You know those new pants you love? They’ll flatter you and make you feel good about yourself a lot longer if you treat them well. For 10 laundry tips on how to take better care of your favorite clothes, read on.

1. Read before you wash.

Ignore care labels at your clothes’ own risk. If it says tumble dry low, turn down the heat. If it says wash with like colors, do just that. Or garments can shrink and colors can run. 

2. Sort and separate.

Colored clthing can turn your whites anything but. So don’t get lazy—take the time to separate your colors and whites. To be on the safe side, always wash colors in cold.

3. Don’t overload your washer.

If you stuff your washing machine too full, your dirty clothes just may stay that way.

4. Turn your jeans inside out.

The dye in denim can run so wash your jeans in cold water inside out. To avoid shrinking, don’t over dry.

5. Zip it.

Unzipped zippers and unfastened velcro can really put a snag in things. Always zip and close before washing.

6. Check your pockets.

Chewing gum, pens and other forgotten items can leave their mark on your clothes. Be sure to empty your pockets before it’s too late.

7. Play ball.

If you’re drying a down vest or comforter, put a ball in a pillowcase along with your down items to avoid clumping.

8. Remove from dryer promptly.

Over-drying can cause clothes to shrink and leaving dry clothes crumpled in the dryer too long can create wrinkles.

9. Take care of stains on the spot.

If you’re not sure whether to blot or scrub with warm or cold water, check out NEW Tide Stain Brain—now featuring 70+ stain solutions for your iPhone and online. And be sure to try Tide Stain Release—the in-wash booster that works with your regular detergent to help remove tough stains THE 1ST TIME. It even works on dried stains.

10. Here’s another bright idea—try Tide TotalCare.

Tide TotalCare is the detergent specially-formulated to helps keep your clothes like new—even after 30 washes!