Corduroy is such a flexible, cool weather material. Paired with a T shirt it’s a great transition piece and layered with a sweater it will keep you warm without the bulk.
The key to corduroy looking like new after each wear is to give it special attention and properly launder it.
If it’s a blazer, it should be left to a professional to clean.
Corduroy pants can be washed at home if you turn them inside out to protect the textured side (nap) from matting down. Corduroy’s nap and material, 100% cotton, attracts lint. It’s VERY hard to remove the lint once it’s attached itself to the nap so be sure to do wash them inside out. And, don’t wash your corduroy with any material that produces a lot of lint, like fleece, felt or terry materials (sweaters, jackets, towels).
Before washing, read the care label to make sure the fabric is machine washable. Keep color in mind when choosing a water temperature. Choose a gentle cycle and if your corduroy is dark, wash in cold water. If it’s a pastel color, you can wash in warm water (unless the care label says otherwise). If you’re including other clothing in the wash, wash darks with darks and lights with lights.
Tumble dry on extra low for just a bit then hang them to dry. Or, you could hang them to dry then tumble for ten minutes on extra-low in the dryer to fluff the nap of the corduroy and make it soft. Corduroy has a tendency to shrink in the legs if you dry them in too much heat.
When you remove corduroy from the dryer, shake it out and hang. You shouldn’t need to iron them after they are dry. If you want to take an iron to them, be sure to iron them inside out. You can remove any lint with a lint brush in the same direction as the nap.
Follow these steps to a “T” and you’ll keep your corduroy looking like new!
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– S.O.
