The Laundress

2012-01-26T11:19:00.001-05:00

A Posh Looking Potty

Hard water can leave behind mineraldeposits and scale, while soft water can leave unsighlty brown mold. Fromdisinfectants to dyes and lots of scary chemicals including chlorine bleach andammonia, choosing the right toilet cleaner can leave your “head” spinning…literally. And who needs it- honestly its just not thathard!

We clean our “thrones” with just a sprinkle of AllPurpose Bleach Alternative and Vinegar and let soak, totally natural butpowerful and a true disinfectant.

The granular bleach alternative will work to disinfect while the acidicvinegar safely breaks down hard mineral stains.

Simply flush and all mess will remove.

To avoid serious staining and keep for a more presentablelooking potty, follow these steps and brush frequently; eliminating dirtydrama!

*Tip- If you’re going away for a while or have a toiletthat is not used often, leave a sprinkle of Bleach Alternative and a splash ofVinegar in it!

Lindsey's picks featured on Beso

2012-01-23T08:10:00.002-05:00

[ view Lindsey's nursery essentials here ]

LINDSEYBELLE Photography

2012-01-20T20:32:00.000-05:00

We were interviewed by the amazingly talented and fellow Cornell alum Lindsey from LINDSEYBELLE Photography.

Click here to read her "pass it on" interview with us and see more photos from our shoot in Central Park!

Thanks Lindsey! xo

The Laundress on Remodelista

2012-01-19T09:09:00.001-05:00

Check out our Beckel Hampers over at Remodelista...

Greening Your Home for the New Year

2012-01-09T17:00:00.003-05:00

Flip androtate your mattress. Steaming will help to kill dust mites and adding Ironing Water will leave your mattress smelling Classic .

Clean yourwashing machine with Scented Vinegar and remove any excess detergent build-upfrom last year!

Adding Bleach Alternative to your dishwashing cycle and Vinegar to your rinse aid dispenserwill leave your dishes and glassware sparkling brighter than “the ball” inTimes Square!

Sprinkle All-Purpose Bleach Alternative, leave for an hour and vacuum off, for a NEW way toremove dirt and odors from your carpets and area rugs.

Let’s make 2012 the year of “less is more”…safe for multiple surfacesthroughout the home.

Tired ofwaste and replace? Our Dish Cloth andBrush are washable and reusable…re-SOLUTION!

A new twiston a “trusty friend”; the Goat HairDuster safely removes dust from all surfaces.

One productfor all…now that deserves a toast!

2012-01-05T08:59:00.000-05:00

The Laundress & Redecker

We love our partners at Redecker in Germany who are theabsolute brush making experts. Talkabout “turning a domestic chore into a luxurious experience!”

I was so lucky to spend some time with Mr. Redecker and sonFelix Redecker and give it a go at making my own brush- I think I will stickwith the soap and let them work with the bristles!

Yes, luxurious, but totally practical and amazingly craftedwith the best materials and each hand made with love.

There are even tools without plugs that make cleaningeffortless! Lindsey and I keep finding more nooks and crannies to use this on-keyboards, pleated lamp shades, blinds, books…

We keep finding more and more fantastic cleaning tools fromthem and we seem to have gotten many other people addicted to them too.

This woven cloth made withfine copper thread is amazing- from scrubbing pots and pans, bathroom soapscums to the finest china- it isdeceivingly gentle.

Is this not the most fabulousduster you have ever seen?? The perfect home accessory.

My wine glasses have neverbeen so clean. Lindsey loves this for her baby bottles and parts.

Lindseyand I will do anything for our cashmere…we even brush it in between wearing!

The broom can even take on Central Park!

2011-12-30T15:57:00.004-05:00

Cashmere is complicated - treat it respect for the cosiest of relationships

Once a luxury item only available to the affluent few, cashmere is now a high-street stalwart. But don't let it take you to the cleaners.

BY Luke Leitch | 28 December 2011

Cashmere vintage cropped cardigan, £229, Brora; brora.co.uk

Cashmere is the smoked salmon of fashion. Not so terribly long ago, it was an exotic, exclusive and extremely expensive luxury available only to the highly affluent few.

Now the development of intensive Chinese production facilities has transformed cashmere into a delicacy so democratised that you can get a lovely, soft, 100 per cent goat-fleece jumper for under £50 (even before Christmas, Uniqlo was offering a very fine £29:95 V-neck). In 2009, the Scottish Cashmere Club reported its strongest-ever sales and, despite the economic downturn, anecdotal evidence from retailers suggests our appetite for cashmere continues to be almost as keen. Jo Hooper, head of buying womenswear at John Lewis, said: "Cashmere has become a staple yarn in people's wardrobes - an everyday luxury. Sales of men's and women's cashmere have done well this season."

At Marks & Spencer, men's V-neck cashmere jumpers (£69, currently down to £39 on sale) were the biggest-selling garment online in the week before Christmas. Over in womenswear, M&S reported nearly-as-strong sales, with all styles in grey, and red button through crew-neck cardigans proving particularly popular.

A notch or two up the cashmere quality index (veering towards organic Smoked Salmon territory), Victoria Stapleton, the founder of Brora, says that she has "seen the popularity of what we do increase annually, despite some tricky recent years. December is a big month for us, and the majority of what we sell this month is heading straight for the Christmas tree."

If these retailers are correct, the upshot is that there are, at present, many thousands of people across the nation relishing the first few wears of their 100 per cent cashmere Christmas gifts. This is the giddy, carefree stage of the relationship. Quickly, however, cashmere becomes complicated: for, although reinvented as a low-cost, fast-fashion fabric, this ultra-soft fibre demands careful handling. And the nub of the problem is in the washing. Treated with disrespect, your cashmere jumper will suddenly develop chimpanzee-suitable stretched arms, expand alarmingly at the waist, or - worst of all - shrink. The most challenging cashmere scenario is to discover the three costly words "Dry Clean Only" printed on the laundry label.

The Closet Thinker: The joy of cashmere
With a little bit of knowledge, however, it is possible to have a long-term, low-maintenance relationship with cashmere.

Gwen Whiting and Lindsey Boyd are two New Yorkers who left their jobs in fashion to educate the new cashmere-wearing constituency about how best to treat their jumpers. The business partners, who run a cleaning products company called The Laundress, first met at Cornell University as students of fibre science, but ended up working at Chanel (Whiting, as a sales executive) and Ralph Lauren (Boyd, as a homewares designer).

These jobs, says Whiting, meant that "there was lots of cashmere in our lives. And a great deal of it said 'Dry Clean Only'. We knew from our textile background that wasn't right. Cashmere isn't meant to be dry-cleaned, it's meant to be washed. It's an animal hair; and washing it is like washing your own hair. Dry cleaning is the equivalent of giving cashmere a perm: not so good."

More and more cashmere manufacturers now mark their products "Dry Clean Only" as a form of protection, says Whiting: "It means that if there is any damage or other issues you have to bring it up with the cleaners, and not the manufacturer." And should you wash a DCO-marked garment that then develops the dreaded chimp-arms (most likely because it's been hung, not laid flat, to dry), you won't have a leg to stand on if you complain.

It was this confusing cashmere advice that inspired Whiting and Boyd to quit their jobs, found The Laundress, and concoct their first product: a cedar-extract, sulphite-free Wool & Cashmere Shampoo (available at store.thelaundress.eu). They urge all new cashmere owners to avoid dry cleaning, and invest a little time instead, "just get to know the fabric a little and care for it properly."

Alongside the cashmere reviews on this page are a few key hand-washing points, plus a run-down of a highly-effective drying technique that reduces the chance of chimp-arm to nil. Other Laundress tips include to not wash your cashmere often - "People tend to overwash" - and avoid shaving off any bobbles: "It's invasive, aggressive, and takes off much more cashmere than you need to". A cashmere comb will do the trick much better.

Their most revelatory advice of all is that you can put all cashmere in the washing machine . "As long as you can adjust your water temperature to cold, and your cycle to low, then, sure, you can machine wash it," says Whiting. "But the less agitation the better. So we advise you turn your items inside out and put them in a mesh bag. And stay away from what you guys call non-bio: you can't have any enzymes."
Cashmere: it's complicated.

Wash & Go? Our eight cashmere picks
For women...
Classic crew-neck pull over, £170, Eric Bompard; eric-bompard.com. 100 per cent cashmere.
Feels luxuriously smooth - the George Clooney of knits (below). The care instructions were detailed, and gave the option of a machine wash - jackpot for this lazy tester. Came out looking very fluffy. Two firm rolls with a towel and a session on the radiator later, and it was almost as good as new.
Washability: 9/10

Roll-neck jumper, £25 (was £50), F&F at Tesco; clothingattesco.com. 100 per cent cashmere.
Not only did this deep camel-coloured polo (below) have something alluringly MaxMara-ish about it, it sat fetchingly close on the hip and comfortably loose at the neck. The label said machine washable, so in it went, on a cold delicates cycle. Astonishingly, it kept its shape well. A great buy.
Washability: 9/10

Crew-neck sweater, £49.90 (was, £79.90), Uniqlo; uniqlo.com. 100 per cent cashmere.
A slinky slim silhouette, but this jumper (below) is prone to pilling and has the dreaded dry-cleaning recommendation on the label. I hand washed it in tepid water as thoroughly and as quickly as I could (less time in water the better), popped it on a short spin cycle and dried it flat. Success.
Washability: 6/10

Aran cardigan, £339, Brora; brora.co.uk. 100 per cent cashmere.
On thickness and softness alone this gorgeous four-ply cardigan (below) is an all-round 10. A handwash with the £5 Brora shampoo (yes, more money, but if you're willing to throw £339 on a cardi, this shouldn't be a problem) and the shape was as good a new.
Washability: 10/10

Regular cashmere cardigan, £95 (was £125), Lands' End; landsend.co.uk. 100 per cent cashmere.
This cosy style isn't of the cropped Nigella Lawson variety, but a wardrobe staple that's perfect to throw over a T-shirt or a dress for instant warmth. Plus, it emerged from a handwash looking almost like new.
Washability: 7/10

For men...
Contrast V-neck jumper, £275, Pringle; pringlescotland.com. 100 per cent cashmere.
What a jumper (below). Wore it on a scratchy-seated 10-hour economy flight, handwashed in hotel, then wore it all the way back and washed it again. Held its shape and absolutely no bobbling.
Washability:10/10

Slipover jumper, £59, Marks & Spencer; marksandspencer.com. 70 per cent cashmere, 30 per cent wool.

The bargain price and authentically lustrous cashmere softness were only achieved by making a jumper so thin it's transparent when held up to the light. Chilly. Nonetheless, held up extremely well after a careful hand-wash, and showed very little sign of pilling. Mark this down as summer cashmere.
Washability: 8/10

Cable crew-neck jumper, £170 (was £270), Hackett; hackett.com. 100 per cent cashmere.
Easy on the eye, but tricky in the sink. Despite a tender hand wash and flat dry, we experienced discernable shape change - and the beginnings of "gorilla arms" - after just one dousing (below).
Washability: 5/10

2011-12-15T16:56:00.001-05:00

Our Wool & Cashmere Kit is featured in Gracious Home's holiday ad in New York Magazine...

The Laundress Stocking Stuffers

2011-12-15T15:42:00.000-05:00

For all your lightweight sweaters, blankets and scarves…

[ shop now ]

For the cashmere lover…

[ shop now ]

A conversation piece for sure!

[ shop now ]

Chapstick is so last year…stuff with this instead.

[ shop now ]

For your clothing… not your face!

[ shop now ]

One can never show enough love to their cashmere.

[ shop now ]

Giving up sponges is the New Year’s resolution!

[ shop now ]

A natural anti-bacterial soap bar, with no addedchemicals.

[ shop now ]

The Laundress 3rd Anniversary Party in Japan!

2011-12-13T09:23:00.003-05:00

For more, visit these blogs:
http://ameblo.jp/sayuri07116/entry-11095359675.html
http://ameblo.jp/sayuri07116/entry-11096038548.html
http://maisassygirl.blogspot.com/2011/12/laundress-new-york-3rd-year-anniversary.html
http://www.hommania.com/portal/?p=10727
http://entrestyle.exblog.jp/16998641/
http://ameblo.jp/suzu1971/entry-11095065480.html
http://ameblo.jp/chateaubonbon/entry-11098082557.html

To see more pictures of the event, visit:
http://on.fb.me/ssqxMx

Scrub The Halls - The New York Times

2011-12-13T08:38:00.001-05:00

12/7/2011

By Jesse McKinley

Formost of us, the holiday season is a time of lists. There are wish lists,shopping lists, naughty and nice lists. But way down on the litany of to-do isone particular item that many find as offputting as coal in a Christmasstocking: clean the house.

Afterall, this is the time of year when you open your home to all manner of friendsand family, who come to town to celebrate and, surely, to evaluate yourhousekeeping.

It’snot an uncommon concern. We all have visions of holiday perfection for thehouse, but beyond the garlands and nutcrackers — and a reasonably upright tree— most of us fail in our pursuit of perfection.

Yetfor a select breed of the hyper-tidy, this is a time to shine. Call themextreme cleaners (nice) or neat freaks (naughty), but these super-sanitary feware the keepers of the secrets to making a house as clean and welcoming as aCharlie Brown special.

THEPROFESSIONALS

SabrinaCusin, who runs a high-end cleaning service called (no kidding) New York’sLittle Elves, is currently dealing with the annual flood of holidaydeep-cleaning jobs. And with the neurotic customer demands that inevitably comewith it.

“Wehave people who say, ‘I only want you to bring new mops, sponges, brooms andunopened fluids,’ ” she said. “What can I say? Some people never wearunderpants twice. One woman insisted on new vacuums. I drew the line. So shewent out and bought two Mieles.”

Thatdoesn’t sound so unreasonable to Nancy Bock. Ms. Bock, a spokeswoman for theAmerican Cleaning Institute, said there was nothing outrageous about insistingon virgin machines and supplies. Not if it offers “the certainty that theproduct is the one that was originally poured into that bottle and that nobodyelse’s sponge has touched the lip.”

Afterall, she added, “What’s extreme?”

THEAESTHETES

Forsome, the need to keep things just so isn’t confined to the holidays. Havinginvested in the services of a well-known interior decorator, they feel aresponsibility to maintain the look.

Sodesigners like Steven Gambrel furnish certain clients with what amounts to anoperating manual for the décor, something known in the trade as a maid’s book:a collection of photographs documenting the precise arrangement of pillows,tableware, curtains and even the contents of the hall closet (no puffy coats,no trailing scarves).

Nodetail is left out. One photo, for example, shows the exact amount of sheetthat should be folded back over the blanket — to the nearest inch — when makinga bed.

“There’sa frustration when the decorator leaves that the place is never going to lookas good as when he styled it,” Mr. Gambrel said. “The book is a document thatallows for no misinterpretation.”

OTHERSACRED TEXTS

Whenit comes to housekeeping, there are a number of reliable manuals. MarthaStewart’s “Homekeeping Handbook” is, of course, required reading for theobsessive-compulsive domestic diva.

Anotherstandard text is Cheryl Mendelson’s “Home Comforts,” an 884-page tome withchapters like “Peaceful Coexistence With Microbes” and a somewhat sexy-soundingsection, “The Cave of Nakedness,” having to do with bedrooms. (The title isabout as racy as the chapter gets.)

Acasual reader might also pick up “Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Home,” which offerssimple, practical advice. (“Got toothpaste dripping down the side of your sink?Dab it up with a cloth and rub it on your sink and shower faucets,” Mrs. Meyeradvises, something she promises will actually brighten them up. Just like yourteeth.)

Allof these books, however, pale in comparison with the recently published“National Trust Manual of Housekeeping” (National Trust; $75), which tops 900pages and weighs seven pounds. It includes tips on everything from how to alignyour doormat (10 feet of coconut matting is recommended to truly demuck one’sgaloshes, after a good night of caroling) to the proper method of moving adining room chair (lift from the seat rails, not the back, to avoid stressingit; at least the chair will be relaxed, even if you’re not).

Inaddition to offering historical context (who knew that the word housekeepingdates to 1538?) and lavish photographs of the kind of places you’ll never livein, the manual also gives detailed advice about the care and cleaning of thingslike archaeological collections and armor, drawn from centuries ofoh-so-British care of historic homes. (There is some stuff for commoners aswell.)

THEAVID AMATEURS

Atthe end of the day, though, who can compete with the National Trust? Or withMs. Stewart or Ms. Mendelson, for that matter? Not that some don’t try.

ConsiderPam Schneider, a learning specialist with homes in New York and London. As ifholiday travel weren’t bad enough, Ms. Schneider said she was so obsessed withkeeping house that she travels with cleaning products she can’t find abroad,like Swiffer dusters and Mr. Clean Magic Erasers.

“Peoplecall me the Felix Unger of the millennium,” Ms. Schneider said. “Everyone saysmy house is like a hospital.”

Sheisn’t the only one who commutes with cleaning supplies. Kathryn Ireland, a LosAngeles-based decorator, said she brings stacks of brown paper bags from herlocal Trader Joe’s to her house in France.

Why?To remove wax from tablecloths, of course. (Running a hot iron over a bag laidon top of the tablecloth draws the wax out.) For while the French believe inlong, candlelight dinners, they “don’t believe in brown paper bags,” Ms.Ireland said, and she’d just as soon avoid long hours spent hunting for them inFrance.

Forpeople like Ms. Ireland and Ms. Schneider, cleaning isn’t a chore; theyactually enjoy it. Carolyn Forte, a director of the Good Housekeeping ResearchInstitute, feels the same way. In fact, Ms. Forte chooses to spend her vacationdays washing the windows of her split-level house in Livingston, N.J., somethingthat has apparently made an impression on the neighbors.

“Ihave a neighbor who won’t buy an appliance or cleaning product without askingme,” she said.

Whenit comes to cleaning, attention to detail is all-important, Ms. Forte noted.Most people miss a number of spots, she said, including “telephone buttons,vacuum brushes, remote controls, undersides of rugs, toothbrush holders.”Especially when they are rushing to get ready for the holidays.

Forlast-minute cleaning, there are a few tools she recommends, includingScotch-Brite toilet scrubbers. “The cleaner is already in the sponge, which isshaped to get under the rim,” she said. “When you’re done, you eject it fromthe wand directly into the trash.”

ButSally Carle, who once worked as a designer for Pierre Cardin in Paris and nowlives in Maryland, does Ms. Forte one better. Ms. Carle, in her mid-50s,removes her toilet seats to clean behind the screws. She also uses Clorox as averb, as in “I just Cloroxed the kitchen sink.”

Andher preferred tool for detailing, she said, is a toothbrush.

Ofcourse, she diligently sterilizes and labels it carefully, she added, forobvious reasons. “It’s marked ‘loo,’ ” she said.

Goodto know.

GettingReady for the Inspection

LIKEvisions of sugar plums dancing in children’s heads, the picture-perfect holidayhome is probably also a dream. Still, there are a number of tips — from expertsboth foreign and domestic — to help one prepare the manger for company, andcare for furnishings after they go. It all begins at the front door.

“Focuson what they’ll see first” is the advice of Thelma A. Meyer, a k a Mrs. Meyerof Clean Day fame, who says that a first impression can overcome whatever dirtmight rear its head after dessert. In “Mrs. Meyer’s Clean House,” she recommendsa solid scrub of your entry, a good shake of the doormat and a full-scaleassault on the floors, sofa and chair legs, where “dust tends to gather.”

Peopletend to congregate in the kitchen, where the food and alcohol is, so cleaninggurus also suggest concentrating efforts there. On her Web site, Martha Stewartoffers a seven-point plan, including dusting light fixtures, flushing the drainwith boiling water and wiping, wiping and more wiping.

Then,of course, there is the commode, the longtime cleaning foe of bachelors. CherylMendelson, the author of “Home Comfort,” depicts the bathroom as a war zone,complete with “high populations of pathogens,” stained tile and the dreadedsoap scum. To conquer the latter, she suggests using undiluted liquid detergent,then water, scouring powder and a stiff brush, and finally polishing with atowel. “The results,” she writes, “will amaze you.”

Nothingcan ruin a good time like a terrible smell. Elimination of nasty odors is theobjective of all manner of folk remedy — orange peels, lemon juice, incense,open windows — but many swear by a good old blast of vinegar. TheLaundress, a maker of specialty detergents, sells scented vinegar that can be used to create a “vinegar bomb,” which may not only vanquishbad smells but create a subconscious desire for a nice salad.

Whichbrings us to another time-honored holiday tradition: deception. (See Claus,Santa.) Mrs. Meyer suggests brewing coffee to camouflage smells, not to mentionwaking up sleepy relatives. She also suggests low light to minimize whateverblemishes might remain when guests arrive.

Finally,there is the task of cleanup. “The National Trust Manual of Housekeeping” hasmiles of how-to advice on caring for the important serving dishes and tablewarein your manor, including your silver, which should always be stored in anantitarnish bag; delicate ceramics, which should never be held by the handle, aweak spot; and china, which should be washed with only mild detergent. Themanual has plenty of other tips, all of which can be enjoyed — fireside, with asmall brandy — during the period that many holiday makers enjoy most: aftereveryone’s gone home.

Originally posted here.

Save 50% on The Laundress!

2011-11-29T10:32:00.001-05:00

Head on over to Daily Candy today to view two exclusive Laundress deals that you don't want to miss!

We're featured on J.Crew's Gift Guide!

2011-11-28T18:38:00.001-05:00

[ view now ]

Holiday Cleaning with The Laundress

2011-11-22T17:18:00.000-05:00

Of course all the fine china and crystal will come out.To make your life easier, keep these items on hand.

[ Glass & Crystal Brush, Dish Detergent, Linen Kitchen Cloth ]

A MUST have for cooking, especially when working withpoultry and vegetables. Our Soap Bar isa natural odor and bacteria remover.

[ Kitchen Soap Bar ]

Our favorite trick for cleaning our cooking pots and pansis to sprinkle Bleach Alternative, soak with hot water and let it do the workfor you!

[ All-Purpose Bleach Alternative ]

Our new copper cleaning cloths are amazing for cleaningcooking messes including stoves and cook tops.

[ Copper Cloth ]

Keep our Home Spray in your bathroom, your guests willappreciate it…

[ Home Spray ]

Our Stain Solution is your best friend when theentertaining ends, use this on food grease, wine, chocolate and more.

[ Stain Solution ]

Don’t show up empty handed if you aren’t hosting! This set is always a winner in everyone’sbook! You will be invited back everyyear!

[ Hand Soap & Après Cream Caddy ]

We're on Vitamin Daily

2011-11-21T14:23:00.001-05:00

[ view on site ]

2011-11-18T12:09:00.001-05:00

[ view gifts now ]

We're featured on...

2011-11-17T06:56:00.001-05:00

The Wardrobe Whisperer's Blog.

Our Stain Solution and Pit Stain Removal recipe is featured.

Click here to read the great post now.

The Laundress and Fog Linen

2011-11-15T09:06:00.001-05:00

We are SO excited about our new collaboration with Japanese designer and owner ofFog Linen Work, Yumiko Sekine. We bothshare the art of simple and clean living.

Thecollection is made of 100 percent Lithuanian Linen. Linen is the most durablefiber - which also makes it the most washable and actually gets more absorbentwith every wash- easy to reuse with less waste.

We asked Yumiko to tell us her favorite spots, tips andabout Fog Linen Work!

What are your favoritespots in Tokyo?

“My new office and store”.

Japanese Folk Art Museum

Cicoute Cafe... "a very cute cafe in my neighborhood."

"This is a beautiful ceramic store." Zakka Home

What are your favorite things to do in NYC?
"Meet a good friend of mine Lotta Jansdotter."

Jansdotter

"Love to shop at Erica Tanov."

Erica Tanov

"Every time I am trying to eat at Blue Hill."

Blue Hill Farm New York

"I usually stay at the Cooper Square Hotel."

The Cooper Square Hotel

What are some of YOURhome cleaning tips? Is there a special waythat you clean something in your home or how you clean, etc. that isinteresting.

“Clean and wash every morning and also most of the nights! If you findsomething dirty, don't leave it , wash and clean immediately, often you can doit in a minute.”

How has your cultural backgroundinfluenced your design sense?
"I think I got influence from my mother. She has used much linen at home and also wore linen, so it was normal for me to have linen items around me and I LOVE them!"

Why do you prefer Lithuanian linen? Isit better than Belgium, etc.?
"When I was searching for the linen products, Belgian linen was quite expensive. I couldn't afford it for my normal life. When I traveled to Lithuania, I found that it is the place to grow flax and also they have a history to export linen products to European countries since middle age, good skill and not so expensive, also quality is same as Belgian ones."

About Fog Linen Work:

Yumiko Sekine started her first business in 1993 importingused books and house ware from Europe and America to Japan. In her search formore products, she could not find affordable every-day linens that she had usedduring her childhood. She visited Lithuania, a country that grows flax, whosefibers are spun into linen, and has been producing and exporting linen productsto other European countries since the Middle Ages. She was disappointed to findthat there were no linen products for daily use available in the stores there.This led her to contact several linen producers and started to have themproduce her own product designs in Lithuania. Her first collection started withonly seven items. Today,the company has one shop in Tokyo and sells all around the world.

We're featured in November's GQ Magazine

2011-11-04T11:16:00.001-04:00

To shop for our Wash & Stain Bars, click here.

The Laundress on Ecosalon

2011-11-03T14:51:00.002-04:00

House-cleaning made sexy.

I could so do some serious scrubbing with this eco-cleaning kit from The Laundress. Their products smell amazing (scented with a blend of bergamot, thyme, lavender, musk and ylang ylang) and are fully green. The white enamel pail adds a classy touch, a definitive upgrade from the industrial blue plastic ones you’re likely to find in the cleaning aisle of your local box store.

We’ve written about how to keep house naturally before. The Laundress takes it to an entirely boutique-y level. Let’s call it haute clean. Because the products are so concentrated a little goes a long way, hence the minimal and sophisticated packaging.

Available from The Laundress for $65 and up.

Look for Lustables daily at EcoSalon. 100% gorgeous green finds, and never sponsored. Submit your favorite to tips@ecosalon.com

View original post.

Also on Ecosalon, extend the life of your cardigans.

Lindsey (and Chloe!) are featured on Beso.com again...

2011-10-31T17:31:00.003-04:00

Check our Lindsey's latest recommendations here.

*Click here for Lindsey's 10 Best Things She Registered For.

How to wash Uggs & a Shearling Chanel Bag

2011-10-28T11:08:00.000-04:00

With the change of seasons obviously comes the change ofwardrobe and accessories. We alwaysrecommend washing these items - especially if they weren’t washed prior tostorage…oops! Lindsey had to clean hershearling Chanel Bag from general wear and dirt, but why stop there?

So we also decided to test out washing a pairof Uggs - we think you’ll be impressed with the results!

We all have a pair of well-loved and worn Uggs and last year’s snow storms did a number on these…

Pre-treat with Stain Solution. For tougher stains found on moredurable items use our Dish Brush to scrub.

Place boots in a mesh washing bag and launder with Wool& Cashmere Shampoo.

For machine settings…we had to do an extra rinse and spincycle.

Stuff with paper towels to dry, you can also place near aheater to speed up the drying process, just be cautious!

Viola…good as new!

Next up, is Lindsey’s Shearling Chanel Bag...that's right, you don't always need to take your Chanel items to the dry-cleaners!

This bag had the typical general dirt stains and wear.

Pre-treat with Stain Solution and gently work into thefabric. Protect with our Mesh Washing Bag and launder with ourWool & Cashmere Shampoo.

The settings you’ll need:

When complete, take your bag out and lay flat to dry.

Steam to finish and it's as good as new!

The Laundress featured on The New York Times

2011-10-28T09:38:00.000-04:00

Personal Eco-Concierges Ease Transition to Green

By JENNIFER A. KINGSON

Published: October 23, 2011

Click here to read on nytimes.com

Carrie Starner-Keenan, an eco-concierge, showed green cleaning

products...(yes, that's a Laundress Detergent!)...at a client’s home.

They will run your errands by bicycle, recommend a spa that gives vegan manicures or buy organic clothes for you and your dog. They will even book you a dream vacation and buy the appropriate carbon offsets.

Green living is just so much easier when you have your own personal environmental concierge.
“The problem with going green is that people think it takes so much work, so much effort, so much conscious decision-making,” said Letitia Burrell, president of Eco-Concierge NYC, a year-old business in Manhattan that tries to make it easy for people to rid their homes of toxins, hire sustainable-cuisine chefs and find organic dry cleaners.
Memberships range from $175 a month to $3,500 a year, depending on the level of service. Or you can opt for à la carte service at $25 to $50 an hour.
It is a niche business, but a clever one. At least a half-dozen services of this type have sprung up around the country in recent years, both to help time-starved consumers manage their lives and to assuage the guilt of those who worry that they are letting the planet down.
“There are people who come to us gung-ho and they want to make a sweeping lifestyle change,” said P. Richelle White, who left a corporate advertising job four years ago to start Herb’n Maid, a green cleaning and concierge service in St. Louis. “These are busy professionals who don’t have the time to do the research themselves about different products and services.” Ms. White charges $39 for the first hour and $29 an hour subsequently; she was considering introducing monthly subscriptions.
Personal concierge services originated in hotels but made the leap to people’s homes in the last decade or so, said Katharine C. Giovanni, who runs an industry trade group, the International Concierge and Lifestyle Management Association.
“The green idea, that’s really taking off,” Ms. Giovanni said. And in a bad economy, she said, a concierge service is an “excellent home-based business to start up for people who have been liberated from their companies.”
Clients generally come to eco-concierges for a specific reason, say, to help rid their apartment of clutter or set up a pristine nursery for a new baby, and then gradually get excited about other possibilities.
Tracy Stamper, a fitness instructor in St. Louis, hired Herb’n Maid a few years ago for green cleaning after products used by a conventional service aggravated her husband’s asthma. That set her on a slippery green slope. Ms. White referred her to a hairstylist, within walking distance, who would color her hair with natural dyes. Instead of using Drano to unclog bathtubs, Herb’n Maid gave her a less harsh product.
Then Ms. Stamper’s husband bought a solar-powered fan for the attic; the neighbors wanted one, too. Next up for the Stampers may be switching to organic clothing made with no chemical dyes or pesticides.
“My husband and I both look for ways to up the ante,” Ms. Stamper said.
The concierge companies say they vet the vendors they work with, sending out questionnaires, checking on eco-certification status and meeting with them directly. Amy Mayfield, who runs Eco-Modern Concierge in Houston, said she was “pretty hard core” about minimizing her own carbon footprint and was constantly researching the best ways to go about it.
She runs her clients’ light errands on a Vespa scooter, takes cloth grocery bags to do their shopping and takes their leftover food to homeless shelters. When she is hired for pet care, the treats are vegan and homemade and the toys are made from recycled materials.
Do such small steps add up to a larger difference? Some climate experts say not really, explaining that only nations and industries have the collective might to dial back global warming.
“The changes necessary are so large and profound that they are beyond the reach of individual action,” Gernot Wagner, an economist at the Environmental Defense Fund, wrote in a recent New York Times Op-Ed article.
Eco-concierges see it their way — that every contribution counts.
“We want to take baby steps with our clients, so it’s not, ‘Oh, I have to change everything in the house,’ ” said Leeann Brzozowski, the owner of QiLiving in Manhattan.
There are no guilt trips. Ms. Brzozowski recommends buying carbon offsets, using low-emission cars, and drinking organic coffee in reusable mugs — but clients are free to do as they please.
One steady customer is Adrienne Smith, who runs a tour bus company, Harlem Hip-Hop Tours, from her home on the Upper West Side. Under Ms. Brzozowski’s tutelage, Ms. Smith redecorated her apartment with nontoxic paint, replaced her vinyl shower curtain with linen and switched to more expensive recycled paper for her printer.
But last December, when she asked Ms. Brzozowski to plan her birthday party, Ms. Smith knew what she wanted: a not-so-green affair with 50 to 80 people at a hot club with an open bar and a hip-hop deejay.
“She doesn’t bombard you with, ‘You have to do something green,’ ” Ms. Smith said of her concierge.
For those who successfully court the wealthy, there is money to be made. Carrie Starner-Keenan, a concierge in San Francisco who used to work in estate management, said her clients tended to be people with huge properties.
“I’m currently on the way to a client with three homes, one of them a 10,000-square-foot beach house,” she said in an interview from her car. “I’m changing all the pesticides and cleaning products, changing all the light bulbs, setting up systems and manuals for the staff.” Her hourly rate starts at $75.
She even put her instruction manuals on computer disks for future household help.
“To be perfectly honest with you, it’s their staff that is working with making the changes and having to transition into different cleaning products,” Ms. Starner-Keenan said. “The top 2 percent of wealth, they’re not going to have to make the sacrifice.”
Because their services are labor-intensive, the concierges say, they do not take on too many customers at a time. Ms. Burrell of Eco-Concierge said she had about 10 clients who were monthly subscribers, four of whom paid for “elite” memberships. “We can’t spread ourselves too thin,” she said.
Pauletta Brooks, a jewelry designer in Chelsea, bought two hours of Ms. Burrell’s time and used it to help set up a storefront on Etsy.com to sell her work.
“I was pleased with the help I got,” she said, “but I don’t quite get the ‘eco’ part of it. You’re not really saving energy, because you’re just paying someone else to use that energy for you.”

The Laundress' first shop in shop in Europe

2011-10-17T13:16:00.003-04:00

A dream laundry room in a dream store!Everyone should have a laundry room that looks like The Laundress shop in shop.A historical store, visionary and exclusive retailer for some of the mostcoveted and exclusive European brands, Mazzolari in Milan has taken TheLaundress collection to a whole new level!

While you feel you are in the mostsophisticated laundry room - the entire Fabric Care and Home Cleaning collectioncan be had here.

As complete pharmacy junkies, Lindseyand Gwen could spend hours in this store - from sniffing to scouring every itemin this “perfumery.”

ABOUT PROFUMERIAMAZZOLARI

Profumeria Mazzolari is the historicalluxury perfumery located in downtown Milan.

Founded in 1888, it started as a barber shop specialized in creating cologneand aftershaves. The passion for this world has been passed on for generationsincluding the current owner Augusto. It was Agusto Mazzolari who expanded thestore and servicing the female audience with an entire area dedicated toperfumes and beauty products.

Elegance, sophistication and traditiontogether with the continued research of exclusive and innovative brands make“Profumeria Mazzolari” one of the most renowned perfumeries in Europe.

Mr . Mazzolari and Gwen

The Laundress on Birchbox

2011-10-12T13:15:00.001-04:00

HISTORY

Longtime friends Lindsey Boyd and Gwen Whiting both had an appreciation for beautiful fabric. Boyd was a U.S.-sales manager at Chanel ready-to-wear, and Whiting was a senior designer at Ralph Lauren Home. But, like most of us, they were frustrated by what happens after gorgeous clothes or linens come home from the store — the inevitable stains, pilling, and stretching that occur after regular wear and tear. Armed with their knowledge of textiles from their studies at Cornell, both Boyd and Whiting also knew that many ‘dry-clean only’ items can really be washed at home — without toxic chemicals or the extra expense — if the right cleansers are used.

Merging their backgrounds in luxury brands and their academic smarts, the pair set out to create their own solutions to simplify the fine art of laundry. The result is an eco-friendly collection of treatments formulated for different fabric care problems —far superior to the one-big-bottle-of-detergent approach — that are easy to use and smell as good as your best perfume.

PHILOSOPHY

As Gwen and Lindsey say: “We are an eco-chic line of specialty detergents and fabric care committed to being green for you, your clothing, and the environment.”

BIRCHBOX EXTRA

We can’t get enough of The Laundress’ perfumer-quality scents, which are made with essential oils, not artificial fragrances. We love No. 247, a mix of bergamot, thyme, lavender, musk, and ylang ylang, and Cedar, an earthy-clean blend of cedarwood oil, frankincense, spices, and citrus zest.

STAR PRODUCTS

You can skip the dry cleaner — and the chemicals, expense, and wait time — with The Laundress’ two standout cleansers. The Delicate Wash removes perspiration, body oils, and stains from silk, rayon, and other tricky fabrics, and the cedar-scented Wool & Cashmere Shampoo cleans, preserves, and softens woolens safely at home. Both concentrated formulas are non-toxic and biodegradable.

The Laundress Featured on Charlotte Moss: A Flair For Living

2011-10-10T10:39:00.000-04:00

We absolutely love A Flair For Living so we're delighted to be featured on it!

Does anyone iron anymore?

Cathy, Charlotte’s sister in Mississippi passed along this great short film about ironing called “I Always do my Collars First.” This short documentary follows four Cajun women, and is an insightful and artful look at what most people consider a mundane chore. It shows how a simple ritual as ironing can weave its way through the fabric of family life and a create a sense of identity. Which got us thinking. Does anyone iron anymore? Do you? Below are a few of our favorite ironing products from New York’s very own The Laundress , Pottery Barn and Ballard Designs as well as some helpful tips and advice on ironing. So plug in that iron, and pull out your shirts, just remember, always do your collars first.

For The Laundress: go to www.thelaundress.com
For Pottery Barn: go to www.potterybarn.com
For Ballard Designs: go to www.ballarddesigns.com

September 29, 2011
Charlotte Moss: A Flair For Living

International Press

2011-09-28T08:15:00.000-04:00

We have a lot of recent international press, click the links below to check them out!

ELLE

http://www.elle.it/Bellezza-Beauty/Viso-Corpo/The-Laundress-quando-il-bucato-si-fa-eco-chic

MARIE CLAIRE

http://www.marieclaire.it/Bellezza/Settembre-appuntamenti-con-la-bellezza2/The-Laundress

STYLE.IT

http://www.style.it/bellezza/beauty-case/2011/09/20/the-laundress--lavanderia-eco-chic.aspx

PAMBIANCO

http://www.pambianconews.com/apre-a-milano-da-mazzolari-il-primo-mini-negozio-the-laundress-in-europa/

WWD (ma è quello che non si riesce a leggere):

http://www.wwd.com/beauty-industry-news/beauty-features/the-laundress-shop-in-shop-opens-in-mazzolari-5172298

GQ.COM

http://www.gqitalia.it/ben-essere/articles/2011/9/arriva-in-italia-the-laundress-la-linea-di-prodotti-eco-friendly-per-casa-e-abiti-pensata-anche-per-l-uomo

CHATEAU BON BON

http://ameblo.jp/chateaubonbon/entry-11030510832.html

Cleaning a Hat

2011-09-06T09:38:00.000-04:00

After a hot and sweaty photo shoot, everything had to get washed, especially my baseball cap! Simply follow the instructions below and The Laundress will have your favorite baseball hat clean and just the way you like it.

Always pre-treat, the Stain Solution will help to remove any body oil and perspiration stains (you all know those sweat marks I’m talking about!). Next, make a hot bath, adding Scented Vinegar and allow to soak, the longer the better.

Be sure to change out the dirty water if and when necessary. Make a clean bath adding Signature Detergent- agitate the water with your hands and allow to soak for 30 minutes. DO NOT PANIC if you see color in the water. This is normal and it is simply the yarn dye releasing color. You will not notice any loss of color at the end.

Rinse well - running under tepid water until all soapy water is gone. Allow the hat to air dry - do not put in the dryer!

Viola! It’s as if the hat was never dirty at all!

Removing Berry Stains

2011-09-06T09:17:00.000-04:00

In the spirit of home cleaning, 3 year old Wyatt decided to sneak out of the kitchen and onto the couch with a delicious Blueberry and Banana smoothie. Inevitably, this summer treat spilled and stained both of Jessica’s embroidered pillows. Thankfully, Jessica has The Laundress on her side.

Jessica first removed the inserts and pre-treated the berry stains with a “paste” of Stain Solution and All Purpose Bleach Alternative.

She then allowed both shams to soak in a bath with All Purpose Bleach Alternative.

Once Jessica pre-treated to her liking she then laundered on a delicate cycle with Signature Detergent. Removing promptly from the washer she then laid the shams flat to dry.

Pressing while damp is best to reduce creasing.

Once both shams were completely dry Jessica put the inserts back in and both pillows were as good as new!

2011-08-30T13:08:00.000-04:00

Cashmere Care
(from J.Crew Cashmere Affair- August 30, 2011)

Who better to advise on cashmere care than the ladies at The Laundress New York? We got the inside scoop from Lindsey and Gwen, the brains behind the eco-friendly line of specialty detergent and fabric-care products, on how to make our cashmere last forever (and save money doing it!).

We are sick of spending money on dry-cleaning bills! Walk us through how to hand wash a cashmere sweater.

First of all, dry cleaners use all sorts of chemicals on clothes and are expensive. One bottle of The Laundress New York for J. Crew cashmere wash is only $18 and you can get upwards of 32 washes out of it. Cashmere is a luxury good that’s meant to last and should be treated with care, so hand washing is the best option for keeping your cashmere like new. Caring in between washing and wearing is just as important too.

What’s the best way to store cashmere?

Always clean your items before storing. Do not store your sweaters in plastic- use cotton bags that close with zippers. Plastic creates an environment for moth breeding- perfume, body oils and other products, such as deodorant, are food for the bugs! Bugs will not eat through cotton. Spray with The Laundress New York for J.Crew cashmere spray, which is a natural moth and bug repellent, in between washing, wearing and storing.

What are some other must-know cashmere-care tips?

Pilling happens from wearing, not washing. Pilling is not necessarily a sign of poor quality; it’s actually the cashmere naturally shedding. A good pill remover is essential and we have tried them all, which is why we designed The Laundress New York for J.Crew sweater comb. To remove odor from wearing, storing or previous dry-cleaning, soak with water and vinegar for half an hour.

What’s in your cashmere treatment?

All The Laundress products are naturally derived, nontoxic and 100 percent biodegradable and do not have any artificial colors. The Laundress New York for J.Crew cashmere wash is a coconut soap base scented with lavender extracts and is exclusively made for J.Crew. Not only does it smell amazing, but it is also a natural moth and bug repellent.

Here’s our step-by-step guide for hand washing your cashmere (it’s easier than you think!).

Pre-Treating

· First, de-pill by combing the areas with The Laundress New York for J.Crew sweater comb.

· Examine the sweater for stains and pre-treat with a stain solution if necessary.

· Turn inside out (stains and odors mostly build up on the underarms and inside of garments).

Hand Washing

· Prepare a basin of cool/tepid water plus two capfuls of The Laundress New York for J.Crew cashmere wash.

· Submerge and press gently with your hands and let soak for 15 to 30 minutes.

· Rinse the sweater well, pressing out the excess water, but do not wring.

Drying/Finishing

· Using a flat drying rack is the best or lay a towel flat and place the sweater on top of it in its natural shape to dry- never hang cashmere because it will distort the fabric and ruin the fit.

Cashmere Affair

Shopping a French Market with Gwen...

2011-08-26T08:07:00.000-04:00

Shopping a market in France - especially in Provence is an amazing experience! Especially for someone like me who gets excited just by the beauty of produce on display. The food is all local and absolutely beautiful and delicious!

We came prepared with recipes, so we were ready to be cooking in the local style. My friend and design/cooking guru who owns “Bloom” in Sag Harbor swears by this book - she told me to read it cover to cover!

[ buy it here ]

I love this throw, beach blanket, pareo, etc...I bought one at the market and have used it every weekend since - from my lounge chair to table cloth. I wish I got one for all my friends!

[ buy it here ]

You can’t shop without a traditional French market tote!

[ buy it here ]

While a panama hat isn’t indigenous to France - straw craft and millinery is. I walked away with my new favorite city hat!

[ buy it here ]

Espadrilles are just such “happy” shoes - they just scream holiday!

[ buy it here ]

While I must admit I was jaded about lavender since it is practically everywhere - there really is NOTHING like authentic French lavender. Lindsey and I did a side by side of the French and some from here together at the office and it was just sad!

The south of France is the soap Mecca. From traditional Marseilles soap to argon oil and olive oils. I love these raw blocks on the twine.

Even the onions are a piece of art!

The Laundress Recommends...

2011-08-22T09:36:00.001-04:00

After receiving several phone calls and emails asking for our recommendations on laundry products and accessories, we at The Laundress decided it was time to offer our clients our top picks for steamers, irons, ironing boards etc. Working with Jiffy Steamer, Rowenta and Brabantia to supply you with the tools we find to be most effective, from Steamers to Laundry Bins, we think you’ll be satisfied with the research we’ve done and the products we’ve selected.

When it came to recommending a steamer, we immediately knew our first choice. Gwen has had her Jiffy Steamer for years and it’s still the most effective steamer in our office (we have A LOT of steamers and have tried them all through and through).

The J-2 is the newer model of Gwen’s Jiffy, we know you’ll love it. She’s had her steamer for 15 years-that’s a pretty solid return, let alone the money saved!

We desperately tried to find a small steam unit for those without access to a full size laundry room or for those with little storage space, we thought Rowenta’s Pro-compact steamer would be the perfect choice, but we lost steam mid-test.

We tried to find the perfect travel/handheld steamer to recommend, our testing included: Conair Pro Garment Steamer, and Rowenta’s Travel Steamer…

In addition, we tested and have already returned the HSN Travel Steamer, Samsonite Dual Voltage Steamer, and Micro Pro Garment Steamer.

Jiffy Esteamer is our top choice if you MUST have a handheld.

Our next task was to find the perfect iron. Our original thought was to offer two irons- a top of the line model for those serious ironers and a model that was suffecient at quickly getting the job done. We pulled out all the stops and tested a variety (no joke) of steam irons….

To start our “Iron Off” we went right for the big dog, Rowenta’s top of the line steam iron- the Steamium. We were really impressed with how efficiently creases and wrinkles were removed but we weren’t totally in love with the design… it was really clunky and on the heavy side. We also weren’t sold on the benefits of the bells and whistles.

Our second test iron, that wouldn’t break the bank, but did a decent job at pressing garments, was Rowenta’s Effective Comfort Iron…

It worked well enough but we still weren’t sold; we wanted something that everyone would be satisfied with.

Our third test (third time’s the charm) was Rowenta’s Pro Master Steam Iron, this fell directly in the middle of our price spectrum, but was just as effective, we think, as the Steamium Iron and we were MUCH happier with the design and weight.

We proceeded to test the remaining samples that we had here, all lower price points but we decided they were simply a waste.

Thus our decision was final with the Pro Master as this iron was the best for the money.

After our big “Iron Off” Gwen’s interest was now sparked, we were curious to see the difference between the regular steam iron and the two-in-one pressure iron and steamer. We originally strayed away from these due to cost, but figured it was at least worth testing, especially since our small steam unit test was unsuccessful, and we’re SO glad we did because we’re seriously obsessed!

Check out how effortlessly this pressure iron and steamer removes wrinkles and creases, we couldn’t believe it!

This took ironing to a whole new dimension and for someone like Gwen who never irons and only steams, this speaks volumes. She had an industrial vacuum board in college and she remembers this to be better!

We thought this to be a great option in replacing the handheld steamer and small steam unit (since we did not like any), as it can also be used vertically on hanging garments.

We loved the pressure iron and steamer so much that we also requested a sample of the deluxe model (I’m pretty positive Rowenta LOVED us at this point).

The deluxe version works amazing, as expected, but aside from heating up faster (2 minutes versus 10) and having a bigger water tank, we really didn’t think it necessary to spend twice as much! The first model worked just as well.

We were completely infatuated, an iron and steamer all in one- it’s perfect for those that do a lot of steaming. This unit won’t replace a regular steamer for working beds and curtains, as moving and rigging it to those areas wouldn’t be convenient, however, if necessary, it could be done.

After selecting our two new irons, we now had to find the perfect new Ironing Board (we’ve had them all) that could support both our regular steam iron and our new pressure iron and steam unit. After reviewing several ironing boards in the Brabantia catalog we were torn between two. Upon receiving the sample boards at our office, the decision was almost a no brainer.

The 124 x 45 cm Ironing Table with a solid steam unit holder was the perfect fit. It adjusts to four different heights, provides maximum ironing space and can hold your steam unit, or those clothes that are pressed, folded and ready to be put away. The white frame looks super chic when topped with our signature black and white ironing board cover!

Obviously we couldn’t stop browsing the catalog once we started, so here are the perfect Laundry and Trash Bins. We instantly feel in love with this retro slim line matte black trash bin and because we all need a bin in our laundry and utility rooms it better good!

Gwen chose this white laundry bin, she was obsessed that it came with a lid to hide all your dirty items; the inner removable laundry bag was just an added bonus. She immediately confiscated the sample and placed it in our office laundry room.

After all of our testing and research we’re so excited to finally be offering these products and we hope that you are all satisfied with our “ultimate selection”. We know you expect the best and we would not recommend anything but, with that in mind we’re still on the lookout for the perfect drying rack!

…stay tuned!

2011-08-02T09:55:00.000-04:00

One of our favorite blogs is Tricia Foley's, In the Country.

We visited her last week - be sure to read up on it here.

The New Dirt on Dry Cleaners

2011-07-29T17:52:00.001-04:00

Why Vinaigrette Is Tricky, Buttons Fall Off and Other Mysteries Behind the Counter

By Ray A. Smith
[ from The Wall Street Journal - July 28, 2011 ]

You drop your most cherished clothes at the dry cleaner, and they're ticketed, thrown into a massive pile of garments and whisked away.

To most consumers, what takes place behind the counter, where imposing machines rumble and steam hisses, is a mystery. What exactly goes on back there? Other common questions: Why do women's shirts often cost more to clean than men's, and why do only some stains come out?

Adding to the confusion is a transition that is already shaking up the dry-cleaning industry. Many dry cleaners will be required to find new solvents to replace a widely used cleaning agent called perchloroethylene, or perc, by 2020. As a result, businesses are using a growing array of new methods to clean garments. Procter & Gamble Co. recently launched Tide Dry Cleaners, a chain of stores that use an alternative product, based on silicone and called GreenEarth.

The result, for many people, is uncertainty. "I find myself looking at tags more to see if I can wash it," says Alli Webb, the West Hollywood, Calif., co-founder of Drybar, a chain of blowout hair salons. She says she is nervous about chemicals and sometimes will drive farther to a cleaner that promotes itself as eco-friendly.

The shakeup is coming to an industry that has changed little for decades. While the Frenchman credited with inventing dry cleaning started with turpentine, perc has been used since the 1930s to clean clothes, and about 80% of cleaners still rely on it. Like turpentine—and benzene, kerosene and gasoline, which were also tried in the early years—perc is good at dissolving oil-based stains. It is pumped into a supersized washing machine to flush dirt from the clothes.

Stubborn stains from difficult-to-remove substances, such as ink, wine and mustard, are attacked by hand with chemicals that target particular substances. Bruce Barish, owner of New York City's Ernest Winzer Cleaners, cites balsamic vinaigrette as "very hard to get out." It's a mix of both water-based and oily stains with a dark dye that is hard to remove—especially since most customers accidentally rub it in.

The quality and service vary, in part because most dry cleaners are independently owned. There are 24,124 dry-cleaning and non-coin-operated laundry establishments in the U.S., according to the Census Bureau.

But certain things hold true across the industry. In a 2009 study that examined 50 randomly selected dry cleaners, New York-based Floyd Advisory LLC found that women paid an average of 73% more than men for laundered shirts. Dry cleaners surveyed say women's shirts don't fit in their industrial presses as well as men's and must be ironed by hand.

Last year, market-research firm Mintel International found that 75% of women who had gone clothes-shopping in the past 12 months said they avoided buying clothes that required dry cleaning.

Indeed, it is customers' low opinion of dry cleaning, in part, that sparked P&G's new venture, the company says. P&G research found that a large percentage of consumers were generally dissatisfied with their dry cleaning, says Ross H. Holthouse, a spokesman for the consumer-product maker's FutureWorks division. "They felt the stores were dark and that they walked into a black box and didn't know what was happening," he says.

Tide Dry Cleaners stores, which use the branding of Tide laundry detergent, have valets that carry clothes to and from customers' cars, lockers with customized passwords where consumers can drop off or pick up clothes after hours, and bar codes that keep track of customers' data, including preferences. The company made sure the stores were bright and open, with the machines visible, Mr. Holthouse says. After starting with three test stores in Kansas City, Kan., the company opened the first Tide Dry Cleaner in Mason, Ohio, last fall, and two more Ohio stores opened in July. The company says it could have several hundred locations in a couple of years.

P&G is also one of a growing number of businesses to use a cleaning substance other than perc. It uses P&G products such as Tide as well as perc alternative GreenEarth.

The Environmental Protection Agency has classified perc as a toxic air pollutant and potential human carcinogen. While the EPA mandated that cleaning businesses located in residential buildings phase out perc by the end of 2020, some states, including California, Illinois and New Jersey, have sought to end its use sooner and more broadly.

As a result, alternative solvents have come on the market, claiming to clean just as well but with less harm to humans and the environment. Among the most popular are hydrocarbon, GreenEarth and a water-and-detergent method known as wet cleaning. The EPA hasn't issued policy rulings on these substances, and dry cleaners aren't required to say what they use.

Some in the industry say the environmental concerns over perc have been overblown. Alan Spielvogel, director of technical services at the National Cleaners Association, a trade group, says the industry has taken steps over the years to reduce perc pollution, primarily by installing advanced machines. What's more, he's not convinced that the alternatives clean as well.

About 60 dry cleaners in the U.S. use SystemK4, a new dry-cleaning solution made by Kreussler Inc. Alex Shvartshteyn, owner of London Cleaners in Cleveland, switched from GreenEarth to SystemK4 earlier this year and prefers the latter.

Kreussler wouldn't disclose the chemical makeup of SystemK4, but it says the product leaves clothes softer and fresher-smelling than perc. "It won't beat up the clothes as much as perc," says Richard Fitzpatrick, vice president at Kreussler.

But Mr. Spielvogel and others fear switching to alternatives will be costly. In many cases, dry cleaners will have to buy new machines, which can cost $45,000 to $100,000 or more. Converting to alternatives could increase the average dry-cleaning bill as owners pass on the costs of investing in new machines to customers. Increasing prices "is certainly an option" says Mary Scalco, acting chief executive officer of the Drycleaning and Laundry Institute, a trade association. "Most of the dry-cleaning industry is comprised of small mom and pop businesses."

When trying to decide what merits dry cleaning, consumers should start with the label. While some "dry clean only" items can be carefully washed at home, says Jack Gillis, director of public affairs at the Consumer Federation of America, "you'd be taking a risk if, like most of us, you didn't know how the fabric would react to soap and water." Some fibers and fabrics, such as viscose rayon, require waterless cleaning because they have "low wet strength," while others such as wool might shrink, says Kay Obendorf, a professor of fiber science at Cornell University. In addition, some delicate materials, linings, finishings or trims won't withstand the wash.

Nadene Sabghir, of Coral Springs, Fla., says one of her daughter's party dresses came back from the dry cleaners with melted sequins. Now, she doesn't bring anything with "embellishment, sequins or something I really love" to the cleaners. "If I can hand-wash it or delicate-wash it, I will."

Judge a Dry Cleaner Before Handing Over Clothing

· Does it have a certificate or decal? The National Cleaners Association, Drycleaning Laundry Institute and America's Best Cleaners all have qualifications a dry cleaner must meet to receive a certificate, such as passing tests in cleaning, stain removal and technical knowledge.

· Is it orderly? 'If it's clean and well run, chances are they are doing a better job with your clothes than some place that has stuff laying around,' says Jack Gillis, director of public affairs for the Consumer Federation of America.

· Is the cleaning actually done there? Use an establishment with dry cleaning on the premises. "That will reduce the chances of something being lost" says Mr. Gillis. You can tell if the cleaning is done on site if there is equipment visible, or just ask if they send the clothes out to a separate facility.

· After you've chosen a cleaner and had your clothes cleaned, inspect the garments immediately when you pick them up, right there in the store. 'A lot of us just grab it and go,' Mr. Gillis says. Make sure your garments have been cleaned properly and pressed, and check for damages or for any lost items.

How to Clean your Freezer...

2011-07-19T10:46:00.001-04:00

Gwen recently returned from a 2 week trip to France and naturally while she was away, she lost the power in her apartment.

That being said, all the food in her freezer melted and made a nice big mess - especially the Ginger Ice Cream, she knew better when she bought it…karma!

Gwen’s first task was to sort through which items were still good enough to keep and toss what went bad during the meltdown. She condensed the various bags of frozen bread she had to save space.

She also had to toss all those frozen (now defrosted) meals that her mom slips into her freezer whenever she visits…oh moms!

She then made a bath with Hot Water, All Purpose Cleaning Concentrate and All Purpose Bleach Alternative.

Using the Scrub Brush, Gwen easily removed the mess from the bottom of the freezer; she used the Dish Brush to clean in the cracks and hard to reach places.

*It’s always a good idea to clean out the water and mix a fresh solution; Gwen refreshed the water about halfway through since cleaning with dirty solution is gross!

Since she already had the freezer empty, she figured she would remove the middle rack and shelves on the door…these were simply washed by hand in the sink. Gwen then gave her freezer a final wiping.

Now all that’s left to do is a trip to Trader Joe’s!

The San Francisco Chronicle

2011-07-19T09:50:00.002-04:00

Lindsey was interviewed by The San Francisco Chronicle about how to shrink a laundry bill! It's definitely worth checking out and is filled with useful tips!

[ click to read ]

Ever wondered how to wash raw denim?

2011-07-19T09:45:00.000-04:00

Brian from Azalea Boutique show you how with The Laundress Denim Wash...

Have you tried our Redecker products yet?

2011-07-19T09:42:00.000-04:00

Check out this great testimonial from a customer who just ordered our Clothing & Upholstery Brush and Goat Hair Duster Wand...

"Brush and Wand arrived today. Yes, they're expensive. I have a mohair couch, velvet covered chairs and a German Shorthair who has decided the couch is his new bed. Your items are worth every penny and more, plus they're beautiful. Totally in love with them and will highly recommend. I'm so glad I decided to buy them. Thank you." -Peggy

Click here to learn more.

New from The Laundry Room

2011-07-18T10:31:00.001-04:00

Here at The Laundress we’ve recently launched our full washing service. Whether you have an antique gown, structured business suit, or just tricky stains we’re here to help keep your clothing looking its best. To show you just how firmly we stand behind our product and service, we’ve been documenting along the way. Below is some of the work we’ve been doing.

Check out this antique silk dress…over the years it aquired some heavy yellowing and severe rust stains. This was no easy task, but the proper pre-treating and soaking allowed us to restore this beautiful antique (lots of work and patience).

After years of storage….

After one week at The Laundress…

We gave her a nice steam and this dress went home looking good as new! For more information on washing Silk and Delicates, click here.

We know how particular (and expensive) girls can be about their prom dress; we also know how quickly they can get dirty- so let us help!

Check out these before and after pictures. Never let Make-up or self-tanner ruin the party.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

BEFORE:

AFTER:

These two cashmere sweaters had previously been dry cleaned, which we never recommend. If done delicately your fine cashmere can be washed, it’s better for the fibers and helps to keep them clean and soft!

For more information on how to care for your Wool and Cashmere, click here.

Believe it or not…many suits and blazers can be washed;

this Structured Ralph Lauren Blazer was made of cashmere!

Stay tuned for more washing with The Laundress!

For more information on our Full Service click here.

Cleaning a porcelain sink

2011-07-15T11:04:00.000-04:00

Gwen loves her original porcelain sink, but she doesn’t always have the time to keep it as clean as she would like. And let’s face it, when she does have the time… who really feels like it? So even though porcelain stains easily, she never really worries because she knows the tricks to take care of those stubborn stains.

Coffee and wine are the culprits for the mess below….which she claims are her staples!

But they don’t even stand a chance against our all-natural home cleaning products…

First, sprinkle All Purpose Bleach Alternative directly onto the stained surface and then sprinkle Scented Vinegar on top.

Watch it activate…then let sit. If possible allow the solution to sit overnight, the longer it works the easier the mess will remove.

The next morning use the Scrub Brush, put a little elbow grease into it…and bravo!

Washing Swimwear

2011-06-24T08:58:00.000-04:00

We’re so excited that summer is finally here because we LOVE the beach!

And because caring for your suits can be such a hassle, we thought we’d show you how it’s done.

Just an FYI…It’s always better to wash your swimwear sooner rather than later.

We know how difficult it is to remove all that salt water, sand, chlorine, body oil, and most importantly sunscreen - as this can be the most stubborn - so here is what you’ll need…

Always pre-treat all stained areas…

To remove odors we recommend soaking in Scented Vinegar.

Once you’ve pretreated you can hand wash with our Swimwear Care, simply agitate the water and detergent with your hands, and allow your items to soak for 30 minutes.

Rinse well…

Never put your swimwear in the dryer, always allow your items to line dry.

It is best to dry out of direct sunlight to help prevent fading, as well as protect the elastic/lycra material.

For more information on how to care for your swimwear, click here.

The perfect summer combo...

2011-06-18T14:03:00.001-04:00

32 oz. Bleach Alternative + 16 oz. Stain Solution
[ get it now ]

Keep reading below for step-by-step guides on remove pit stains, washing whites and more!

Pit Stain & Ring-around-the-collar removal...

2011-06-15T15:57:00.001-04:00

Our own Tony here at The Laundress brought his dress shirts in for Rehab.

With typical pit stains and ring around the collar, he needed some help to get in shape for the wedding of our own webmaster Lauren! (and clearly, he had to represent perfectly in spotless Laundress style!)

It was Tony’s turn to follow the recipe and do it firsthand himself. Here is his pit trip…

Here’s the ammunition you will need:

First you want to pre-treat….

Start by turning the shirts inside out. For the pits, pour Stain Solution directly on the stains. I almost covered the whole stain. Then, add the All Purpose Bleach Alternative to the Stain Solution. Work them into each other which makes a paste - then I used the Stain Brush with quite a bit of pressure. (Probably not necessary, but I am neurotic).

Time for the collar…

Fill a basin, bowl, or bucket with hot water and dip the collar in. Remove from the water and work the Wash and Stain Bar into the whole collar.

I learned it was okay to just work on one area at a time. I rubbed the bar into the collar pretty hard, but I’m always nervous about “under-doing it”.

Time to soak…

I put them in to soak. In this case, each shirt got its own basin since they are different colors. I poured boiling water over the shirts, concentrating on the collar and pits. I let them soak overnight.

Rinse well….

I examined my work to see if there were any stubborn left-over stains that you may want to go back and rework before laundering but mine were perfect and all good to go.

The blue and grey shirts were washed together in the machine because the water they were each soaking in did not have any dye released so it was safe. I learned to be cautious and wash the white shirt separately anyway (with some other whites we had to do in the office).

Here are the settings to use…

Select warm water and a medium or normal cycle. I learned I did need hot water since all the stains were already gone.

Remove promptly to reduce creasing, steam when damp.

Now I got to learn about steaming and ironing…

Steaming is pretty straight forward. Hold the shirt to get out the creases and start moving the steamer up and down until the shirt is done. Really easy and quick results.

Ironing - I learned to start with the collar and cuffs first. Go from the outside tips and work your way in as the photo demonstrates so the fabric doesn’t bunch up. Next, lay the sleeves flat and start at the pit and work to the cuff. I do the inside of the sleeve first and then the outside. Then it’s the rest of the shirt. Starting with the front side of the shirt with buttons, iron around the buttons, work your way to the back, and finally the other front side.

Despite the efficiency of the steamer and the iron taking a few extra minutes I preferred the ironed results. I will stick with the iron next time for my dress shirts at least.

My shirts are perfect - and I can’t believe how easy it was!

Washing Summer Whites

2011-06-13T17:10:00.000-04:00

It’s summertime and that means it’s time to break out your whites and unfortunately, even in storage, our favorite white pieces can be subject to yellowing. So Gwen decided to get a head start on washing her white wardrobe. The most important step in brightening whites is allowing them time to soak!

To keep your whites their brightest, you’ll need the following…

Our main focus was to remove the yellowing that happened in storage and some additional stains that Gwen simply could not understand where they came from.

To remove yellowing from dress shirts. mix a paste with Stain Solution and All-Purpose Bleach Alternative. Then allow the items to soak in hot water, silk can’t soak longer than 30 minutes.

You may need to repeat and be sure to change out the dirty water.

While our dress shirts were soaking, we tackled the straps of a dress. Straps discolor easily due to body oils; these stains are best treated with the Wash & Stain Bar and a hot bath of All Purpose Bleach Alternative.

The Wash & Stain Bar is also best for treating cuffs and ‘ring around the collar’.

Nothing says summer like white jeans, so to always make sure they look their brightest, make a hot bath with All-Purpose Bleach Alternative and launder with Whites Detergent to remove stains!

After pretreating and soaking to your liking, your items can be laundered with Whites Detergent. Delicate items should always be placed in a mesh washing bag.

To reduce creasing, always remove your items from the dryer promptly-steaming or pressing when damp is best!

No more stains or spots, just like that...our whites look brand new!
Check out some before and after photos...

Daily Candy named us as one their "50 Small Businesses That Could!"

2011-06-13T16:00:00.000-04:00

Click here for more!

We're featured on the Pretty Pink Tulips Blog

2011-06-13T10:44:00.000-04:00

Read all about it here.

2011-06-10T16:20:00.000-04:00

This Week's Ask The Experts...

Question:

HELP! I accidentally washed and dried a load of white clothes with an orange crayon! It's a total mess and disaster and everything is covered in orange spots! Any advice? I unfortunately already sprayed everything with Shout before I knew it was crayon, so I probably made it worse. Please help!

-Marilyn

Answer:

Hi Marilyn,

I cannot even begin to imagine the mess that must have made!! We should be able to help you remove the crayon, but before we even start with the clothes you’re going to want to make sure that both your washer and dryer are completely free of any leftover crayon pieces.

TO CLEAN YOUR WASHER:
Add (1/2 cup) Scented Vinegar to your machine dispenser and run an EMPTY, long load with hot water. Repeat again with just hot water. Don’t forget to clean out your fabric softener & bleach dispensers!

TO CLEAN YOUR DRYER:
Your dryer drum collects lint (crayon) and can affect the efficiency of your dryer and leave fuzz behind on clean clothes. Use a cloth or sponge with cleaning solution (one capful The Laundress Stain Solution and 1 liter of water) and wipe the inside of the dryer to remove any crayon that may be left in there. Clean the dryer filter after each use. A clogged filter will restrict flow and reduce dryer performance.

After your machines are clean, you can start pre-treating your whites. As crayons are made of wax, you’re going to have to treat these stains as wax removal. I’ve attached a blog below showing you exactly how to do so. Once the wax build up is removed you can treat with Stain Solution and All Purpose Bleach Alternative, by mixing the two together you will create a paste that you will have to work into the fabric with the stain brush. You can then make a bath with Hot water and All Purpose Bleach Alternative and allow the items to soak, you may need to rinse and repeat more than once. When the stains are removed to your satisfaction you can then launder as usual with our Whites Detergent. I’ve also attached our Stain Removal Recipe for you.

The Laundress: Wax Removal
The Laundress Recipe -Stain Removal

Hope this helps, please let me know if you have any further questions.
Happy Laundering and Good Luck!

2011-05-24T16:56:00.002-04:00

New Press

Check out our NEW Redecker Brushes featured in House Beautiful and Elle Decor!

[click to buy]

Freshen up the sofa. Stiff boar bristles are great for removing lint, fuzz, and pet hair. Clothing & Upholstery Brush, $60. THE LAUNDRESS NEW YORK: thelaundress.com.

[click to buy]

Eco-friendly home-cleaning and laundry brand the Laundress, in collaboration with German company Redecker, has debuted a handsome line of handmade cleaning brushes, including this goat-hair duster wand and boar-bristle upholstery brush. Each sports a pear-wood handle and is priced at $60.

212-209-0074

thelaundress.com

Washing Winter Outerwear...

2011-05-16T15:37:00.005-04:00

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!

Introducing...

2011-05-12T11:33:00.000-04:00

Out, Out, Pesky Sweat Stains

2011-05-12T09:48:00.000-04:00

FROM THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
May 11, 2011
Shirt and Antiperspirant Makers Hate Them, Too; Women Aren't Immune
By Ray A. Smith

Coming soon, heat, haze, humidity—and underarm stains.

With summer a little more than a month away, count on sweating ruining at least one shirt with a yellow armpit stain. It's often a bigger problem for men: Remove the sport coat and there's that embarrassing reveal of twin sweat circles, dashing the whole power suit image.

Underarm sweat may bother you, but it fuels an industry of deodorant, stain remover and absorbent shield makers. Many admit they're still struggling to discover a true cure for this common sweat zone and its resulting shirt stains.

Deodorant makers, detergent manufacturers, stain-removal companies, doctors and textile professors disagree on what exactly causes the pesky underarm yellow stains. One factor may be the critical ingredients in the antiperspirants themselves.

"The biggest culprit is the antiperspirant, the aluminum-based products in them that stop the body from perspiring are virtually impossible to get rid of," says Brian Johnson, director of training at the Drycleaning & Laundry Institute.

Toby Gubitz, vice president of marketing for the antiperspirant and deodorant business for Henkel Consumer Goods Inc., which makes Dry Idea and Right Guard deodorant products, says there are a number of factors to take into consideration, making it "hard to figure out even for us what causes the staining and what's the main driver."

The company updated its products to create Dry Idea AdvancedDry for men and women, and introduced another Right Guard series, Right Guard Total Defense 5 for men last year. Both claim additional levels of wetness reduction—40%—by boosting the amount of aluminum.

"We want to protect against wetness, that means using ingredients that might lead to yellow staining," says Mr. Gubitz. Reducing those ingredients would mean "you will ultimately have to sacrifice performance," he says. "That's what we're still struggling with."

Speed Stick launched a line last year called Speed Stick Stainguard with technology the brand says is formulated to help fight against the stains. Speed Stick goes further than other antiperspirants by claiming on its label and in marketing that it prevents yellow stains on shirts. A spokeswoman for Colgate-Palmolive Co., which owns Speed Stick, would only say the patent-pending formula works "by staying on your skin and by containing low-stain causing ingredients."

Hanes is researching the "yellowing phenomenon," a spokesman says. The company sold one million packages of undershirts containing Speed Stick Stainguard samples last year. Its share of the market for white crewneck undershirts rose 15 points to 75% during the peak of its three-month promotion at Target, says Mark Noyes, senior marketing manager of male underwear at Hanesbrands Inc.

PitStop, a stain remover product launched late last year by Pharmworks LLC, a small Palm Beach, Fla.-based company, is aimed specifically at treating yellow underarm stains. "We're not going to take out your blueberry stain or your coffee stain," says Hillary Enselberg, a company spokeswoman, whose father, a hematologist-oncologist and chemistry enthusiast, developed PitStop. The product sells online, where 4,000 bottles of PitStop have been sold since its November launch, Ms. Enselberg says.

Sweat shields, also known as dress shields or garment shields, were first made in 1869 by I.B. Kleinert Rubber Co. In an attempt to modernize them, Niche Brands Inc., of Grimsby, Ontario, last year launched cotton-blend underarm liners to protect garments from perspiration and stains. The adhesive liners, branded "beconfident," attach to clothing and are mostly aimed at women, says company president Jason Jacobs. They are only sold in Canada. The company has been approaching U.S. retailers. On the Internet and infomercials there are an expanding number of brands with names like Garment Guard and Advadri selling sweat shields.

Consumers in the U.S. spent $2.7 billion on deodorants and antiperspirants last year, up from $2.6 billion in 2009, according to market-research firm Euromonitor International. Deodorants mask the odor produced by apocrine glands in the armpits but generally don't fight underarm sweating. Antiperspirants generally include aluminum to block the ducts of eccrine glands, which produce sweat.

The underarm perspires when hot, but sweating can also be triggered when a person is stressed, in a state of fear, in pain or even while eating something spicy, says Dee Anna Glaser, a professor of dermatology at Saint Louis University and president of the International Hyperhidrosis Society, which addresses the estimated 3% of the population who suffer from excessive sweating.

Researchers measured the amounts of underarm perspiration in 30 men and 30 women with hyperhidrosis and 30 men and 30 women without the condition. Men in the first group produced twice the perspiration of female subjects. Men in the latter group also produced more sweat than women. The study, published in the April 2002 issue of the journal Archives of Dermatology, suggested one reason is due to a larger area of close-set sweat glands in men's armpits. Genetics, weight and age can factor in why some people sweat more than others, says William P. Coleman III, a clinical professor of dermatology at Tulane University.

An antiperspirant doesn't guarantee completely dry underarms. Rather, they'll be less wet than they would with no antiperspirant. The Food & Drug Administration requires that antiperspirants provide at least 20% sweat reduction to carry labels such as "lasts all day" and "24-hour protection." At 30%, products can be labeled "extra-effective protection." Some deodorant manufacturers seek to exceed that, usually by boosting their products' aluminum salt content. (The FDA ruled in 2003 that theories about breast cancer and the use of aluminum "lack sufficient evidence." It did not find "evidence sufficient to conclude that aluminum from antiperspirant use results in Alzheimer's disease.")

Church & Dwight Co.'s OxiClean claims on its website that its products can get rid of yellow underarm stains, a rare stain-removal product to make such an explicit claim. The company has tested its products on stains composed of synthetic perspiration and an active ingredient in an antiperspirant, a spokesman says.

The University of Illinois Extension Stain Solutions department recommends a daunting regimen to treat a yellow underarm stain. It urges scraping off any excess material with a blunt kitchen knife, soaking the garment for 15 minutes in a quart of lukewarm water, half a teaspoon of dishwashing detergent and one tablespoon ammonia, gently rubbing from the back to loosen the stain, soaking another 15 minutes, then rinsing.

If it doesn't go away, soak the stain in a laundry detergent that contains enzymes for at least half an hour, then put in the washing machine. An older stain should be soaked for several hours. Then launder. If the stain remains stubborn, use chlorine beach, if safe, on white shirts and oxygen bleach on colors.

Underarm sweat is a nuisance for people—and for the antiperspirant manufacturers, detergent sellers and undershirt makers, too.

SWEAT More people are seeking prescription antiperspirants, Botox injections, laser procedures and surgery to remove sweat glands, doctors say.

Adults who use antiperspirant/ deodorant use it about 8.6 times a week on average. People age 18 to 24 average 9.2 uses per week, according to Mintel International.

Apply antiperspirant at bedtime when there's less sweat, says Dee Anna Glaser, professor of dermatology at Saint Louis University. It won't wash off in the morning shower as the sweat ducts have absorbed the active ingredient.

STAINS
Wash rather than dry-clean shirts with yellow underarm stains. 'The stains are water based, so you need water to get them out,' says Brian Johnson, of the Drycleaning and Laundry Institute.

Wash an item as soon as possible after perspiring. Use detergent or stain remover with oxygen bleach, says Kay Obendorf, professor of fiber science at Cornell University.

-----------

Summer is just around the corner and we definitely agree with Kay Obendorf...

Follow our easy Pit Stain Removal recipe which uses our Bleach Alternative & Stain Solution. Those pesky yellow pit stains will be gone forever!

We're now offering our 16 oz. Stain Solution & 32 oz. All-Purpose Bleach Alternative together for 10% of the normal retail value of $33.00. Get it here today for $29.70!

Happy laundering!
-Gwen & Lindsey

Save on www.polarnopyretusa.com until May 7th!

2011-05-02T06:25:00.000-04:00

Our response to Consumer Reports' Results

2011-04-18T17:57:00.001-04:00

We are so happy that Consumer Reports tested our 2-in-1 Dish Detergent (for hand dishwashing and dishwasher machines) in their May issue. With our top green formula, it set a standard against the other products in performance. However, we were disappointed that Consumer Reports failed to report the correct usage amount and measured it equally against the other brands. The test was of hand dishwashing soaps only - none of which were green and they were all grocery brands. Consumer Reports priced our wash at $1.00 per wash, which when in fact, it prices at only $.08 per hand wash and $.16 per dishwasher load.

While we always respect Consumer Reports' editorial and independent reviews, which we feature on our blog, we were disappointed that the comparison was not measured properly against the other brands.

No other product delivers what The Laundress Dish Detergent does - a non-toxic and non-petroleum derived formula for use in both dishwashing machines and by hand.

See below for the proper usage chart so you can see how efficient our Dish Detergent truly is.

As seen in...

2011-04-12T11:13:00.003-04:00

Mirem Profumerie
Piazza Lega Lombarda
1 Mantova, Italy 46100
Tel: 39 0376328516

We're featured on AHAlife

2011-04-12T10:44:00.001-04:00

Coming Clean

It’s spring and that means one thing: It’s time to get the house fresh and get rid of all the winter clutter. But we don’t want to replace our mess with harmful chemicals. Which is why we turned to The Laundress, whose fabulously fragrant, all-green products make household chores a pleasure (really!), to assemble a special spring-cleaning kit just for us.

The kit includes Scented Vinegar (ideal for deodorizing and sanitizing), Surface Cleaner, All-Purpose Cleaning Concentrate (just dilute with water for a fantastic floor, tile, kitchen and bathroom cleaner), Lint-Free Cleaning Cloths and a Kitchen Soap Bar (the only thing we’ve used that really rids our hands of cooking smells), all of which are scented with the brand’s signature 247 scent, a refreshing blend of bergamot, thyme, lavender, musk and ylang ylang and packaged with their understated white and black labels.

A white enamel pail—far, far classier than a plastic bucket—can also be added to the kit. Oh, and don’t be fooled by the small size of the bottles; all of The Laundress products are concentrated, so a little goes a long way.

Both effective and luxurious, The Laundress takes something boring and makes it into a boutique experience. And since we’re talking about scrubbing floors and wiping down countertops, that’s no mean feat.

Say founders Lindsey Wieber Boyd and Gwen Whiting, “for too many years, people expected clean to smell like chemicals or bleach. We stepped outside of the traditional product so that the initial experience was our clean scent and concentrated dose. The second experience is really seeing how well they work!” We would also add the third experience of enjoying the line-up of beautiful bottles in our closet.

Curated by blogger Katie Kavulla of Being 5, a mother of three who appreciates how The Laundress products smell good, are eco-conscious and gentle enough to use all over your home, but still exceptionally effective.

The Laundress Spring Cleaning Kit includes Scented Vinegar, Surface Cleaner, All-Purpose Cleaning Concentrate, Lint-Free Cleaning Cloths and a Kitchen Soap Bar. White enamel pail optional.

All natural, highly effective cleaning products with a refreshing bergamot-thyme-lavender-musk-ylang ylang scent.

Discovered in New York City.

When to wash it...

2011-04-11T09:46:00.002-04:00

Gwen's Sweater Rehab

2011-04-08T13:04:00.000-04:00

I was SO desperate for a sweater rehab. I was so busy caring for everyone else’s wool and cashmere that I hadn’t realized I was walking around with holes, tears, and split seams - a full on cashmere ragamuffin!

Some need Betty Ford, while I needed Sweater Rehab!

Look at that pile of sweaters in serious need of some tender, love and care…

Below is the ammunition you will need for a successful recovery…

Optional tools include: Wool & Cashmere Spray, Scented Vinegar and Mesh Bags.

For sweaters with heavy pilling, we use the Sweater Stone, both before and after laundering.

I soaked all my sweaters in Scented Vinegar to remove odor.

As my sweaters were stained, pre-treating with both Stain Solution and the Wash & Stain Bar were imperative. I used The Wash & Stain Bar for removing deodorant build up and body oil in the arm pits.

Here are the setting s you’ll need whenever washing wool or cashmere…always use a COLD water temperature!

I even did an extra rinse cycle for these guys.

Once my sweaters were dry I gave them another de-pilling with our Sweater Stone and brush with our new Cashmere Brush!

I am completely OBSESSED with the Cashmere Brush- I can’t believe I have lived so long without it. I use it almost every day to brush my sweaters, jackets, capes and ponchos to remove lint, blonde hair, etc!

After laundering, my sweaters were sent straight to Meriam to repair at Alterknit.

Meriam is a genius and master craftswomen to repair with the original yarns to look brand new.

Some of my "before and after" repairs are below….I had holes, seams and tears…my sweaters needed “the works”!

They can even alter, shorten, slim, re-style and re-purpose woolens and they are woven to your request.

Alter Knit

245 W. 29th Street, Suite 800

New York, NY 10001

(212) 473-6363

http://www.alterknitnewyork.com/

We can wash your favorite sweaters with our Sweater Service and send them out to repair for you… for more information click here.

I am back in good shape and have been looking good the rest of the winter. I am just ready now to give them their last wash and store away for the season….I am ready for spring!

Congratulations Lindsey!

2011-04-06T08:34:00.000-04:00

Spotted in Aspen...

2011-03-29T08:19:00.000-04:00

Time for Spring Cleaning!

2011-03-25T16:24:00.002-04:00

Rotate your mattress
We recommend doing this at least twice a year. Be sure to tag the corner so you know where you moved it last and don’t forget to steam your mattress too. This will kill any dust mites and allergens.

Clean out your fridge
Once you toss your expired food and organize what you have, we love using our Scrub Brush and All-Purpose Cleaning Concentrate for a good scrub down. Once everything is clean, store a small bowl of Scented Vinegar in the back of fridge to keep it smelling fresh.

Clean out your dryer vent
Annoying, but necessary to avoid a major fire hazard. Use a lint brush or vacuum attachment to remove accumulated lint from under the lint trap - check the exterior chamber as well. Always clean the lint trap after each load.

Wash your windows
Spring means it’s time open all your windows! Clean with our Glass & Mirror Cleaner and wipe clear with our Lint-free Cleaning Cloths.

Clean your dishwasher
Use the Machine Cleaner if you have really hard water or All-Purpose Bleach Alternative & Scented Vinegar for regular water systems for a good clean. Add to the dispenser and run an EMPTY, long load with hot water.

Clean your oven
Who needs toxic oven cleaners when you have The Laundress? Spray down with our Surface Cleaner, let set and then remove any stubborn baked-on food stains with our Scrub Brush. For super baked grease and messes, add All-Purpose Bleach Alternative and soak in hot water - it will fall right off- save your elbows and skip the grease

Clean your coffee pot
Rinse the carafe in cold water then fill with one part Scented Vinegar with two parts water. Pour the mixture into the coffee maker's reservoir and turn the maker on to brew a pot. Once the brewing cycle is complete, shut off your coffee maker. Allow the vinegar mixture to sit in the carafe for about 15 minutes. Then dump out. Repeat with just water. Wash the carafe and filter basket in warm, soapy water. Rinse and you're done!

Clean your cutting boards
Wash all of your cutting boards with our Kitchen Bar – it’s anti-bacterial so you don’t need to worry about germs and salmonella.

Clean your trash can
Fill your can with mixture of water, Bleach Alternative and Our All-Purpose Cleaning Concentrate and soak.

Wash your shower curtain and liner
Don’t neglect these…both should be washed to keep you and your shower clean. For your shower curtain, we recommend machine washing with our Signature Detergent. Spot-treat any stains with our Stain Solution. Scrub any mildew off your liner with our Scrub Brush and soak in a basin or sink with our Bleach Alternative.

Who knew our Pail had so many uses?

2011-03-25T12:40:00.001-04:00

Wear this, Toss That!

2011-03-25T11:45:00.000-04:00

Our Wool & Cashmere Shampoo is featured in Amy E. Goodman's book, "Wear This, Toss That!" Amy is regularly featured on NBC's The Today Show.

To buy her book, click here.

2011-03-25T11:14:00.000-04:00

2011-03-25T10:19:00.000-04:00

New press

2011-03-07T11:11:00.000-05:00

We're featured on Chantilly Online...

2011-03-07T11:05:00.000-05:00

2011-02-25T09:44:00.002-05:00

Are your clean dishes still dirty?

2011-02-22T09:00:00.002-05:00

The new phosphate ban is affecting the common grocery brands cleaning performance. Below is a good article explaining what has people calling the repair man and so frustrated with their dirty dishes.

Our 2-in-1 Dish Detergent is formulated with cleaning enzymes which remove food, grease and the elements which counter balances the phosphates and petrochemicals. They are expensive ingredients which is why they are not found in the common grocery brands or other natural products. We recommend adding some Scented Vinegar for extra sparkly glassware. Adding All-Purpose Bleach Alternative is great if you have really hard water, super caked-on pots/pans and filmy issues you are trying to rid of.

Why your dishes won't come clean anymore
By: Richard Mullins
Originally Published: January 25, 2011 via scnow.com

Charles Yezak keeps a secret stash hidden in the kitchen. He can't buy any more. It's illegal in many states now. So he only dips into his stockpile on special occasions. Not fine wine. Not Cuban cigars. It's dish detergent. Not just any dish detergent.

"This is the stockpile I bought before the changeover," Yezak confesses with a hushed voice while shopping the cleaning supply aisle at a Walmart Neighborhood store in Tampa. "It actually works – not like the new stuff."

Turns out, they really don't make dish detergent like they used to. And that's causing something of a disaster for everyone who gets stuck doing the dishes. It began last July when Cascade and most other detergent brands eliminated a key ingredient from their formulas, phosphate. Now people are finding their dishes covered in a white gunk that just won't come off, and some are tossing out sets of dishes and replacing their dishwashers – only to find the gunk appear again in a few days. PTA meetings, cul-du-sacs and soccer practice fields are abuzz with the calamity, and sales are skyrocketing of any product that promises to fix the problem.

Phosphates work fabulously in dish detergent, experts say, helping soap break up grease and suspending the naturally occurring minerals found in hard water so the minerals flush away. Unfortunately, phosphate is also a wonderful fertilizer for agriculture. That means every load of dishes also poured phosphates into the drain water, ultimately reaching lakes and oceans and encouraging huge algae blooms that plagued sea life.

With that in mind, detergent companies years ago eliminated phosphates from laundry detergents. Last July, 16 states jumped on board and banned phosphates in dish detergent. Even though Florida didn't join the ban, it must use phosphate-free detergent since manufacturers eliminated the substance in all their products. Shortly thereafter, consumers began to notice.

"Holy cow, we got bombarded, our phone literally rang off the hook with calls," said Don DiChristopher, owner of A DiChristopher Appliance Service. Hundreds of calls came in. "We started turning down repair calls." DiChristopher sent technicians out to frustrated customers who had already thrown out several sets of dishes or replaced their machines altogether. Technicians tore the machines apart, but couldn't find anything broken. Tracy Urso of Westchase assumed the problem was her old washer, and bought a new, high-end appliance. "But," she said, "our glasses were not much better." On Cascade's own online forum, one customer vented. "I had 20 guests in my home from a wedding, and was embarrassed with glasses, dishes, pans and silverware, all covered with white film." Another consumer posted "Cascade is ruining my silverware and coffee cups – huge residue. FIX IT!!!"

That white film on dishes is mainly made up of magnesium, calcium and aluminum – the elements that help make water "hard." The stains don't easily rub off, even with soap. Over time, that gunk can build up in dishwashers, DiChristopher said, clogging motors, sprayers and bearings. Given enough time, a dishwasher can become useless. While those minerals are common in many foods, Cascade officials published an online FAQ about the problem and said "we always recommend that consumers wash any residue on dishes before using them again." In other words, rewash the dishes you just washed.

The special irony for Florida is that this state is one of the world's largest producers of phosphates, primarily for agriculture fertilizer. Agriculture, construction and water treatment centers are the biggest users of phosphates. While Cascade officials say dishwashing represents just 3 percent of the phosphate in the environment, "Cascade is doing its part," and removing it. All this has triggered a bonanza in sales of any product or home remedy that promises to remove the gunk.

Sales of higher-end dish detergents are up, in particular eco-friendly, alternate or "complete" versions that come in a small "puck" of hard powder with a bubble of liquid shine enhancer. Electrosol Jet Dry Powerball soap sales rose 22 percent from last year, according to market researcher SymphonyIRI. Cascade "Complete" sales rose 30 percent. Method "Smarty" detergent sales rose 54 percent. The home-spun solution of white vinegar is also taking off. While DiChristopher considers it a myth, homeowners like Urso now religiously pour a cup into each wash cycle. Store-brand vinegar sales are up three percent from last year, while sales of Heinz-brand vinegar are up more than three percent. Stores like Target and Walmart are expanding shelf space for gallon-sized jugs of vinegar. Sales of Finish-brand detergent have taken off as well, notably after Consumer Reports magazine recommended it in tests of phosphate-free detergents.

However, the rising star of this new gunk-removing bonanza is "Lemi Shine." The Midland, Tex.-based company was relatively low-profile until last year, selling small bottles of granulated citric acid with a lemony smell – primarily to help in cities with especially hard water. The 20-employee Envirocon Technologies Inc. that makes Lemi Shine is producing at a breakneck pace, said spokesman Marty Hammond. Nationwide, Lemi Shine shipments are up 80 percent from last year according to IRI, and "our business has doubled in the Florida market." Dishwasher repair companies now tell anyone with a cleaning issue to first try Lemi Shine.

Detergent companies aren't likely to go back to including phosphates unless current laws change.

But in another layer of irony, the phosphate ban doesn't apply to commercial facilities like restaurants or hotels, so bulk packages of detergent are available at supply companies. Restaurant Depot in Tampa sells a box of professional detergent with phosphate, for $7.95, or a case of six boxes for $45.31. Some distributors still sell phosphate detergent on eBay. Meanwhile, Target, Walmart and Publix have started devoting more space to alternate detergents, and Lemi Shine and Finish-brand detergents are among the leaders in that growth, said Publix spokeswoman Shannon Patten.

Here's what you can do if you're stuck doing the dishes…

Don’t bother

Don't replace your dishwasher. And don't bother trying to scrub your dishwasher or call a repair technician. The next wash cycle will put the gunk back on your dishes.

Hot Water

Hot water helps. Since your washer probably gets water from your sink supply, run the sink faucet as hot as possible before starting your machine.

Lemi Shine

Many consumers swear by the little-known Lemi Shine dissolves residue. And appliance technicians say it can fix "etched" glasses and dishes that seem hopeless. Sales of Lemi Shine have doubled in Florida. Walmart sells a bottle for $3.77 that lasts 18 cycles.

Homespun
Some consumers swear by white vinegar, and some detergent makers recommend it. Put a cup or bowl right-side up in the bottom rack, and run a normal cycle, and another cycle to wash the vinegar out. Other consumers pour vinegar into every load.

Go upscale

Upper-tier products work better, according to Consumer Reports, but not as well as old formulas. The magazine recommends Finish Quantum tablets, Finish All-in-1 Powerball tabs, Cascade Complete All-in-1 Action Pacs and Cascade with Dawn Action Pacs.

Other methods
Buy a water softener. Appliance repair technicians say the white gunk only appears in homes with a hard water issue.

Contraband
Some eBay sellers are offering detergent with phosphates. And some restaurant supply companies still sell that variety.

2011-02-18T10:21:00.000-05:00

2011-02-14T14:24:00.002-05:00

2011-02-09T10:51:00.000-05:00

Are you pregnant or know someone who is?

Then head on over to The Laundress Baby Blog for Lindsey's latest post:

The Laundress

Lindsey's picks featured on Beso

LINDSEYBELLE Photography

The Laundress on Remodelista

Greening Your Home for the New Year

Cashmere is complicated - treat it respect for the cosiest of relationships

The Laundress Stocking Stuffers

The Laundress 3rd Anniversary Party in Japan!

Scrub The Halls - The New York Times

Save 50% on The Laundress!

We're featured on J.Crew's Gift Guide!

Holiday Cleaning with The Laundress

We're on Vitamin Daily

We're featured on...

The Laundress and Fog Linen

We're featured in November's GQ Magazine

The Laundress on Ecosalon

Lindsey (and Chloe!) are featured on Beso.com again...

How to wash Uggs & a Shearling Chanel Bag

The Laundress featured on The New York Times

Personal Eco-Concierges Ease Transition to Green

By JENNIFER A. KINGSON

Published: October 23, 2011

Click here to read on nytimes.com

Carrie Starner-Keenan, an eco-concierge, showed green cleaning

products...(yes, that's a Laundress Detergent!)...at a client’s home.

They will run your errands by bicycle, recommend a spa that gives vegan manicures or buy organic clothes for you and your dog. They will even book you a dream vacation and buy the appropriate carbon offsets.

The Laundress' first shop in shop in Europe

The Laundress on Birchbox

HISTORY

PHILOSOPHY

BIRCHBOX EXTRA

STAR PRODUCTS

The Laundress Featured on Charlotte Moss: A Flair For Living

Does anyone iron anymore?

International Press

Cleaning a Hat

Removing Berry Stains

Shopping a French Market with Gwen...

The Laundress Recommends...

The New Dirt on Dry Cleaners

Why Vinaigrette Is Tricky, Buttons Fall Off and Other Mysteries Behind the Counter

By Ray A. Smith[ from The Wall Street Journal - July 28, 2011 ]

How to Clean your Freezer...

The San Francisco Chronicle

Ever wondered how to wash raw denim?

Have you tried our Redecker products yet?

New from The Laundry Room

Cleaning a porcelain sink

Washing Swimwear

The perfect summer combo...

Pit Stain & Ring-around-the-collar removal...

Washing Summer Whites

Daily Candy named us as one their "50 Small Businesses That Could!"

We're featured on the Pretty Pink Tulips Blog

Washing Winter Outerwear...

Introducing...

Out, Out, Pesky Sweat Stains

Save on www.polarnopyretusa.com until May 7th!

Our response to Consumer Reports' Results

As seen in...

We're featured on AHAlife

When to wash it...

Gwen's Sweater Rehab

Congratulations Lindsey!

Spotted in Aspen...

Time for Spring Cleaning!

Who knew our Pail had so many uses?

Wear this, Toss That!

New press

We're featured on Chantilly Online...

Are your clean dishes still dirty?

By Ray A. Smith
[ from The Wall Street Journal - July 28, 2011 ]