5 Causes Of Mysterious T-Shirt Holes
There aren't many parts of this world left unexplored by mankind and yet all sorts of everyday riddles determine our very existence! Like, how is it that we always end up choosing the wrong line to queue in? Why doesn't the neighbor's cat use its own garden to do its business? And where do all those small holes in T-shirts come from?
Well, at least the last mystery can be now be solved. The small holes that like to appear around the belly area of our T-shirts and blouses usually have quite obvious causes.
1. Wear and tear
Clever household detectives have recently discovered that the main generators of those awful, little holes are our pants: belt buckles, buttons, studs and zippers create constant abrasion, which wears out the fabric in the long run. If you think about how much time you spend at the sink washing up, without realizing that your hips are rubbing regularly against the kitchen surface causing excessive wear on your T-shirt fabric, it makes sense. Also, a protruding object like a zipper that comes into contact with material is eventually going to penetrate it as some point — quite logical when you think about it!
2. Laundry
It's really not great when loose bra fasteners, broken straps or undone zippers make holes in delicate cotton fabric during laundry cycles. That's why it's always best to wash bras in a delicates wash bag and zippers should always be done up. You should wash your pants and jackets inside out as much as possible. If you want to take extra care, you can also sort your laundry pile into garments with or without buttons, buckles and hooks.
3. Poor quality
In an estimated 80% of cases, the susceptibility to T-shirt holes is related to the fabric quality. Thin fibers, cheap production and aggressive dyeing or bleaching processes affect the durability of the product. The constant friction in the washing machine or the frequent putting on and taking off of items is enough to cause wear and tear on T-shirts. The main issue at stake is the sheer abundance of second-class goods that are cheaply produced and largely lacking in quality.
Tip: When you're out clothes shopping, you can usually determine the quality of the fabric by pulling it apart a little bit. The thread should still hold the fabric together tightly. If lint starts to surface or loose threads begin to form when rubbing the fabric gently between your fingers, this could be a sign of poor quality.
4. Washing machine
Since small holes in blouses and T-shirts often appear after washing, it's usually the washing machine thats gets the blame — and rightly so. Buttons, rivets and fasteners can damage or get caught up in the washing machine drum. To prevent clanging, turn clothes inside out or use wash bags. It's also worth checking that the drum ribs are secured firmly.
The small holes that appear in your clothing can also be attributed to the expansion and contraction of the fibers when soaked in warm water.
5. Moths
We all fear them: clothes moths. Moth holes are difficult to distinguish from the above mentioned kinds but they are commonly more irregular in their appearance. If you're unsure just hang up a clothes moth trap in your closet, alternatively there are sprays and repellents, which also work quite effectively.
If moths are the culprits, you should wash all your clothing and clean the inner walls of your closet. Alternatively you could freeze your clothes: the icy temperatures kill off any remaining moth larvae. Lavender or a bar of soap placed in the closet also keeps the pests away.
Now hopefully this mysterious phenomenon has been clarified. In the future, you'll probably pay more attention to your belt buckles and zippers. Also, it's worth spending a little more time and money when picking out your next T-shirt. If it really is your favorite T-shirt then you'll want to give it a bit more tender loving care to prolong its life!