25 Quick And Clever Solutions For Your Clothing Catastrophes

Shrunken sweaters, static cling, deodorant marks, scuffed shoes… I could go on and on! There’s a nearly endless list of wardrobe malfunctions and clothing catastrophes that like to crop up from time to time to cause chaos. But before you throw in the towel and burn the offending piece of clothing, stop! Take a break, as well as a few deep breaths, and read this post first. :-) There’s almost ALWAYS a cure for what ails you and your clothing, and today I’ll be sharing a couple dozen of them!

So without further ado, here are 25 ways to fix common clothing catastrophes and wardrobe malfunctions. (And if you have a clothing fix that isn’t listed here, I’d love to hear about it in the comments section!)

25 Solutions To Common Clothing Catastrophes

1. Stains

If you’re in need of an all-purpose stain remover for everyday clothing stains, look no further! My very favorite stain remover is one you can make right in your own home! I’ve used it to remove all kinds of different stains, and it hasn’t failed me yet!

2. Buttons

Dab a bit of white glue on the threads of the buttons on your dress shirts. This will help prevent the threads from fraying, and will keep your buttons on longer. If you don’t have any white glue, clear nail polish works just as well!

3. Zipper Fix

If you have a pair of pants with a zipper that just won’t stay up, here’s an easy fix. Attach a key ring onto the edge of the zipper, then pull the zipper up and hook the key ring around the button of the pants. The key ring will keep the zipper in place! (You could also use a paperclip if you don’t have a key ring to spare.)

4. Static Cling

To get rid of static cling, spray the inside of your clothing with a light layer of hair spray. Another option is to run the long side of a wire hanger over the outside and inside of your clothing, or you can rub your clothes down with a dryer sheet!

5. Shrinking

Accidentally shrink a favorite piece of clothing? Follow the link below to learn my favorite trick for “unshrinking” clothes. It’s easier than you’d think!

6. Wrinkles

No time to drag out an iron and ironing board to fix a wrinkled shirt? A straightening iron works perfectly for smoothing out collar creases and minor wrinkles. It also fits between shirt buttons nicely! You can look perfectly pressed, even when you’re pressed for time. (Another option is to make my simple homemade wrinkle release spray! Check it out at the link below.)

Related: Homemade Wrinkle Release Spray

7. Leather Shoes

Use the inside of a banana peel to erase scuffs on your leather shoes, then buff them to a shine with a paper towel. To erase water stains on leather shoes, use a toothbrush dipped in white vinegar. (For more tips on caring for leather shoes, check out the post below!)

8. Too-Tight Shoes

Use a hair dryer to help you stretch out a pair of too-tight shoes. Pull on a pair of thick socks, then put the tight shoes on too. Point your hair dryer at the shoes for a minute or two, then keep the shoes on until they cool off.

9. Glasses

Whether you’re wearing reading glasses or sunglasses, it’s really annoying to have them slipping off your face! Just grab your trusty hot glue gun to add some extra grip. Apply a line of hot glue to the inside of each arm of your glasses, near the back where they rest above your ears. When the glue dries, the glue will add some extra grip and keep them from sliding. (And you can peel the hot glue off whenever you want without damaging your frames.)

10. Sweat Stains

Because of the proteins present in your sweat, sweat stains on your clothing can be tricky to remove. But with the right ingredients and method, it’s easier than you’d think! Check out my post on removing sweat stains from clothing by following the link below. (And to help prevent sweat stains in the first place, spray the underarms of your shirts with lemon juice before you wash them.)

11. Shoe Polish

Remove scuffs and add serious shine to your favorite boots with my homemade shoe polish. It contains all-natural beeswax, which also helps to repel water and mud! Learn how to make it by following the link below.

12. Dingy Whites

Are your whites not so white anymore? My favorite method for whitening whites is surprisingly simple, and incredibly effective – much more effective than just using bleach! Get all the details from the post below.

13. Pilling

I wrote a whole post about ways to get rid of pesky pilling on sweaters and other clothing. Check it out at the link below!

14. Sneakers

Clean the hard surfaces of dirty sneakers with a magic eraser. It’s an easy way to make shoes look brand new!

15. Suede

You can clean dirt off of suede shoes with a

, stale bread crust or pencil eraser. For more detailed instructions on how to clean and care for suede, read the post below.

Related: How To Clean Suede

16. Hems

Hold up the hem of your pants or skirt in an emergency using paper clips. For a more permanent solution, check out this post about how to hem jeans while still keeping the original hem.

17. Pantyhose

Use clear nail polish to stop a run in a pair of pantyhose. You can also prevent the run in the first place by spraying pantyhose with a bit of hair spray before wearing them.

18. Ink Stains

Ink stains don’t have to be a death sentence for your clothes. You just need to know what stain removal methods work best on ink! Get the details below.

19. Bleeding Denim

A new pair of jeans can quickly become a nuisance if the dye starts transferring to your hands, furniture, and other clothes. Use the methods in the post below to lock the dye into your denim and stop the messy dye transfer.

20. Stuck Zipper

To keep zippers from sticking (or to loosen one that’s already stuck), lightly rub the zipper’s teeth with a small piece of wax paper. The wax from the paper will help the zipper move smoothly, and reduce the chances of it getting stuck again.

21. Extra Grip

If you need a bit of extra grip to power through a slippery trail (or just to get across an icy parking lot), grab a zip tie! Loop the zip tie around the toe of your shoe, with the fastener facing down towards the ground. Clip the excess length, and the clasp will give you that extra traction you’re looking for.

22. Ring Around The Collar

Apply cream of tartar directly to stains around shirt collars. Dampen the collar area with water, sprinkle with cream of tartar, then rub the powder into the stain. Launder as usual.

23. Treating Stains In A Pinch

Club soda is well known for its stain-removing abilities. Dab club soda onto a stain with a clean cloth to help absorb the stain before washing the item.