Wash and Care
We want you to get the most life out of your Circle Creations products. With these tips you can enjoy them for a very long time.
Washing your items in cold or warm water with mild powder laundry soap (non-toxic, biodegradable, and cardboard boxed types preferred) and drying them on the line are best. Items may be put in the dryer on low or high if that is your preferred method, however line drying is best for longevity. Turn bright or dark items inside out to reduce fading. Hang shirts from the bottom, and pants and skirts from the waistband so the clothespin marks are in a less conspicuous spot. Line drying saves energy and reduces environmental impact.
Hand Wash Wool items:
Fill tub or sink with your hottest water and wool soap. Soak your garment for 20 minutes fully submerged. Drain, and squeeze out excess liquid. Refill tub or sink with similar temperature water as when wash water drained, let sit for 10 more minutes, swish, then drain and line dry or roll up in a dry towel, then lay flat.
Stain Removal:
To get grease or oil out of a garment, dampen the stain and rub in dishwashing detergent. Then wash in warm water with plenty of mild powder laundry soap.
To get gum or sap out of a garment, first freeze the sap with some ice, then use a dull butter knife to scrape off as much as you can. Next, soak the garment in a water/white-vinegar solution, and throw it into the laundry with warm water and detergent.
Ballpoint pen stains with isopropyl alcohol or lemon juice. Stubborn stains require persistence, so don’t quit after one attempt. First, test an inconspicuous part of the garment to ensure the color doesn’t change. Start by wetting a cotton ball or cloth with a few drops of alcohol or lemon juice and blotting a small area. Allow the fabric to dry. If there’s no discoloration, wet a second cotton ball and blot the stain. Use dry cotton balls to absorb the ink stain until the cotton ball no longer wicks ink from the fabric. Allow the garment to dry. Next, use a toothbrush and clean the stain with a drop of dishwashing detergent; scrub until the stain disappears. Rinse the garment in warm water, then blot dry with a clean towel.
If possible, immediately rinse blood stains from fabric with cold water. Pour white vinegar directly onto the blood stain. Wait 20 to 25 minutes, then lightly pat the residue with a paper towel. Do not use hot water; hot water will set stain permanently. Launder in cold water with a mild detergent, and your usual wash cycle. Remove the wet item as soon as the cycle ends. Do not place it in the dryer. Instead, let them air dry either by hanging or in the sun. Treat the blood stains again if they do not come out after the first wash cycle. You will need to continue treating and washing until the blood is no longer visible. Once you get the blood out, you can dry the item as you normally would.
No matter how careful you are with laundry, an item sometimes will make it through the drying cycle before you notice a stain. Stains that have been washed and dried in a dryer are much harder to remove than a stain that is still damp. Before you toss the garment into the trash or use it as a cleaning rag, attempt to lift the stain by treating it with a homemade stain remover and then re-laundering the item.
- Pour three tablespoons of white vinegar and two tablespoons of liquid detergent into a quart-size spray bottle. Fill the remainder of the bottle with warm water.
- Shake the contents of the bottle to mix the cleaner and spray the set-in stain with the cleaning solution.
- Rub the solution into the stain with a clean cloth, and then blot dry.
- Launder the item as you normally would. Check to see if the stain lifted before drying the item. If the stain did not lift completely, repeat the steps until you've completely removed the stain.