One of the most downplayed leg accessories must be socks. They help to keep the feet warm in colder seasons and also prevents them from getting burns or abrasions. However, there is a lot more that goes into the making of the fabric of the socks than we know about.

If you own wool or cotton socks, the best secret to make them last for a high number of years is dedicating enough time and strength to take proper care of them. By paying close attention to details, laundering the right way, and trimming your toenails, you can increase the lifespan of your socks.

In this guide, we will take you through several steps to wash and care for either your wool or your cotton socks. Let's dive right in!

Washing and caring for your socks - what you should know

Observing the steps to taking care of your socks would enable them to last longer. The list below discusses some of the ways through which you can effectively do this:

Tip 1: Always separate your socks

There are two main reasons why socks are often thrown into the waste bin. They include:

• They develop a high amount of white lint
• One of the pairs ends up missing

That said, one way to preserve the colors of your socks is to ensure that they stay separately when you want to wash them. This way, they won't accumulate white lint nor have their colors faded.

Tip 2: Ensure that they are turned inside out and also organized in pairs

The most annoying thing that could happen to any socks owner is dressing up only to see that you can't find one pair of your socks. To prevent this, you must ensure that your socks are all organized in pairs laundering them.

To make it easier for you, once you pull off the socks from your feet, tuck them into each other and throw them into your launder bin. Also, turning them inside out before washing is another method of preventing the white lint.

Tip 3: Use light detergent, wash in gentle cycle with cold water

At this point, pack the selected socks and load them into your washing machine. For this purpose, the most preferred type of washing machine is the front loader. However, if you do not have the front loader, you can use any type within your reach but ensure that you wash in a gentle cycle using a light detergent and cold water.

Sometimes, the amount of dirt or stain on the socks determines the amount of time that it should be soaked before washing. You can have it soaked for 30 minutes or thereabout before beginning the washing cycle.

Tip 4: Turn them right side out

When you complete the laundry cycle, pick out the socks from the washing machine, and start to turn each of them right side out.  While doing this, it's important that you maintain gentleness and don't stretch out so much. This is also a better time to have the socks reorganized in their pairs.

Tip 5: Hang and  Dry

A better way of drying your socks after washing is by hanging them. This is equally part of the most important part of taking care of your cotton socks. If you neglect this and use a dryer instead, the high heat may end up overstretching the elasticity of the socks. It's also a faster way of weakening the cotton fibers of the socks.

If you're looking for a way to easily dry your socks, you can visit one of the stores around you and ask for a drying rack.

Tip 6: Tuck and put them away

One way to safely put your socks away after drying is by purchasing a drawer. You can fold them in rolls and neatly lay them in.

A shorter way of caring for your socks

If you have a busy schedule and wouldn't have the time to go through the seemingly rigorous process of washing and caring for your socks, you can:

• Separately wash them in cold water
• Hang and dry

Maintaining these two routines would also help in prolonging the life of your socks.

Washing socks by hand

If you own a pair of socks that's either made from Merino wool, silk, and cashmere, it would be necessary that you launder them by hand. Also, if you don't own a washing machine, following the steps below would help you a great deal:

• Fill your sink with cold water
• Use a mild dishwashing liquid or laundry detergent
• Turn the socks inside out (to get out all the specks of dirt)
• Soak for about 5 to 30 minutes
• Move the socks thoroughly inside the soap water
• Drain the sink, rinse the socks until it no longer feels soapy
• Avoid scrubbing too hard so as not to stretch the fabric

How to air-dry your socks

Remember, drying your socks with a dryer would only overstretch and weaken the fabric. If your socks are made of delicate soft materials, then you should always allow them to dry. You can air-dry any type of socks material. Even though it looks simple, you still need to take certain steps to ensure that excess water gets removed from wet socks. Here's how you can do this:

• Get a clean towel and lay your wet socks on it. Rightly roll the towel up.
• Apply pressure on the towel to get rid of the excess water.
• Open the towel, take out the damp socks, and hang them on a clothing rack.
• In a case where you don't have a clothing rack or line, the shower rod or the edge of your bathtub can serve the purpose.

Conclusion

Wearing socks remains one of the ways to stand out, maintain your style, and exude confidence. To extend the life of your socks, you can easily dedicate a required amount of time and energy as this would help to keep them in check in the coming years. The steps listed above when followed carefully can help you to heighten the longevity of your socks.