Extra care for delicate winter wear

The cold wind is not the harshest thing about winter – it is how we should care for winter wear.

The thickness of the clothing and its delicate nature makes it difficult for people to effectively maintain it. Snow and rain can make the clothes damp, leading to mold or an unpleasant smell. This also goes for shoes and accessories.

Although caring for winter clothing does take a little extra work, it does not have to be difficult.

The JoongAng Ilbo My Life team comes to the rescue with some useful tips on how to avoid these winter nightmares.

Fur: handle with care

It is almost impossible to restore fur pieces once they are ruined. These expensive clothes always need to be well-kept in order to maintain their original state. After each outing, you must hang the piece upside down and fan out the dust and then leave it in a shaded and well-ventilated area. Keep it away from fire or heat and avoid wearing accessories since fur is prone to becoming disfigured when in contact with other objects.

But mishaps do happen. If the item gets wrinkled, dampen a piece of gauze and smooth it out in the direction of the lining. Leave it in the shade for 30 minutes and comb it with a stiff brush.

If any sort of unwanted residue such as oil or food gets on a fur piece, use a slightly damp towel to softly pull the foreign material out of the hair. But leave the cleaning to dry cleaners that specialize in fur and leather since conventional cleaners may harm the item.

As for the storage, keep the fur in a bag and place it at least 5 centimeters away from other clothes. Moth balls and dehumidifying agents are recommended, whilst anti-moisture aids may ruin the clothes by taking away all the moisture left on the skin.

Down: extra care after washing

Due to the particularly cold winter that we have been experiencing, down jackets are a favorite this season.

Contrary to popular opinion, it is a bad idea to take a down jacket to the dry cleaners.

The process could remove the remaining animal fat left in the feathers and destroy it completely.

The best way to clean the jacket is to hand wash it. With a neutral detergent, hand wash the jacket in water that is heated to about 30 degrees Celsius (86 Fahrenheit).

When using a washing machine to clean a down jacket, leave it on the gentlest cycle and separate the jacket from other loads.

Down jackets need more attention after cleaning. Hang it or lay it to dry in a well-ventilated and shaded room. Gently hit the piece so that the feathers or cotton does not crumple up in one spot. The best way to store it is to cover it up with a large piece of cloth and lay it down rather than storing it in a dresser.

Leather: keep water away

For leather, dampness is the worst enemy. When wet, always wipe off the moisture instantly and hang it to dry in a shaded and well ventilated area. Do not use heating devices such as a hair dryer or heater for it may shrink the material. To be extra careful, stuff some crumpled up newspaper in the shoulders and chest area to maintain the original shape while drying.

When foreign residue gets on the clothing item, wipe it off with a leather-only cleaning agent. Markings left by a ballpoint pen may be cleaned with a piece of white sandwich bread or an eraser. If you feel that the stain will not disappear under your care, take the item to a cleaner who specializes in leather. Do not store leather pieces adjacent to each other as it can ruin the color.

Knitwear: never hang dry

A common mistake made with knitwear is to hang it after each outing to let the heat and moisture out. This will not only ruin the form of the knit, but it will also leave hanger marks.

Spread the item out when the dampness is gone and fold it up for storage. When unwanted lint starts to form, use tape to lift it off and cut the end of each lint piece with a scissors.

The best way to clean knitwear is hand washing in water with a temperature of 30 to 35 degrees. Never rub or twist the item; instead, press it to get any stains out. When the item seems to have been stretched or shrunk, mix 2 liters of lukewarm water with 22 ccs of ammonia and dunk the piece in. Gently reform it to its original state.

It is best to roll or fold knitwear for storage.

Remember to always insert moth balls and anti-humidifying agents for long-lasting wear.

By Shin Soo-yeon [estyle@joongang.co.kr]