be protected from water, bugs, mould, and other threats.

Alternatively, you can use sealed plastic boxes. Just check they are airtight and, for additional protection of your clothes, add some bug repellent sheets and a dehumidifying bag, especially if your storage space tends to get humid during winter.

For expensive dresses, tailored suits and most delicate fabrics use fabric garment bags instead of plastic. Keep them hanging in the closet and use padded hangers that won’t leave awkward bumps. Also replace all drycleaning plastic wraps and wired hangers.

Take special care of swimwear. The delicate fabric of your swimsuits will last longer if you wash it by hand. Use dishwashing soap instead of fabric detergent and always avoid fabric softener. Also, do not store swimsuit in plastic bags as they can become mouldy and stretched out.
 

Refresh your autumn and winter clothes

Now that all your summer clothing is stored away, take care of your cosy clothing you have just pulled out. If you have stored it properly, you don’t need to wash it before wearing! All your knitwear, wool scarves and trendy cold season dresses are ready to go, smelling fresh and crispy clean.

However, if you want to get rid of some wrinkles (and don’t feel like ironing all day long) or just refresh your favourite items, try a quick 30-minute Air Refresh on your Hisense tumble dryer. A powerful steam treatment will take care of wrinkles and remove any residue odour from storage.