Monday, May 16, 2011

Washing Winter Outerwear...

Spring has sprung and although we love our winter accessories, it’s time for them to go back into hibernation!

Gwen’s coats and jackets consist of several materials - wool, synthetics, even fur collars and cuffs…but she was willing to risk it rather than have her items dry cleaned.
 

When needed, pre-treat any stained areas with Stain Solution and a Stain Brush.

Don’t forget to empty your pockets before washing. Some of your items may need a quick brushing to help remove some of that lint and hair as well.


Be sure to turn your items inside out and when possible put them into a mesh washing bag. Always separate colors and wash according to fabric content.
 


For Gwen’s wool coats, capes and fur, we laundered with Wool & Cashmere Shampoo.

Here are the settings…


Now we’re ready for synthetics…

Synthetic material can be difficult to remove stains from so always pre-treat with our Stain Solution and a Scrub Brush.

Jackets with hardware should always be placed in a mesh washing bag to protect the belts, cuffs, etc.
Note: The lining in this jacket contains white polyester and we were totally prepared for the black dye to run…but it didn’t!


All synthetics should be laundered with Delicate Wash with these settings:


All of Gwen’s coats and jackets were promptly removed from the washer, turned right side out and steamed while damp to help prevent and remove creasing.

Note: It’s ok to be nervous about your fur when it first comes out of the wash...
 

Gwen’s fur collar looked exactly like Bella after Auntie Gwen let her run through the water fountain in Washington Square Park…FYI that’s illegal….OOOPS!!!

 
Brush your items again right after steaming to carefully remove any lint or hair that was left over pre-wash.
 Allow all of your items to thoroughly dry, some may require additional steaming once completely dry.

With the coats, capes and jackets drying, we could now start on scarves, hats and gloves.

Always place smaller knit items i.e. hats and gloves in a mesh washing bag for protection.


We laundered these items with Wool & Cashmere Shampoo on a woolen cycle.

Always remove your items from the wash immediately and allow to flat or hang dry, never put wool items in the dryer. Be sure to steam scarves when damp to help reduce creasing.

Now that all of my winter items are washed and ready for storing, I can continue to impatiently await the warmer weather!

20 comments:

jt said...

what washer/dryer do you recommend?

The Laundress said...

Hi JT,

We know how difficult it can be to find just the right washing machine. We do not recommend our machine, which is a whirlpool cabrio and we don't recommend the Kenmore version of it either.

We’ve heard that people love their LG machines! We also tested a Bosch and we were very impressed with it - it is noticeably better made than the American machines -metal vs. plastic.

We also have a blog post about machines that I have attached for you below.

http://thelaundressny.blogspot.com/2009_06_01_archive.html

Hope this is helpful.

Happy Laundering!

Hana said...

Stain Solution, Wool & Cashmere Shampoo and Spray are my new MUST-HAVE for winter clothes! I followed the instruction and washed my down coat and wool coat at home ( laundry room in typical Manhattan apartment). As I air-dried both coats, it took a while to get them dried but they look clean and feel so soft. I am especially impressed by how fur and down cost got really puffy again!

I used to spend a lot of money on laundry bills for winter clothes. And I didn't know how toxic the dry cleaning is. But now with your products, I am saving money, being nice to the environment and enjoying the longevity of my favorite winter clothes. Thanks for producing these amazing products!!

JY said...

Can you recommend a clothes steamer?

Anonymous said...

I have a removable sheared beaver collar backed with a silky satin type liner. Can I really hand wash this??? How would I do so?

Much appreciated,
Marsi

P.S. Your products are so fabulous. I have the biggest crush on the Le Labo.

The Laundress said...

Hi JY,

We’ve been testing Steamers for some time now and we really like Jiffy. Gwen has had the same steamer for years and it still works perfectly. I’ve attached the link for you below. I’ve also attached for you a previous blog we did on Steamers. I hope this information is helpful. Please let me know if you have any further questions.

Residential Clothes Steamers from Jiffy® Steamer

The Laundress: Looking for a Steamer?

Happy Laundering!

The Laundress said...

Hi Marsi,

You absolutely can wash your collar; we have clients tell us all the time that they wash their fur rather than have it dry cleaned! Just be sure to turn the collar inside out and hand wash with our delicate wash. Given that the lining is silk- do not let the collar soak for longer than 30 minutes. Allow the collar to line dry and steaming when damp will help to reduce creasing. You can also follow the instructions on the blog for Gwen’s fur collar coat.

Happy Laundering!

Unknown said...

My grandmother recently passed and I inherited her fur coat. I have no idea how to take care of it and who knows how long since it has been cleaned. Thanks for the settings, they will be much used! Do you have any other suggestions on cleaning a fur coat?

Brooke Bowen | http://yorkfur.com/storage-and-clean/fur-cleaning-conditioning-on-premise/

Unknown said...

I moved to New York, and I have been stocking up on fur coats for the winter. Some of the coats are fake fur and the others real, but I'm wondering if I can really clean them myself. Dry cleaning was my first thought, but if I can do it at home, I'd love to know how!

Sara Welsh | http://yorkfur.com/storage-and-clean/fur-cleaning-conditioning-on-premise/

Unknown said...

Washing Line Accessories LinePost.Co.UK traditional washing line systems we have everything you need to set up an Eco-friendly line-drying system in your yard or outdoor space and deliver direct your door anywhere in the UK. Washing line systems using modern technology dry clothes quickly and effectively save money on electricity help the environment strong, durable and easy to use kits and accessories available.

Melanie said...

So it really is possible to wash a wool winter coat in the machine? I took mine to the cleaner's and was shocked at how unclean it seemed. It's due to go again, but would rather not. I'm a bit apprehensive to try the machine, though ...

Unknown said...

Life is a battle, if you don't know how to defend yourself then you'll end up being a loser. So, better take any challenges as your stepping stone to become a better person. Have fun, explore and make a lot of memories.

n8fan.net

www.n8fan.net

Unknown said...

Nice your blog. MadisonAveMall.com is a source for women's and men's fur coats in a variety of styles and sizes. Visit us for more about our collection of mink coats, stoles, fur hats and more.

Unknown said...

This clothes Steamer from Bizarkdeal is an awesome device to keep around and use to clean anything you can think of in your house! It truly is professional quality steaming too and is very simple to use. Just fill it up and make sure it's plugged in and you're ready to go...couldn't be any easier. I've used it on a ton of different clothes so far and all the curtains in my house...they have come out better than I could have expected. Very happy with this! Make sure you get one as soon as you can. A+

Jacket Society said...

Really nice post, Thanks for sharing.
Jacket Society

Gear Trade said...

Winter clothes like jackets, coats are usually costly and need some special care to keep it clean and new. Every clothes like winter jackets comes with some special instruction but usually we don't follow them. You have mentioned some very important points to take care and wash the winter clothes.

Unknown said...

Great site! I am loving it!! Will be back later to read some more. I am taking your feeds also.
black wool coat

Stuart Spindlow said...

I really like this impressive and insetting blog. I have bookmarked you to check out new stuff. Thanks.
womens clothing online uk
womens mini skirts uk
womens summer tops uk
womens trousers uk

Varuna Jithesh said...

Nice and perfect looking outfits...

Joseph said...

What can I say, these pictures are breathtaking.Your outfits are lovely! When I saw this, I thought that you might like these Outerwear & Coats

LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

Search Our Blog