Understanding the Difference: Washing Whites vs Coloured Clothes

Laundry day can be a chore, but it's also an opportunity to care for our clothes in the best possible way. One of the key distinctions in laundry care is between washing whites and colored clothes. While both tasks involve cleaning garments, there are important differences in how we approach each type to ensure they stay vibrant and in good condition for as long as possible. The Science of Fabric and Dye The first aspect to consider is the science behind fabric and dye. White clothes are typically made from fabrics like cotton or polyester, and they are often free from dyes or have very light colors. On the other hand, colored clothes encompass a wide range of fabrics and are dyed with various pigments to achieve their vibrant hues. Temperature Matters One significant...

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What's in a name??

This is a question all brands perennially face – be it centuries old one, or be it a startup founded day before yesterday.   When ours is a brand that 20 years strong in the industry, we do have a story, or rather, a history behind a simple name – Challenge!   The word is not as simple as it sounds to be. It’s got much more to it than the sound – there’s a deep profundity in the name.   When we incepted the name, what we had in mind was the issues that women of the day faced – those were the days when washing machines were a luxury, and women were given the default responsibility to wash clothes. And the ‘salavaikkal’ was a default setup in each home.   Those were the days when white...

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White Spells Unity

The title alone covers what needs to be stated? Well… Yes! Looking at History throughout, it’s been white that unified people! Let’s take a few things. The Church – it was seen as the single largest unifying force after the disintegration of the Roman Empire. The clergy, primary clad in white, was one of the reasons we have something called ‘Europe’ today. They managed to pull together, in the name of God, all the separated Empires…back in the days when there was no Germany but Prussia and Bavaria, and there was no France but the Kingdom of the Gauls, and when Austria was more powerful than what it is today. It was the white attire that paved way for the modern Europe, and the Modern World at large. Now let’s look at something...

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Garment Care Tips

Most of the time, damage to clothing can be attributed the way we use it.  Try these tips below and do your part in preserving your fine garments:   Always apply lotions, makeup and hair spray before you put on your clothing. The alcohol and other chemicals present can cause damage to your garment.   Toothpaste can contain bleaches that can remove color from your garments. Even a small amount of toothpaste can cause coloration on your garment to be permanently damaged.   Garments that are worn directly against your skin such as dress shirts and blouses should be cleaned each time you wear them. After repeated use, soil and stains become much harder to remove and often become permanent.   Never, ever, rub a stain! Rubbing can cause damage...

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The Importance of being white!!

Relax! The post has got nothing to do with racism. And it is such an irony that this post comes on the birthday of the great leader Nelson Mandela!   While we have nothing in particulr about any color, we have to give in to the fact that when it comes to clothes, the white ones are more preferred to any other color or shade! As in one of the comedies by Chinna Kalaivanar Vivek, it’s not for no reason that the doctors, advocates, political stalwarts, greats like AVM brothers and even SuperStar Rajinikanth prefer white in their public appearances.   While white clothes are preferred over many other colors, it is an irony that what, in itself has many colors. While some of it is intentional, others are surely not. This not-so-white white negates the effect of...

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How to Remove Ink Stains - Challenge Helps

The first thing to know about ink stains is that they fall into a few different categories. Water-based ink stains are easier to remove. These are usually inks like washable markers. Permanent ink stains can be a nightmare to remove. These include most permanent highlighters and markers. Ballpoint ink can be tricky to remove, but responds well to treatment – sounds like taking over England’s bowling attack! Water-Based Ink Stains   Lay the stained clothing on top of a clean dry towel or cloth. Apply water to the stained area and blot with another clean cloth. While you blot, the stain will begin to transfer onto the cleaning cloth. Apply a small amount of liquid laundry detergent onto the ink stain and allow the fabric to sit for between 3-5...

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Cloth Washing Tips

The key to a great wash of clothes start way ahead of even actually soaking them! It starts right at sorting clothes for wash. Those little instructions you see on collar-tags or waist tags are really important. Clothes are, in way, like people - bad company spoils them! ;) Here are Challenge Soap’s Tips to ensure a better sorting: By fabric: Separate delicate fabrics that require a gentle cycle from heavier items. By colour: Separate whites from colours, and pastels from dark colours.   By soil level: Soil can travel from one garment to another so wash heavily soiled garments  separately. Lint: Check pockets and remove tissues before washing. Wash heavy lint shedders, especially blankets, chenille bedspreads, rugs and wollens separately, and...

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How to remove blood-stains – Challenge Helps

Blood stains are really a pain – be it the causative of it, or be it removing it! Removing blood stains, if not done properly, might irreversibly damage the clothes, rendering the most awesome-looking dresses awful and unwearable. We do not like things that way (not that anybody would, but Challenge Soaps take a special pride and care in clothes) – which is why we have come up with this solid method on how to remove blood-stains from your clothes. A dried blood stain on your fabric can still be removed. There are different removal methods to use but make sure to use a method fitted for the type of fabric you have. You wouldn’t want to cause damage to your fabric. And whatever method you use, make sure to pretest the solution you are going to...

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The History of Detergents

Not long before in the history of mankind, detergents were unheard of. All what the then-civilized gentlemen and ladies needed was just a wash with water…and nothing more! As we grew up, and a lots of things like Industrial Revolution and World Wars kicked in, the demand for soaps and detergents started to increase, not just in terms of volume, but also in terms of the intensity of the dirt and stains that they fought. Therefore, the detergent or the detergent soap had not only to be an effective wash-chemical but also an effective stain-remover! This mandated the washing powder formula to be something entirely different than what it classically was! Just like many other technologies that we take for granted, this was, again a contribution from...

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