Maybe you didn’t know, but a washing machine should only be loaded up to its allowed capacity! If you are not sure whether there is room for more laundry, there is a simple hand test: After sorting your laundry into piles, you may end up with a small pile of beige-colored clothes and a huge pile of dark laundry. And you carefully try to squeeze it all into the washing machine. Here is how full the machine should be: Put the laundry loosely into the machine. There should still be enough space above the laundry in the drum to fit your hand upright. Always wash garments at the temperature indicated on the care label. Otherwise, color fading and excessive wrinkling may occur. Remove washed laundry from the machine immediately, gently shake it out, and hang it to dry. How to wash laundry in an environmentally friendly way – 10 washing rules: Sort properly. Sort both by temperature (garments should be washed at the temperature stated on the care instructions) and by color (dark, light, and multicolored laundry should be washed separately). Reduce the amount of laundry whenever possible. Why overload the washing machine if you can quickly freshen up clothes another way? For example: Remove loose dirt with a clothing brush, wipe mud and soil off waterproof fabrics with a damp cloth, and air wool and other delicate garments on a drying rack. What you can do manually is environmentally friendly — and prevents laundry from piling up. Turn inside out, empty, and fasten. Wool, knitwear, velvet, and jeans should always be washed inside out. Otherwise, the washing machine drum may wear out the fabric. Always empty pockets, zip up zippers, and fasten Velcro straps. If left open, they may catch on other garments, pull threads, and create fabric pilling. Wash at low temperatures. Colors at 40°C and whites at 60°C. Washing at the lowest possible temperature and avoiding the dryer saves electricity. By doing so, you help reduce global warming and air pollution caused by sulfur and nitrogen compounds that are harmful to plants and animals. Choose detergents with eco-labels. Avoid fabric softeners and detergents with perfumes, added dyes, and optical brighteners. Laundry will still be clean without these environmentally harmful substances. If we all stopped using fabric softeners, the environment would be protected from thousands of tons of harmful chemicals every year. By choosing eco-labeled detergents and avoiding fabric softeners and chlorine, you reduce the release of substances toxic to plants and animals into the water. All detergents and softeners eventually end up in nature. Use the correct dosage. Water hardness should determine the amount of detergent used. Check with your local water utility or city office. Laundry will not become cleaner if you overuse detergent and fabric softener. On the contrary — you pollute the environment and increase the risk of allergies in your household because soap residues remain in the clothes. Check the detergent packaging to see how much detergent is recommended for the amount of laundry you are washing. Fill the machine and skip pre-washing. This saves water. Water consumption is very high in most parts of Europe. The more water we use, the less remains in nature (rivers and wetlands). On average, each person uses around one hundred liters of water daily. Wastewater must pass through purification systems before it can be reused. Wasting water also means wasting energy. Avoid chlorine. If you want to whiten laundry, choose products with sodium percarbonate instead of chlorine. Use a clothesline instead of a dryer. It may seem convenient to put several kilograms of wet laundry into a dryer, press a button, and have dry clothes within an hour. But it is harsh on both your clothes and the environment. Use a clothesline instead. Every time you avoid using a dryer and hang your laundry to dry, you reduce carbon dioxide emissions and save money on household expenses. Prevent damage from a hot iron. If your iron is too hot, you can easily burn a hole in delicate fabrics. Avoid this by checking the garment care label before ironing. Even garments with raised textures or embellishments can still be ironed — if you protect the decorations by ironing the fabric from the inside out.

1. Choose a detergent according to the type of laundry being washed and follow the recommended dosage instructions on the packaging. 2. Powder detergent should be completely dissolved in water before placing the laundry into it, and all garments should be fully covered with soapy water. Undissolved detergent has aggressive properties and may damage the fabric. 3. Multicolored laundry should be soaked in water for only 10–15 minutes. White and solid-colored laundry may be soaked for 1–2 hours or overnight. Some delicate fabrics, such as silk, do not tolerate soaking in water. 4. Rinse the laundry thoroughly several times in clean warm water. *We recommend washing dark-colored fabrics separately the first time and using an extended rinse cycle. Denim garments should always be washed inside out.

Glue, acetone-based: Rub with acetone or an oil-free nail polish remover. Fabrics made from acetate do not tolerate acetone! Glue, petroleum-based: Dab with gasoline. Glue, epoxy: There is nothing you can do… You will never be able to remove it. Glue, water-based: Soak the garment in warm water overnight. Banana: Rinse the stain immediately with the hottest water the fabric can tolerate. If the stain does not disappear completely, dab it with clear liquid dishwashing detergent or soak it in warm milk. If necessary, rub liquid glycerin into the stain and leave it for 10 hours, or moisten it with diluted acetic acid or hydrogen peroxide. Beer: Usually disappears during normal washing. Berries: Rinse the stain immediately with the hottest water the fabric can tolerate. If the stain does not disappear completely, dab it with clear liquid dishwashing detergent or soak it in warm milk. If necessary, rub liquid glycerin into the stain and leave it for 10 hours, or moisten it with diluted acetic acid or hydrogen peroxide. Beetroot/red cabbage juice: Rub clear liquid dishwashing detergent into the stain and place the garment in a plastic bag for 5–6 hours. If the fabric is white, dab the stain with 1% sodium hypochlorite or a mixture of one teaspoon of sodium dithionite (bleaching agent) in a large glass of warm water, then rinse under running water. Do not use this on delicate fabrics such as silk or wool. Bird droppings: Wait for the stain to dry. Brush/scrape off as much as possible. Rub with a mixture of 2 teaspoons of white vinegar in 1 dl of water. If the stain remains, moisten it with clear liquid dishwashing detergent and place the garment in a plastic bag for 4–6 hours. Blood: Wash fabrics that can tolerate hot water, but rinse colored laundry immediately with cold water. Before washing, soak the garment in cold salted water. Dab old stains with 8% undiluted ammonia. Burn marks: Simmer the scorched garment on low heat with 1 cup (250 ml) of soap and 1/2 liter of milk. You can also dab with white vinegar. For cotton, wool, or silk, dab the stain with hydrogen peroxide. Effective only on lightly scorched stains. Candle wax: Wrap the garment in a plastic bag and place it in the freezer for several hours. Remove and peel off the wax. If some wax remains, place paper towels above and below the stain and iron over them. Chewing gum: Wrap the garment in a plastic bag and place it in the freezer for several hours. Remove and scrape off the gum. If traces remain, place a cotton pad moistened with gasoline behind the stain until it softens. Carefully rub the stain itself with gasoline. Chlorine bleach: If you spill chlorine on colored clothes, nothing can be done. The discolored areas will never disappear. If it is only a small stain, you may be able to cover it with a waterproof marker matching the garment color. Chocolate: Soak the stain with soap, clear dishwashing detergent, or glycerin and wash. If greasy stains remain, remove them with acidic water. Alternative: Soak the garment in milk for about 15 minutes and scrub the stain with a brush until it disappears. Coffee: Use glycerin or milk. Rub glycerin into the stain and leave overnight. Alternatively, rub glycerin into the stain and soak in milk. Crayon: Dab the stain with gasoline using a cloth or a soft brush/toothbrush. Curry: Turmeric, a key ingredient in curry, is also used as a textile dye, so it is important to act quickly. Pour glycerin onto the stain and leave overnight. Pour some clear liquid dishwashing detergent onto the stain and leave for 5–6 hours. Alternative: Dab with a mixture of turpentine oil, 8% undiluted ammonia, and brown soap. Dandelion juice: White cotton clothes: Rub with brown soap and leave overnight. Scrape or wipe with a damp cloth. Colored fabrics: Dab with a mixture of 1 dl water, 1 dl cleaning alcohol, and 2 teaspoons of clear liquid dishwashing detergent. Deodorant stains: Dab with a mixture of 1 dl white vinegar and 4 dl water. Rinse under running water. Alternatively, moisten the stain with water, rub in some baking powder, and leave overnight. Eggs: Rub with clear dishwashing detergent and place in a plastic bag for 4–5 hours. Grease: Most grease stains disappear during normal washing, but you can improve the result by dabbing the stain with clear dishwashing detergent and leaving it in a plastic bag for several hours. Food stains: Dab with clear dishwashing detergent and leave for 5–6 hours. Alternative: Soak for several hours in a mixture of half water and half glycerin. If the stain is still visible after washing, dab with gasoline or a mixture of 25% ammonia and water (1 teaspoon ammonia per 1 liter water). Fruit juice: Rinse the stain immediately with the hottest water the fabric can tolerate. If the stain does not disappear completely, dab it with clear dishwashing detergent or soak in warm milk. If necessary, rub liquid glycerin into the stain and leave for 10 hours, or moisten it with diluted acetic acid or hydrogen peroxide. Grass: Pour glycerin on the stain and leave for 10–15 minutes. Alternative: scrub with toothpaste. Hair dye: Almost impossible to remove. Use a color remover if the garment is white or colorfast. Juice: Rinse the stain immediately with the hottest water the fabric can tolerate. If the stain does not disappear completely, dab it with clear dishwashing detergent or soak in warm milk. If necessary, rub liquid glycerin into the stain and leave for 10 hours, or moisten it with diluted acetic acid or hydrogen peroxide. Ketchup: Dab with clear dishwashing detergent and leave for 5–6 hours. Alternative: Soak for several hours in a mixture of half water and half glycerin. If the stain remains after washing, dab with gasoline or a mixture of 25% ammonia and water (1 teaspoon ammonia per 1 liter water). Lipstick: Soak the stain in milk. Replace the milk once it no longer absorbs the lipstick color. Apply clear dishwashing detergent to the stain and leave for 4–6 hours. If color remains after washing, dab with cleaning alcohol when the garment is dry. Lotion: Use cleaning gasoline. Place a paper towel under the stain. Moisten around the stain with gasoline to prevent spreading, then dab directly on the stain until it disappears completely. Makeup: Moisten with clear dishwashing detergent and place in a plastic bag for 5–6 hours. If the stain does not completely disappear, rub with cleaning alcohol. Mascara: Pour clear dishwashing detergent over the stain and leave in a plastic bag for 5–6 hours. If this is not enough, dab with cleaning gasoline. Milk: Dab some clear liquid dishwashing detergent onto the stain, seal the garment in a plastic bag, and leave overnight. If greasy residues remain, remove them with acidic water. Moldy/stale clothing: Disappears if the garment can be washed at 60°C. Scrub stains on clothes that tolerate only 40°C with white vinegar. If the garment still smells moldy, use a disinfectant that does not bleach — follow the instructions. Soil: Do not leave it on the garment for too long. Wet the garment with cold water before rubbing with soap or clear liquid dishwashing detergent. If greasy stains remain, remove them with acidic water. Mud: Let it dry. Brush off as much as possible. Rub with clear liquid dishwashing detergent and place in a plastic bag for 5–6 hours. Mustard: Pour clear liquid dishwashing detergent onto the stain and leave for 5–6 hours. If traces remain after washing, dab with gasoline or a mixture of 25% ammonia and water (1/2 teaspoon ammonia in 1/2 liter water). Nail polish: Place the garment on an absorbent surface. Dab with acetone and immediately blot with paper towels. Move the garment frequently so the stain does not spread. Acetate-based fabrics do not tolerate acetone — use amyl acetate instead. Oil: Rub the stain with butter. Alternative: Apply gasoline to the stain and press with paper towels from both the inside and outside. Move the garment often so the absorbed oil does not spread. Oil pastels: Dab the stain with cleaning gasoline using a cloth or soft brush/toothbrush. Oil-based paint: Dab fresh stains with a little turpentine. Rub dried stains with brown soap and leave overnight in a plastic bag. Scrub out the soap and wipe with a damp cloth. Water-based, plastic, and acrylic paint: Rub clear liquid dishwashing detergent or brown soap into the stain and leave overnight in a plastic bag. Brown soap should be scrubbed out and must not be used on silk or wool. Peach: Rinse the stain immediately with the hottest water the fabric can tolerate. If the stain does not disappear completely, dab with clear liquid dishwashing detergent or soak in warm milk. If necessary, rub liquid glycerin into the stain and leave for 10 hours, or moisten it with diluted acetic acid or hydrogen peroxide. Pencil: Rub with an eraser. Alternative: Apply clear liquid dishwashing detergent to the stain and leave for 5–6 hours. Perfume: Dab with a mixture of equal parts water and cleaning alcohol. Perfume discoloration: Dab with a mixture of 1 dl vinegar and 4 dl water. Rinse with water. Pollen: Remove loose pollen by vacuuming or dabbing with adhesive tape. Then dab with clear liquid dishwashing detergent and leave overnight. Red wine: Clean the stain with white wine. Fresh stains: Rinse with water or white wine. Alternatively, soak in boiling milk and then dab with clear dishwashing detergent. Dry stains: Place the garment in the freezer so the red wine crystallizes. Alternative: Apply clear liquid dishwashing detergent to the stain and leave overnight. Resin: Place the garment on an absorbent surface, dab with acetone (not on acetate fabrics) or a mixture of cleaning alcohol and turpentine. Immediately blot dry with paper towels. Move the garment often so the stain does not spread. Rust: Soak the fabric in sour milk (add 2 teaspoons/10 ml vinegar to a cup of milk) or lemon juice and rub. Let it dry in the sun. You can also dab the fabric with rust remover, acetic acid, or a mixture of 1 part citric acid and 9 dl water. Shoe polish: Apply glycerin to the stain and leave overnight. Soft drinks: Rub with ice-cold water. If this is not enough, moisten the stain with dishwashing liquid and leave for 4–5 hours. Soot: Lift off with adhesive tape, moisten with clear liquid dishwashing detergent, and place in a plastic bag for 5–6 hours. Stickers: Use gasoline. Place a paper towel under the stain. Moisten around the stain with gasoline to prevent spreading, then dab directly on the stain until it disappears completely. Tea: Soak the garment in milk until the milk changes color. Then dab with clear liquid dishwashing detergent and leave in a plastic bag for 5–6 hours. Alternative: Pour glycerin onto the stain and leave for 10–15 minutes. Very stubborn stains can be removed with alcohol. Tobacco: Soak the garment in an enzyme-based detergent or moisten the stain directly with such a detergent. Leave for several hours. Tomato sauce: Dab with clear liquid dishwashing detergent and leave for 5–6 hours. Alternative: Soak for several hours in a mixture of half water and half glycerin. If stains remain after washing, dab them with gasoline or a mixture of 25% ammonia and water (1 teaspoon ammonia per 1 liter water).

Prilikom sušenja odevnih predmeta, izbegavajte direktno izlaganje suncu kako biste spečili gubljenje boje. Kod osetljivih i heklanih odevnih predmeta višak vode odstranite peškirom i položite na ravnu površinu kako ne bi promenili prvobitni oblik. Kačite veš na sledeći način: Čarape: Za petu ili na vešalicu s štipaljkama kako bi uštedeli prostor. Onda se brže i skida. T-majice/majice: Za porube ispod rukava i ispod bretela. Košulje/bluze: Na vešalicu ili na konopac s štipaljkom za rublje za donju stranu. Pantalone: Za pojas oko struka. Pantalone koje treba peglati: Između letvi za pritiskivanje na vešalici za pantalone. Suknje/Kompleti: Na vešalici / za porube na ramenima neposredno na vešalicu. Jakne: Na ješalici sa zaobljenim uglovima. Garderobu koju sušite u mašini za sušenje veša prethodno zakopčajte i sušite je s naličja.

Before deciding to take this step, be sure to check the care label to see whether bleaching is allowed, and then read the instructions on the bleaching product itself to determine which type of fabric it is intended for, the recommended solution temperature, and the required treatment time. How to remove pink discoloration in a more environmentally friendly way? Boil with lemon: You do not always need to reach for strong bleach products. Simple lemon actually has the same effect — while being much gentler on both the environment and your health, since lemon fumes are not toxic to breathe. So, here is what you can do the next time a white T-shirt accidentally ends up in a load of red laundry: Boil the shirt in a pot together with a few slices of lemon. Lemon is a natural bleaching agent.

Before you begin ironing, make sure to clean any particles that may have stuck to the iron during previous use. Then, read the sewn-in care label to check the fabric composition and the recommended ironing temperature for the specific garment. When it comes to synthetic fabrics or fabric blends, our advice is to always start ironing at the lowest temperature. Natural and artificial fabrics, on the other hand, are ironed at higher temperatures. Printed garments should always be ironed inside out to avoid damaging the print. How to avoid wrinkled clothes during a business trip Clothes often develop creases or sharp fold marks after being unpacked from luggage. You can often solve this problem by placing tissue paper between the folds before packing the garment. Once unpacked, the clothing will be ready to hang or place in a drawer. Has your clothing become wrinkled from being packed in a suitcase and you do not have access to an iron? Try hanging the wrinkled garments in a bathroom while running hot water. Close all doors and windows in the bathroom. The steam from the hot water penetrates the fabric and helps remove wrinkles. If you are traveling without access to a bathroom, bring a spray bottle with you. Lightly spray the garments with water and let them dry while laid flat. Do not hang them on hangers, as the wrinkles will not smooth out properly on their own.

COTTON Cotton is very comfortable and pleasant to wear, provides good warmth, and absorbs moisture well. Its main drawback is that it wrinkles and shrinks after washing, but this can be improved with a small addition of Lycra. Viscose, which is also often added to cotton, speeds up moisture absorption and does not create static electricity. The ideal washing temperature is 40°C, as this helps preserve the original color, softness, and size. WOOL Its greatest advantage is that it provides excellent warmth. In addition, it gets dirty slowly and wrinkles very little. However, wool garments can easily stretch after washing, so it is best to wash them by hand (they will last longer) and dry them flat with a terry towel underneath. Another tip: if your wool clothing becomes wrinkled, you do not need to iron it; simply spray it lightly with water and hang it for a while, or place it in a humid room. LINEN Linen is considered the ancestor of all fabrics, with traces of its use in clothing dating back as far as 5,000 years! It does not irritate the skin and has been proven to improve immunity. Wearing linen clothing helps accelerate the healing of pressure sores and relieves many forms of skin eczema. In hot weather, linen has better heat conductivity and breathability than cotton, allowing air to circulate more easily. The natural fibers obtained from the long stalk fibers of the plant absorb sweat from the skin and create the light, airy feeling characteristic of linen. These fibers are stronger than cotton but also so stiff that once creased, they permanently retain the fold — which is why linen is known for wrinkling heavily. Because of this characteristic, “elegant wrinkling” has recently become a fashion trend. Linen clothing should be dried naturally, either hanging or laid flat, and ironed only while damp and at a high temperature. In any case, the most valuable advice is the simplest one: carefully read the care instructions and follow them. SILK Silk is soft and very delicate. It is also lightweight, making it especially pleasant to wear during summer. Like other very smooth fabrics, silk can sometimes cling to the body. Silk garments are best taken to dry cleaning. If washed at home, the fabric may become damaged because silk is made of protein fibers, while many detergents contain additives designed to remove protein-based stains. If you do wash silk at home, do not wring it out (it wrinkles easily enough on its own); simply shake it gently and leave it to dry. Silk should be ironed inside out and should not be dampened with water, as water may leave stains. Among natural fabrics, cotton is the most widely used. At the same time, it is also one of the crops most heavily contaminated with pesticides. More than 25% of the world’s total pesticide use is intended for cotton production! Cotton fabrics are comfortable, healthy, and skin-friendly — but only if the cotton comes from organic production. Unfortunately, organically produced cotton is still very rare, and its price is significantly higher.

**VISCOSE** Viscose is the most commonly used regenerated fiber. Cellulose obtained from wood or cotton waste is chemically processed into a soluble form, from which long fibers are extruded and then hardened after spinning. Viscose is the most common and one of the earliest types of artificial silk — rayon. It is characterized by many good qualities: it is comfortable and soft to wear, absorbs moisture like cotton, does not shrink, and drapes beautifully. However, viscose is not very strong when wet and wrinkles easily, so we recommend washing it at 40°C. **ACETATE** Acetate fibers are produced from cellulose based on cotton or wood, combined with acetic anhydride, catalysts, and acetone. Acetate fibers are easy to recycle. Acetate is a fabric with a lovely sheen and elegant drape, making it very similar to silk. It has many good characteristics: it allows the skin to breathe, has a luxurious appearance, dries quickly, and is resistant to wrinkling and shrinking. Wash it at 40°C and iron at low temperatures. **MODAL** Modal is also obtained through chemical processing of cellulose, specifically from beech tree bark. It absorbs water extremely well — even twice as effectively as cotton — and is very durable and recyclable. The advantages of this material include resistance to shrinking, excellent fiber durability (meaning it does not pill easily), and long-lasting color retention.

Do not avoid synthetic materials, which have been brought almost to perfection through modern manufacturing technologies — garments made from them have incredible lightness and excellent drape. Every year, more than 80 million tons of textiles are produced worldwide. The largest share of total production consists of synthetic materials: polyester fibers, polyamide fibers, elastane fibers, Lycra, microfiber, and others. Most of them are petroleum-based. These are the clothes we wear every day! **POLYESTER** Polyester is resistant to sunlight and most chemicals. It also retains its original shape well and is highly durable. It is used in all types of clothing and is often blended with cotton or viscose. We recommend washing polyester garments at 40°C and ironing them at 110°C. **POLYAMIDE** A lightweight material that does not shrink during washing. It can be washed at 60°C, although garments are usually already clean at 40°C. *Of course, it would be ideal to use only natural materials, but they are not waterproof. If we are looking for a jacket in which we can comfortably walk in the rain without catching a cold, polyester fibers are unavoidable. If we choose clothing made from organic cotton (once known as “white gold”), do we really want to wear only white? As soon as we want another color, we once again enter the world of chemicals. If we engage in outdoor sports or hiking, we are again drawn to synthetic materials that absorb moisture and transport it outward. That sounds great, but the downside is unpleasant odors. After a few hours of hiking, clothes can smell quite bad — unless you purchased the garment from a manufacturer that closely follows modern technologies. Statistics say that fewer than eight percent of people have any awareness at all about healthy clothing choices!*