How to Restore Old Clothes and Make Them Look New Again

The average UK person throws away 26kg of clothing every year. Most of it goes to landfill. And the irony? The majority of clothes people throw away aren't actually worn out — they just look it. Pilling, bobbles, fading, and general neglect make perfectly good clothes look tired before their time.

Here's how to restore old clothes and get years more wear from them.

Step 1: Remove all pilling and bobbles

This single step transforms more old clothes than anything else. Pilling makes fabric look worn out even when the garment is structurally fine. Remove all pills with the LintGone Pro and a jumper that looked ready to bin will look like it came straight from a shop.

Use Speed 1 for cashmere and fine wool, Speed 2 for everyday knitwear and cotton, Speed 3 for fleece, blankets and heavy fabrics. One pass is usually enough.

Step 2: Wash correctly to refresh fibres

Old clothes often look dull because they've been washed too hot or too frequently, stripping colour and compressing fibres. A cool, gentle wash with a quality detergent (and a splash of white vinegar as a natural fabric softener) can restore vibrancy and softness to tired-looking fabrics.

Step 3: Repair small damage

A small hole, a loose button, a split seam — these are 5-minute repairs that extend the life of a garment by years. Basic sewing kits cost £2–£3 and the techniques needed for common repairs are easy to learn.

Step 4: Remove stubborn stains

Old set-in stains often respond to bicarbonate of soda paste (bicarb + a little water, applied and left for an hour before washing). For grease stains, a small amount of washing-up liquid applied directly before washing is highly effective. For rust stains, white vinegar applied before washing can help.

Step 5: Reshape stretched knitwear

Stretched jumpers can often be restored by dampening with cool water, reshaping by hand to original dimensions, and drying flat. The fibres reset as they dry in the correct shape.

What actually can't be saved

Clothes that are genuinely beyond restoration: severe moth damage, large tears in structural areas, or fabric that has thinned so much it's translucent. Everything else can usually be improved significantly.