What is Pilling & How Does Dry Cleaning Prevent Them?

Keeping your clothes looking brand new can be a challenge.  We all want to feel good in our outfits and look put together.  One major pain we all face with different garments is pilling. It can cause a favorite sweater to be tossed into a donate pile long before we were ready to part with it.  Oak Neck Cleaners is here to help with an explanation of what pilling is and how to avoid it from happening!

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Pilling is a pesky problem that happens when short or broken fibers on a piece of fabric get tangled together.  They create tiny balls or knots, which we call pilling.  This typically happens from use when the surface of fabrics are rubbed together, which is not avoidable when wearing clothes or sitting on furniture!  This happens most often in the armpits of shirts and sweaters, along the sleeves, and even on the fronts and backs.  It can also occur on fabric chairs and couches.  

We have several suggestions for you to help reduce pilling when washing clothes.  Using a liquid laundry detergent will absorb more easily and reduce friction from powder detergent that can cause further existing pilling.  Washing different types of fabrics separately can also help immensely.  For example, wash all of your denim in one load and soft t-shirts and sweaters in another.  You can also use mesh laundry bags for more delicate clothing for extra protection.  Finally, turn your clothing inside out before tossing them into the wash.  This will help reduce damage from buttons, zippers, and any other clothing in the load.  

Once pilling occurs, it can seem like your clothes are doomed.  Fret not, there are a few things you can do to reduce it!  Using small sharp scissors can help if there are only a few spots with pilling.  For larger areas, you can use a safety razor to gently shave off the bumps.  Fabric combs and battery-operated pill and fuzz removers are also great to have on hand and can be especially helpful if your fabric furniture needs to be de-pilled.  

Oak Neck Cleaners are a full-service dry-cleaning company servicing West Islip and surrounding areas.  We are the largest pick-up and delivery network in New York and are here to help with all your dry-cleaning needs!  Our services include dry cleaning, pick up and delivery, tailoring, shirt laundering, leather and suede cleaning, Uggs cleaning, wedding gown care, comforter cleaning, carpet cleaning, window treatment care, table linen cleaning, and upholstery cleaning!  To get in touch with us, you can reach us by phone at (631) 422-4399.  We are located at 945-4 Montauk Highway in West Islip, New York.