Scientific understanding of the benefits of sun drying clothes, an age old practice to naturally sanitise, freshen and bleach them, which is an easiest and inexpensive way to utilise sunshine for fabric care.
Today is Saura Yugadi i.e., the Solar New Year. It is celebrated in Bharat as well as in many South Asian contries. We celebrate it as Vishu in Dakshina Kannada and Kerala, Puthandu in Tamil Nadu, Vaisakhi in Punjab, Maithili New Year in Bihar, Pana Sankranti in Odisha, Bohag Bihu in Assam, and Sangken in Arunachal Pradesh of India. Interestingly, it is also celebrated in South Asian countries like Nepal, Shrilanka, Barma, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, Pakistan and as Water Sprinkling Festival of Dai people in China.
Saura Yugadi is known as Vishu in my native Dakshina Kannada. And it is blogversary of Varnatantu. Hence, this post is an attempt to connect the Sun and textiles care on the occasion of Vishu.
Benefits of Sun drying Clothes
Sun drying is the oldest known method of drying clothing. It is still the most popular way of drying clothes in this age of technology. But, is it good to do sun drying clothes? Let’s check the benefits of sun drying clothes.
Sunlight is a natural sanitiser for fabrics
Yes, sunlight is a natural sanitizer. It means, sunlight has antimicrobial properties and acts as a disinfectant. To elaborate, sunlight kills or irreversibly inactivates microbials present on a surface. The UV rays in sunlight can damage the DNA of the microorganisms. Thus, it can either kill or stop their reproduction. Many scientific researches on sun therapy have proven that sunlight is effective on harmful germs including viruses, bacteria and fungi.
The sunlight sanitisation works on fabrics as well. Hence, sunlight is a low cost and effective natural sanitiser with antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal properties.
Sunlight is a natural fabric freshener
Since sunlight destroys microorganisms, the bad smells are gone. And so, clothes become cleaner and smell fresher.
Sunlight is a natural bleach
Sunlight has bleaching effect on clothes. Because, UV rays in the sunlight breaks down the colour pigments. It slightly whitens white clothes. And, makes coloured clothes lighter, too. So, a controlled exposure to sunlight can help getting desired results.
Sun drying is single, easy and inexpensive way of drying and sanitisation
Clothes dryers are the gift of technological advancement. Even fabric sanitisers, whiteners, fabric fresheners, etc. assist us in doing the laundry. But, sun drying is simpler and single replacement for all the tasks by these complicated and expensive processings. Studies also show that sun dried clothing last long.
Old is not always bad. And new is not always good. But, a wise balance between the two is just required. Just like the past and presence, for the future. It is every new year’s message. Wishing all a very Happy Solar New Year. May the world harvest more and more solar energy in future years.
