What's Your Sock of the Month?
What's Your sock of the month?
To be totally honest, when I heard about the idea of monthly sock subscriptions I was skeptical. I couldn’t see the point in paying someone extra money to send me socks every month when my family’s annual sock budget could more than cover it. But as it turns out, there are actually some pretty great reasons to opt for sock subscriptions over buying your own socks at the store! Let’s take a look at what they are so you can decide whether sock subscriptions are right for you, or if you should stick with your family’s current sock-buying method.
Pick Your Poison
There are dozens of ways to dry your socks and underwear, but which ones are right for you? As with most things, it depends on what works best with your lifestyle. For example, if you prefer to hang-dry your undergarments in direct sunlight, then clothing lines work best. If you want to avoid leaving wet clothes sitting in a pile all day while they dry, then air dryers or electric mesh laundry hampers may be better options.
How To Care For Each Type
As everyone knows, there are many different types of socks. Knit, seamless, ribbed, cotton blend; the list goes on and on. However, knowing how to properly care for each one is just as important as wearing them. Here’s a breakdown
So, Should I Line Dry My Socks...?
That depends on your philosophy. If you’re buying cheap socks to save money, you might be okay with throwing out a few if they end up pilling or wearing thin after a few washes. But if you’re investing in high-quality socks that last, it makes sense to keep them clean so they’ll continue to perform well and won’t get holes or develop other wear and tear issues. For example, $10 athletic socks can last for more than 100 miles of running (and even longer) but high-performance wool dress socks may only last 20 wears before they start looking dingy. If that happens, it won't be long before those suckers start pilling or getting little holes on their surface.
If you line dry...
Line drying your socks can work, but it comes with a few disadvantages. Line drying depends on nice weather and a consistently windless day. If you live in an area that has frequent rainstorms or high winds, line drying can be difficult or impossible to do effectively. Another downside to line drying is that it takes much longer than tumble drying – anywhere from 2-3 days to 1 week depending on how sunny and windy it is where you live. Many people find line drying worth it because they feel like it prolongs their sock’s life; socks naturally become worn down over time when tumble dried because of friction against other items in the dryer drum.
If you tumble dry...
If you’re looking for a more cost-effective way to do laundry, stop with your socks in your dryer. Tumbling them will ruin their elasticity and they’ll begin to get holes. Instead, air-dry them or throw them in the clothesline to soften up before washing. If you hang your socks out on a sunny day, you can typically avoid using your dryer altogether! If you're still concerned about static cling, buy anti-static fabric softener sheets and place one in each sock drawer after doing laundry. These will keep things from getting staticky while they're hanging around waiting for something new to wear.