Small holes in clothes: what causes them and how to fix them and avoid them in the future?

Wondering why small holes appear in your clothes? Moths are the easiest to blame, but they are not always responsible. We look at the different reasons and what you can do about them.

How do small holes appear in clothing?

Caring for clothes shouldn't be a difficult process. After all, it should be as easy as washing, drying and storing all the clothes in your closet. However, if you start noticing tiny holes in the clothes, something suspicious could be going on. You need to get to the bottom of this mystery immediately. If pests are causing the damage, you will need to treat the infestation.

Moths eat your clothes

Although it's a little less likely, moths could also have taken a liking to your wardrobe and eat what's inside. Don't worry, there is an easy way to identify the cause. Pay attention to where on the garment the whole thing is located, how big and how many holes have been created.

If the damage to the fabric occurs in a place not close to the waist and the holes are slightly larger and appear in several groups, it is most likely that moths are to blame.

Luckily, there are many natural products that can repel moths. Place dried lavender in a mesh bag and hangin your wardrobe. Or use essential oils (mint or lavender), whose scent will repel the moths.

Belts, zippers and bras can cause small holes in clothing

When you find the holes in your cotton tops, you will notice that they are near the bottom edge. This is because of other clothing items or accessories you may be wearing, such as jeans, belts, buckles, or fancy buttons.

When you zip up your pants, make sure your top doesn't rub against it or the zipper doesn't stick out.

Always pull the clasp on yourBras before putting them in the washing machinethrow. Otherwise, these small metal prongs can damage your clothing. Use laundry bags and always check your washing machine if you wear underwired bras and you've noticed the wire is missing.

Check suspected culprits for rough edges. You may be able to smooth the surfaces with a metal file or sandpaper.

It could be the washing machine

Since small holes in blouses or T-shirts often only appear after washing, the washing machine is usually blamed. Overloading can cause clothing to snag on zippers, buttons, and other trims. Don't overfill your machine and always turn garments with buttons or beads inside out.

Spinning too quickly can cause clothing to be pulled and stretched, causing the fibers to lock and tear. We therefore recommend that you wash your paints and towels at maximum spin speed, jeans at high spin speed, cotton clothes at medium spin speed and silk and delicates at low spin speed.

The dryer drum can damage clothes

If you see dark streaks on the fabric that look like burn marks, as well as small holes or broken threads, you should check your dryer drum. Remove the dryer's outer casing and have an assistant shine a flashlight into the back of the drum. If you see light shining in it, you have a problem. If the dryer drum is not perfectly aligned and balanced, fabric can slip between the drum and the dryer housing. This causes the streaks and can tear holes in clothing.

The chlorine bleach may be to blame

Many people use chlorine bleach to whiten their clothes, remove stains, or disinfect their laundry. Using too much chlorine bleach or not thoroughly mixing the bleach with the water before loading clothes can cause holes.

You shouldn't throw away your garment just because you found small holes. It is much more sustainable to simply repair the hole. You can mend it with a needle and thread or if you're not that good at it, you can easily repair the clothing with patches or fixatives. Choose the fabric that most closely resembles the garment that needs repair.

Just follow these steps to repair your clothes with fleece:

  • First, iron the damaged clothing straight and let it cool.
  • Turn the garment inside out and then place it on your ironing surface.
  • Cut out a small piece of iron-on fleece to cover the hole.
  • Now pinch the hole together and place the iron-on fabric on top. Place a damp tea towel over it.
  • Iron the fabric on medium heat for about 10 seconds.

Read in English:Small Holes in Clothes