Trish Foley's Laundry Room

We love this amazing laundry room before and after featuring our products...

When interior designer Tricia Foley grew tired of dropping her favorite linens on the dank basement floor en route to the washing machine, she decided it was time to fulfill a simple desire. "I always wanted a house with a nice laundry room," she says. But altering the footprint of her modest 200-year-old farmhouse on Long Island, New York, wasn't an option. Foley, a serial renovator who has refurbished four homes, is a firm believer in respecting the bones of a place.

To see and read more, visit:
http://www.marthastewart.com/photogallery/a-cozy-basement-renovation?.

Gracious Home Event

Lindsey is going to be at the West Side Gracious Home Saturday at noon offering up her best tips and tricks when it comes to fabric and home cleaning!

Be sure to stop by to learn from the very best and to pick up some free samples as well!

Zulily Coupon Code

We can't just give you the coupon codes for discounts on Zulily because you would be missing out on all the other benefits of being a member of Zulily. Zulily is a new online store for moms, babies and kids - offering daily sales on the best brands (including The Laundress, of course). Right now you can save $50.00 on The Laundress products from January 25 through January 28th, but only if you're a member of Zulily. Membership is easy and FREE. Click here to join and save.

More International Press!!

StyleList Asked the Experts!

StyleList's Lesley Kennedy went through and explained to readers how to wear and care for cashmere. Of course she contacted The Laundress for the "how to care" part! Check out Lesley's entry to see how her cashmere experts say to select cashmere based on the color, shape, and price. She even touches on how to accessorize, too. All Laundress followers should know the steps to caring for cashmere, but in case you don't - check out StyleList's post from January 18th. Thanks, Lesley for the "how-to!"

Parlez-vous français?

Oui. Well...not really, but Vitamine du Jour Montréal does. Vitamin Daily is a Canadian online magazine; a "brainchild of co-founders Tara Parker Tait and Sarah Bancroft. The duo started VitaminV.ca, the company’s first online magazine, in September 2004 after seeing a gap in the marketplace for timely tips about their home base of Vancouver, Canada. Today, they oversee five city-based websites, Montreal, French Montreal, Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver as well as a national Moms and Kids edition." From one duo to another, thanks Tara and Sarah for the continued Laundress Love! Don't speak French, that's okay. Don't be discouraged if you still want to check out Vitamin Daily's French publication. Just find a free French-English (or any other combination) dictionary on the world wide web.

Copy and Paste and Read!

Vitamin Daily gave us a shout-out

Vitamin Daily Montreal Edition, 2010 winner of Canadian Online Publishing Awards mentioned our Wool & Cashmere and some other products earlier this month.

Thanks, Vitamin Daily, we're a fan of you, too!

Daily Candy Coupon Expires Tomorrow

Don't forget, bloggers, the 15% Off Daily Candy Coupon (DCVideo11) expires tomorrow. Don't let this opportunity pass by!!

Mrs. Lilien Loves The Laundress Too!

Mrs. Lilien, a popular and one of our favorite blogs has
launched a "shoppe" as an ode to her obsessions.

Her latest is "The Mrs. Heart-Throb Shoppe." Oh...and...she loves The Laundress, too!


Mrs. Lilien has selected a few of her faves to rave about and The Laundress Delicate Wash has made the cut. She's coined it the "Mrs. Fancy Pants Wash." It's true, you can keep your special lingerie and all undergarments "fancy" by using the Delicate Wash - especially with Valentine's Day right around the corner!

Check out Mrs. Lilien and The Laundress...
 
Thank you again to Mrs. L for featuring us on her blog!
 
(Images via Mrs. Lilien)

Looking for a Steamer?

We have a couple steamers here in our office. Gwen has had her Jiffy steamer since 1994, and we’ve had the Rowenta steamer in our office for a couple years now. Gwen loves her Jiffy and Lindsey prefers the Rowenta. Neither of us are super thrilled with the Tobi. Let me explain why...
The Tobi was an “As seen on tv…” purchase. We thought we would try it out and see how good Tobi was. On the box it looked neat because it appeared portable with a strap to put on your back – almost like a back pack. When we opened the box up and assembled, the strap was very cheap and there was no way to make it even remotely look like a back pack. The steam action was great - powerful even, but the water tank was incredibly small. The attachments were ridiculous; there was nowhere to store them and impossible to get them to stay on. The electric cord was too short, so the fact that there were wheels on the bottom of the Tobi seemed pointless since it wasn’t very mobile. The steam cord was also short, and a serious flaw was the dock that holds the steamer when not in use. It caused the steamer to sit positioned toward your face, which could be dangerous if you’re not paying attention. Overall, the steam action was not enough to outweigh the cons of this device.
The Rowenta has a few quirks of its own, but Lindsey stands by the Rowenta and thinks it’s just because it is an older model that was donated by Rowenta. Its steam action is great as long as the steam cord doesn’t get kinked up. Lindsey, to avert the cord kinking up, tries to keep the cord taut so that there is a constant flow of steam. It has a really neat rounded stand that moves up and down depending on the height you desire. Only problem is, one of the legs on the stand broke and doesn’t work so it is now a little lopsided. However, it is very easy to steam sweaters since there is a place to drape shoulders of sweaters and jackets at the top of the steamer. The electric cord is very long and it has wheels so it is easy to move around. It also has a place to store the accessories that come with the steamer. The water tank is ample size, but does leak from time to time. Lindsey is certain that the newer model would not have these issues, but we haven’t tried it out just yet. We all love the Rowenta functions, however, we have yet to have one that lasts intact for 2 years, which is not good as an “investment.”

The Jiffy for being from the early-90s is pretty impressive, and we can only imagine how great the newer models are. This is the ONLY steamer used in the fashion industry. This steamer is straight up - without any commercial bells and whistles. The steam action is phenomenal and there are no silly attachments (attachments we don’t use anyway). The electric cord is a little shorter than the Rowenta, but still a good length. The hose is the longest out of the three, doesn’t get twisted to interrupt the steam and with the extra reach it is not only good for garments but also to use on drapery and bedding. The water tank is just like the Rowenta and does leak every now and again, but that’s probably because it is from 1994! On the Jiffy there is a hook to hang the hangers vs. the “bust form” shoulder to place tops on. After Gwen and Lindsey had a “steam off,” Lindsey can appreciate her allegiance to the Jiffy. At the end of the day, no one can argue that Jiffy has proven to be the best investment piece. Gwen’s mom’s finally “retired” after 15 years, and her brother’s is still going strong like her’s. (They are a jiffy family!)

As far as handhelds are concerned, we’re trying to experiment with some more. Lindsey liked her handheld travel Rowenta until it broke, but it was perfect for steaming one item at a time. The tank is a bit on the small side which is why it is really great for travel. Lindsey says it has a lot of steaming power overall given that it is a travel steamer. She did say that if you are trying to steam multiple items, you might find it laborious and frustrating.

We also just tried out the Esteam Hand Held Steamer by Jiffy and was not impressed. The tank was incredibly tiny and once it heated up water went spewing everywhere.

We always advise to check out consumer reports before making an investment purchase. Let us know what kind of steamer you have or have tried, too!

Blogger Moms and Dads Unite!

Lindsey is expecting her first baby soon so she is going to be our “Resident Mom” here at The Laundress. She has been preparing for the baby by cleaning and prepping all hand-me-down pieces, washing new items, removing stains from family heirloom pieces, etc.

Lindsey will blog about her experiences and all the fun messes her bundle of joy brings, and help all the fellow mothers tackle all stains and cleaning dilemmas from formula to baby food.

Be sure to check out our newly-launched Laundress Baby Blog!
Mother knows best, especially about Laundry!

As Seen on Daily Candy!!

Love the blog? Check us out on Daily Candy!

Watch Lindsey do a washing demo on how to wash sweaters

and a CHANEL jacket without having to waste

time, money, and energy treking to the drycleaners!

Don't forget to follow us on Twitter and Facebook

too so you don't miss out on a thing!

Washing Couture with Lindsey

We love our vintage couture clothing,

but don’t love the stains and smells they come
with or present us with throughout wearing.

Dry Cleaning is not the way to care for them,

as the chemicals set in stains and odors

—creating more aging and yellowing over time.

This is my favorite Chanel jacket, a cotton blend with a silk lining.

You’ll want to read the fabric content to know which product to use.

The highest content will determine the product you need.

For example, a garment with 70% cotton, 20% polyester,
and 10% silk would need to be washed with

The Laundress Delicate Wash.

Always pre-treat stains. Focus on the underarms, collar,
and cuffs using The Laundress Stain Solution.
For stubborn stains, try mixing The Laundress Bleach
Alternative with the Stain Solution to create a paste.
Mix the paste and brush directly onto the stain.
We love our Stain Brush, it makes getting stains
(especially aged stains) out much easier.
Then we recommend pre-soaking for 30 minutes
in cold water before placing into the washing machine.
Place in The Laundress Mesh Washing Bag
before placing in the washing machine.
Be sure the garment is inside out before placing in mesh bag.
We use The Laundress Delicate Wash
which is safe for all delicate fabrics except wool and cashmere.
Always use a delicate, cold short cycle.
Remove from the washing machine and hang to dry.
Once dry, spray the lining with The Laundress Stiffen Up,
steam, and let dry for ten minutes. Voilà! – Ready to wear.



Washing couture wool blends is just as simple....

When washing a wool blend garment, follow the same simple steps.

Always use The Laundress Wool & Cashmere Shampoo

and pre-treat stains with The Laundress Stain Solution.

Turn the garment inside out to treat the lining…
and the waist band.
Keep the garment inside out and place
in one of The Laundress Mesh Washing Bags.
Place on the wool cycle of your washing machine,
always a cold wash and low spin.
Each machine is different so always look
for a delicate setting and always cold water.
After removing from the washing machine, hang to dry.
Once dry, spray the lining with The Laundress Stiffen Up,
steam, and let dry for ten minutes. Voilà! – Ready to wear.