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Maintenance of apparel and footwear

It is very important to take care of clothing and footwear that you buy at the Kimko Internet shop so that they remain in good shape for a long time.

Clothing is made of various textiles, and each type requires appropriate care. Linen clothing, for instance, must be handled separately from silk so as to avoid damage to the apparel while it is being washed. For that reason, clothing has a tag with all of the necessary instructions:

  • The importance of washing symbols on clothing tags
  • The importance of drying symbols
  • The importance of ironing symbols
  • The importance of bleaching and dry-cleaning symbols

    • Maintenance of footwear. It is important to take care of your shoes, particularly at the end of a season. This will ensure that the shoes look excellent and will remain in shape for a long time. Shoes are made of various materials, and each of these has its own maintenance rules and requirements.

  • Maintenance of suede, velour and nubuck footwear
  • Maintenance of leather footwear
  • Maintenance of artificial leather footwear
  • Maintenance of lacquered footwear
  • Maintenance of textile and synthetic footwear

    • Symbols related to laundry procedures

    Machine Wash
    Normal wash. Wash your clothes in a normal manner.

    Do not wash
    Don't wash. Apparel with such tags may be very sensitive to being washed in a washing machine.

    Hand Wash
    Wash by hand. Wash the apparel by hand and at a temperature of 30-40º C, depending on the material. Use just a little bit of laundry detergent, rinse the clothing lightly and squeeze it to get rid of the moisture. Wash coloured apparel quickly and do not allow it to remain damp for too long a period of time.

    Washing temperatures at max. 95°C
    Wash in hot water, 95º. The apparel can be washed at a high temperature of up to 90º C or, if necessary, boiled.

    Washing temperatures at max. 60°C
    Wash in warm water, 60º. The apparel can be washed at a temperature of up to 60º C. It cannot be boiled. This symbol is found on apparel made of wool or synthetic materials.

    Washing temperatures at max. 40°C
    Wash in warm water, 40º..

    Washing temperatures at max. 30°C
    Wash in water up to 30º. The apparel can be washed at a normal temperature of up to 30º C. This symbol is usually found on woollen textiles which require neutral detergents.

    Permanent press cycle
    Gentle wash with small spinning. Choose a gentle wash regime and reduce the amount of spins. The washing machine can only be filled up to 2/3 with such apparel.

    Delicate gentle cycle
    Gentle wash with small spinning. When using a washing machine, choose the delicate position and reduce spinning to a minimum. If you choose to wash the apparel by hand, use a lot of water and make sure that you rinse the clothing thoroughly.

    Drying symbols

    Drying allowed
    OK to dry. You can dry the clothing in any manner.

    Not dry
    Not OK to dry. If you find this symbol, don't put the apparel in the dryer (usually the symbol is together with one that instructs you not to wash the apparel either).

    Tumble drying allowed
    OK to dry and spin. Clothing with this symbol can be dried in an ordinary washing machine or a special dryer.

    Do not tumble dry
    Not OK to dry and spin. Don't dry such clothing, which is also not appropriate for a special tryer.

    Do not wring
    No spinning. No spinning or squeezing by hand or in a washing machine.

    Normal Cycle Low Heat
    Drying at a minimal temperature. Normal drying at a minimal temperature. If the dryer allows you to reduce the temperature and the period of drying, do so.

    Normal Cycle Medium Heat
    Drying at a normal temperature. Normal drying at a normal temperature. Set the dryer at a normal regime.

    Normal Cycle High Heat
    Drying at a high temperature. Clothing with such symbols can be dried at any temperature.

    Hang Dry
    Drying vertically. Such clothing can only be dried vertically (on a clothesline or a hanger).

    Drip Dry
    Drying vertically without squeezing. No squeezing, and the clothing must be dried vertically.

    Dry Flat
    Drying horizontally. The clothing must be dried horizontally. On a hanger or clothesline, it may stretch and no longer have its original shape.

    Dry in the Shade
    Drying horizontally. Clothing with this symbol cannot be dried in the Sun, because sunlight can damage the textile. Try to dry such clothing in the shade.

    The meaning of ironing symbols

    Ironing allowed
    OK to iron. Go right ahead, nothing will happen to the clothing.

    Do Not Iron
    Not OK to iron. Don't iron, because the high temperature of the iron can damage or alter the clothing.

    Hot 200°C
    Iron up to 200º. If you see this symbol, set the iron at no more than 200 degrees. This is for woollen textiles, which are best to iron inside-out or under a towel. You can use a steam iron.

    Warm 150°C
    Iron up to 150º. Set the iron to a moderate temperature (to 150 degrees). This applies to woollen textiles, silk and polyester. Don't pus down too hard on the iron!

    Cool 110°C
    Iron up to 110º. Set the iron to a low temperature (to 110 degrees). Textiles with this symbol are sensitive to higher temperatures. Iron such clothing under a towel or inside-out. Don't use steam!

    No Steam
    Iron without steam. This symbol means that you must not use steam in the ironing process, because that can damage the textile or leave tracks on it.

    The meaning of bleaching and dry-cleaning symbols

    Dry Clean
    Dry cleaning. The apparel can be dry-cleaned.

    Do Not Dry Clean
    No dry cleaning. This symbol means that you cannot bring the clothing to a dry cleaner, because it will be damaged there.

    May be any dry cleaned
    Cleaning with solvents. This symbol means that the clothing can be cleaned with all available solvents.

    Tetrachloroethene normal process
    Cleaning with special solvents. Dry cleaning is allowed with special resources such as hydrocarbons, tetrachloroethylene and others. Before use, examine the contents of these solvents very carefully.

    Tetrachloroethene mild process
    Cleaning with special solvents without mechanical loads. Dry cleaning is permitted with the same resources as mentioned before, but the mechanical and thermal effect of the process on the textiles must be limited. Clothing with such symbols must be cleaned very carefully.

    Hydrocarbons normal process
    Hydrocarbon cleaning. Only hydrocarbons can be used in the cleaning process. Avoid stain removal substances that are based on solvents, because those might damage your clothing.

    Hydrocarbons mild process
    Gentle cleaning with hydrocarbons. Use the same resources as mentioned before, but make sure that the process is even and gentle, with limited mechanical or thermal effects on the textile.

    Any bleaching agent allowed
    Bleaching with any substance. This symbol means that any bleach or oxidizer can be used.

    Do not bleach
    No bleaching. Don't try to bleach clothing with this symbol.

    Only oxygen / non-chlorine bleach allowed
    Bleaching without chlorine. Use bleach that does not contain chlorine.

    Maintenance of suede, velour and nubuck shoes

    Keep the following guidelines in mind to maintain your velour or suede shoes and to make sure that they remain in good shape for a long period of time:
    ☑ Don't wear the shoes when it is raining or during a winter thaw;
    ☑ Always use special plastic or rubber bristles or flannel cloth to clean your shoes;
    ☑ When using a brush, don't press it too hard, because upper fibres are easy to damage;
    ☑ Use special solvents and soap to remove stains;
    ☑ Don't dry such shoes on a radiator or near one;
    ☑ Don't wash such shoes in the washing machine;
    ☑ Store your shoes in a ventilated box;
    ☑ When your shoes or boots are wet, fill them with paper to ensure high-quality drying that will preserve the form of the footwear.

    Maintenance of leather shoes

    Leather shoes require special care. No bleaching, no washing, no soaking:
    ☑ Clean the shoes at the end of every day to get rid of dirt or chemical substances;
    ☑ Dry the shoes under natural circumstances and not on a radiator;
    ☑ Regularly cover the chose with a protective and water-resistant substance or cream of the right colour;
    ☑ During the summer, use silicon-based maintenance substances, and during the winter, use ones that contain wax or oils.

    Maintenance of artificial leather shoes

    Artificial leather today imitates natural leather very well. The two types are different, but it is hard to tell the difference just by looking at the footwear. Ecological leather manufacturing involves textured, smooth and shiny materials. Synthetic raw materials are different than natural leather. Synthetic footwear is less demanding and easily survives moisture, temperature changes and chemical substances. Durable artificial materials, however, also require regular cleaning with a special shoe maintenance cream.

    Maintenance of lacquered shoes

    Only wear lacquered shoes when it is dry outside. They are lovely, easy to clean and attract attention, but you must take good care of such shoes to make sure that they maintain their original appearance:
    ☑ Use a sponge to carefully clean your shoes of dirt and dust;
    ☑ If the dirt is dry, use a soft cloth soaked in clean water;
    ☑ Dry the shoes at room temperature.
    Owners of such shoes must always carry a flannel cloth with them to immediately clean any dirt and to maintain the shoes in perfect order.

    Maintenance of textile and synthetic footwear

    Everyday footwear, slippers, flip-flops, etc., are made of durable and trustworthy materials, but they, too, require regular care:
    ☑ Clean the sole with a brush;
    ☑ Regularly wash the laces and soles;
    ☑ Don't use hard sponges, and don't rub the footwear too hard;
    ☑ Process textile shoes with water-resistant materials.

    The main thing in footwear maintenance is regularity!