Care instructions

For tips on how to keep whites white, see keeping whites white.

 

Soak bathroom items before washing

Bathroom items only. For softer and more absorbent bathroom items (all terry towel textiles), soak in cold water for 24 hours before first wash. This swells cotton fibres, making them more absorbent over their life. Always wash separately, keeping whites and colours apart. Tumble dry for a soft touch or line dry for a crisp finish.

 

Wash before first use

New textiles won't feel their best until washed. Washing them before using removes excess fibres, factory finishes, and ensures a better first experience. For best results, unfold and wash separately using a warm or cold setting with half the recommended detergent. Always wash whites separately from colours.

 

Tumble-dry bathroom items initially

Bathroom items only. We recommend tumble drying your terry towel items (towels, bathrobes etc) after the first four washes. This removes stray fibres typical with plush terry towel textiles like ours. If you skip tumble-drying bathroom textiles altogether, be aware you'll see more linting.

 

Cotton sheets and linen rotation

Sheets only. All cotton sheets require a rest period after washing. For example, hotels using 100% cotton sheets have a three day rest period before putting sheets back onto the bed. If you wash then use the same fitted sheet each week, you'll experience much quicker wear. This is why many hotels use 50% poly/cotton or even 100% polyester sheets instead of cotton. For the longest life, we strongly recommend proper linen rotation for 100% cotton sheets, using sheets one-week-on, one-week-off and letting cotton rest between washes.

 

Magnesium and other medication creams

Stains in strange places or weird colours after washing can be caused by night creams in our experience. And some creams, like magnesium creams, seem to react with some soaps/powders which often contain optical whiteners, colour enhancers, softeners and other additives. 

Therefore, we recommend the simplest soaps to minimise the possibility of strange reactions, and to be mindful of creams you might use at night. There's a whole world of beauty and laundry products out there, so strange reactions can occur.

 

Water quality

Water in New Zealand can be hard or soft, can come from rivers, the ground or from rain. The instructions below have been tested thoroughly using Auckland tap water which is chlorinated.

People on bore water can expect more minerals which may require more whitening (see below for whitening tips).

If you're in the Waikato, many have told us whites like bedding and School uniforms can go grey. If you know why, drop us a note, we'd love to know (some have told us the water comes from the Waikato river which changes depending on storms).

And counterintuitively, rain water can also make whites discolour more quickly, requiring regular whitening. See below for our whitening section.

And if you're on tank waste-water or on the farm where you have to be mindful of tank bacteria, many tell us they whiten in a seperate bucket, then tip the waste on their weeds!

 

Washing

Before first use, wash your items as directed above. For subsequent washes, wash with mild detergent using half the suggested amount in a gentle cycle. Keep natural fibres  separate from synthetics, and always wash whites separately from colours. Avoid overloading your machine.

Be cautious with detergents and powder, they often contain additives like bleach, whiteners, brighteners or softeners which may alter colours and cotton over time. Try to find the most basic powder. For whites, an occasional Napisan Vanish soak is recommended as per the instructions below, but avoid whiteners for colours.

Skip fabric softeners. It never washes out, makes bathroom items repel water, and several plumbers have told us it ruins your machines and your plumbing. If you just like the smell, we recommend Skully's linen sprays instead. They're a New Zealand company and it won't make your towels repel water, or ruin your plumbing!

 

Drying

Bathroom: If you like soft bathroom items, tumble-dry. If you like crunchy, line-dry. If you choose to skip tumble-drying altogether, you'll see more initial linting. We recommend tumble drying your terry towel items after the first four washes, to remove stray fibres typical with plush terry towel textiles like ours.

Bedding: We suggest line drying early morning when possible. Intense sunlight can cause whites to turn yellow and colours to fade so avoid direct sunlight if possible.

A drying horse for indoor drying works great.

If tumble drying bedding, use a gentle setting and avoid overloading. Extreme or prolonged heat will dry natural fibres causing them to become brittle and lifeless over time. Natural drying is always best.

 

Ironing

We promise our sheets will feel amazing if ironed but it isn’t necessary. The best time to iron is when bedding is slightly damp as it will be easier.

Set your iron to cotton and use steam as necessary. We don’t recommend spray starch, as it coats cotton stopping it from breathing.

 

Storing

Cotton is a beautiful natural fibre and needs to breathe. Store in a cool, dry and well-ventilated space away from direct sunlight.

For a little something extra, spray with lavender spray or place a small lavender sachet with your bedding.

 

Keeping whites white

Hotels prefer white since it can be re-whitened and most stains can be removed. It's easy to ruin colours while removing stains and colours tend to fade in New Zealand, especially during spring when the ozone hole is over New Zealand. White items tend to last longer if maintained.

If you're on tank waste-water or on the farm where you have to be mindful of tank bacteria, many tell us they whiten in a seperate bucket, then tip the waste on their weeds!

Unsure about whitening? Consider a local laundry service. But if you're up for it, here are two methods:

1. Regular whitening with an oxygen bleach like Napisan Vanish.
2. The nuclear option - Janola every few years.

Caution: Janola, a chlorine bleach, can weaken cotton. Use it sparingly and with care. Dilute as directed and measure accurately. Think of it like chemistry, like Christina does! More details below.

Note: Always soak in a seperate tub or bucket and never in your machine as whitening products eventually corrode your rubber seals.

REGULAR WHITENING: NAPISAN VANISH...

  • First try Sard wonder soap, follow instructions. If this doesn't work, use Napisan Vanish as directed below...
  • Place a generous heaped capful (or two) of Napisan into a bucket/laundry tub with warm water
  • Have enough water to cover your sheets and pillowcases, and soak for 6 hours.
  • Agitate for a minute with a wooden spoon (we have one for this purpose only) or use something else wooden.
  • Depending on the stain, give it a wee scrub. If this doesn't remove the stain, empty the tub or bucket and repeat the process.
  • FYI Napisan's active ingredient only lasts for 6 hours so leaving to soak longer won't do the trick.
  • After the soak, pop into your washing machine and wash normally.
  • We've found this helps lift residual stains by about 60-70%.
  • This is our first go-to and we do this every 6-12 months to refresh white bedding as necessary.
  • If this doesn’t remove your stain or whiten enough, go to the next step...


THE NUCLEAR OPTION: JANOLA - USE WITH CAUTION, AT OWN RISK!

Note: Always soak in a seperate tub or bucket and never in your machine as whitening products eventually corrode your rubber seals.

Warning: Because Janola is a chlorine-based bleach, it will eat cotton fibres so use at your own risk. You cannot eyeball Janola, always measure! And because diet, sweat proteins, water quality, laundry machines and laundry routines vary greatly, we cannot take responsibility for ruined items.

You have been warned! However, below is the recipe we've used to great success for over 12 years but we use it sparingly, once every few years. And always heavily diluted using the nappy dilution, always measure the dilution, and always after washing the sheets so they're clean using the Napisan instructions first.

  • Follow the napisan instructions first, only ever soak freshly laundered items in Janola, never dirty items.
  • Sweat proteins can cause yellowing so items must be washed first as noted above.
  • On the side of the Janola bottle, follow the nappy instructions/dilution and soak for 1-2 days. Measure the dilution! DO NOT eyeball the dilution!
  • If you don’t measure the dilution, sheets can go yellow permanently.
  • Agitate once in the mornings and evenings as per Napisan instructions above for 1-2 days. Then wash as normal.
  • Janola breaks down cotton fibres so use sparingly. However, a Janola soak once a year hasn't been an issue in our experience. Your millage may vary.