"At Your Service"
If you are anything like me, then taking care of your wardrobe is of the utmost importance.
From the manner in which a garment is folded in a drawer to the cycle it is soaked in inside the washer, every attentive precaution preserves its glamour and extends the lifetime of your clothing. Luckily, with forces like the Laundress Sweater Service, even your most delicate knits are covered.
Spill something on your favorite chunky sweater during yesterday’s Thanksgiving feast? Disaster solved! Just send your knit to the Sweater Service where it will receive royal treatment—hand washing, de-staining, steaming—from expert launderers and be promptly shipped back to you for your wearing pleasure. Fashion magic! Try it out now and your cashmeres will thank you. After all, stains fall on the fashionable and the unfashionable.
xo,
RZ
Availability: The Laundress Sweater Service ($36 per item). For additional information, visit Thelaundress.com. Enter rzsweater at checkout and receive 15% off the Sweater Service, now through 12/2/10.
To see the original post, click here.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Holiday Food Stains Are So Not Worth The Drama
Holiday Food Stains Are So Not Worth The Drama
by Justin Fenner November 26th, 2010
Look, holiday mean-related stains are bound to happen. The longer you sit at a table full of food surrounded by your ravenous and inconsiderate family members, the more likely it becomes that you’ll end up spending countless hours worrying over the cranberry sauce in your favorite trousers when you should be knocking people out of the way at the mall.
We’re kidding about that last part — please don’t hurt anyone at the point of sale. But when you do suffer a holiday stain (because you will, or might already have done so during Thanksgiving), it might behoove you to follow a few tips from our friend Gwen Whiting, one of the co-founders of J.Crew’s favorite line of detergents The Laundress. For all the fancy unguents and lotions she sells to help clothes shine like new, Whiting has a refreshingly straightforward (and emotionally mature) approach to removing even the worst kinds of stains.
1. Calm down. The last thing you want to lose when Uncle Johnny spills gravy on your shirt is your cool. “Nothing irritates me more than someone who spills at the table and then starts soaking themselves in water,” Whiting says. “It makes me insane.”
2. Wait a minute. You don’t really have to fix the stain right then and there, contrary to what you might have heard. Whiting says, “sooner than later is better, but not at the moment. That night, the next day, whatever.”
3. Heat it up. “Fundamentally, hot water is the best way of getting out stains,” Whiting says. “People think that hot water sets in stains, and that’s just not correct.” So how do you use hot water to your advantage? “Just soak it. Hot water, get some chemicals [i.e. detergent] in there and go for it.” And then, wash the stain out in your next spin cycle.
4. Realize you don’t need professional help. You can clean most stains by yourself, and unless you’ve spilled Sancerre on something that’s marked dry-clean only, there’s absolutely no need to rush off to the dry cleaners. “Dry cleaners will set in the stain,” Whiting says. “I’m talking 100 percent: Linen, cotton, polyester, everything that should be washed should be treated in that manner. We have a lot of clients who run to the cleaners because they freak out and they end up in a worse situation.”
Of course, if you freak out and want really detailed and specific instructions on how to remove stains, The Laundress has those, too. At any rate, Happy holidays from our stain-riddled dining room table to yours!
To view the original post on styleite.com, click here.
by Justin Fenner November 26th, 2010
Look, holiday mean-related stains are bound to happen. The longer you sit at a table full of food surrounded by your ravenous and inconsiderate family members, the more likely it becomes that you’ll end up spending countless hours worrying over the cranberry sauce in your favorite trousers when you should be knocking people out of the way at the mall.
We’re kidding about that last part — please don’t hurt anyone at the point of sale. But when you do suffer a holiday stain (because you will, or might already have done so during Thanksgiving), it might behoove you to follow a few tips from our friend Gwen Whiting, one of the co-founders of J.Crew’s favorite line of detergents The Laundress. For all the fancy unguents and lotions she sells to help clothes shine like new, Whiting has a refreshingly straightforward (and emotionally mature) approach to removing even the worst kinds of stains.
1. Calm down. The last thing you want to lose when Uncle Johnny spills gravy on your shirt is your cool. “Nothing irritates me more than someone who spills at the table and then starts soaking themselves in water,” Whiting says. “It makes me insane.”
2. Wait a minute. You don’t really have to fix the stain right then and there, contrary to what you might have heard. Whiting says, “sooner than later is better, but not at the moment. That night, the next day, whatever.”
3. Heat it up. “Fundamentally, hot water is the best way of getting out stains,” Whiting says. “People think that hot water sets in stains, and that’s just not correct.” So how do you use hot water to your advantage? “Just soak it. Hot water, get some chemicals [i.e. detergent] in there and go for it.” And then, wash the stain out in your next spin cycle.
4. Realize you don’t need professional help. You can clean most stains by yourself, and unless you’ve spilled Sancerre on something that’s marked dry-clean only, there’s absolutely no need to rush off to the dry cleaners. “Dry cleaners will set in the stain,” Whiting says. “I’m talking 100 percent: Linen, cotton, polyester, everything that should be washed should be treated in that manner. We have a lot of clients who run to the cleaners because they freak out and they end up in a worse situation.”
Of course, if you freak out and want really detailed and specific instructions on how to remove stains, The Laundress has those, too. At any rate, Happy holidays from our stain-riddled dining room table to yours!
To view the original post on styleite.com, click here.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
The Laundress: Wax Stain Removal Demo
With the holidays upon us, I’m sure most of you have broken out those wonderfully holiday scented candles—we know we have. The problem with candles is the messy wax; I’m sure you all can relate. People have asked us how to get wax off clothing before, so we thought we would blog about it for a step-by-step how-to...
We took a 100% Cashmere sweater with wax stains and made it look like brand new...
We first used the J. Crew Sweater Comb to scrape off the big wax blobs to leave only the bit of wax saturated in the yarns. You could also use a butter knife.
Then you’ll want to always use a flat surface when treating stains, especially for this wax stain. Gwen then used a heavy stock paper and placed it directly underneath the sweater where the wax deposit was located. We used a thick card stock; regular computer paper wouldn’t be thick enough.
Gwen then took a lightweight simple cotton fabric—you can see in this picture that the thread count is very low.
She then made a slight cut with scissors into the fabric, and ripped the fabric so that she had smaller pieces to work with. Not sure why it was important to work with smaller pieces? You want to have a clean cloth and cardstock for each wax spot so that you don’t redeposit any wax back on to the sweater.
You’ll then place the cloth on top of the wax stain. So it’s like a “sweater sandwich.” On top you will have the cloth, then the sweater with the stain touching the cloth, and the durable paper underneath the sweater—all on top of the flat surface. Don’t forget with each new stain you want a clean cloth and cardstock so that no wax is deposited back on to the sweater.
You will need a little bit of heat to remove the wax, but remember we are working with cashmere, so you’ll want to use a low heat setting on your iron. Here we used the “Wool-Silk” setting for best results.
Gwen then lightly placed the iron on top of the cloth and moved it around in a circular motion. After pulling the cloth away, the wax was gone. However, if you pull the cloth away and some wax is still there, you’ll need to use a clean space on the cloth, or a new cloth piece altogether, and repeat with the iron.
See! We told you, like brand new! We repeated the steps above with each wax stain. You'll be amazed how easy it can be. We then followed The Laundress Wool & Cashmere Recipe, and it was as if there was never wax on the sweater at all!
We took a 100% Cashmere sweater with wax stains and made it look like brand new...
We first used the J. Crew Sweater Comb to scrape off the big wax blobs to leave only the bit of wax saturated in the yarns. You could also use a butter knife.
Then you’ll want to always use a flat surface when treating stains, especially for this wax stain. Gwen then used a heavy stock paper and placed it directly underneath the sweater where the wax deposit was located. We used a thick card stock; regular computer paper wouldn’t be thick enough.
Gwen then took a lightweight simple cotton fabric—you can see in this picture that the thread count is very low.
She then made a slight cut with scissors into the fabric, and ripped the fabric so that she had smaller pieces to work with. Not sure why it was important to work with smaller pieces? You want to have a clean cloth and cardstock for each wax spot so that you don’t redeposit any wax back on to the sweater.
You’ll then place the cloth on top of the wax stain. So it’s like a “sweater sandwich.” On top you will have the cloth, then the sweater with the stain touching the cloth, and the durable paper underneath the sweater—all on top of the flat surface. Don’t forget with each new stain you want a clean cloth and cardstock so that no wax is deposited back on to the sweater.
You will need a little bit of heat to remove the wax, but remember we are working with cashmere, so you’ll want to use a low heat setting on your iron. Here we used the “Wool-Silk” setting for best results.
Gwen then lightly placed the iron on top of the cloth and moved it around in a circular motion. After pulling the cloth away, the wax was gone. However, if you pull the cloth away and some wax is still there, you’ll need to use a clean space on the cloth, or a new cloth piece altogether, and repeat with the iron.
See! We told you, like brand new! We repeated the steps above with each wax stain. You'll be amazed how easy it can be. We then followed The Laundress Wool & Cashmere Recipe, and it was as if there was never wax on the sweater at all!
Stain-Fighting Solutions for the Holidays
-By Allison Beck
At your next holiday party, don’t worry about spilled red wine on your new white dress shirt, or spots of gravy falling on your white pants as you eat. The ladies at The Laundress are here to help.
As anyone who does the laundry can attest, stubborn stains are no fun to tackle. With the holiday entertaining season upon us, the number of stains battled in the laundry room rises. Whether its yellowing linens, or the spots from that Bolognese or hot fudge sauce, these stubborn stains fear some people into refraining from indulging in holiday treats all together.
This year, though, will be different. We asked Lindsey Wieber Boyd and Gwen Whiting of The Laundress to share some of their stain-fighting secrets (and a holiday gift for you—read on to find out more!), no matter the substance, so you don’t have to let fears of inconquerable stains hold you back from indulging this year…
What do do when your guest spills red wine on the table?
The Laundress: Once your table is cleared, take the tablecloth to your laundry room.
- Apply our Stain Solution directly to the affected area.
- Work the Solution into the fibers with our Stain Brush.
- Pour hot water directly on the spot, preferably from a height where it can penetrate the fibers.
- If the stain isn’t completely gone, repeat until satisfied.
- Launder as normal.
The kids are playing outside at the family holiday party, and Jane is bumped. She runs in with a bloody nose streaming down her new white party dress. How do I get the blood out?
The Laundress: Our Stain Solution again can come to the rescue! It’s specially formulated to target and break down stubborn stains, and not just red wine or blood. It also tackles grass, chocolate, coffee/tea, grease, pit stains, and more.
When treating Jane’s dress, follow the same steps as above, except that with blood stains, always use cold water, as hot water will “cook” blood or any substance that contains protein.
Also, it’s important to remember that if you get something like chocolate on your delicates—say a silk blouse or cashmere sweater—use tepid water for soaking these fabrics, and to never let them sit for more than 30 minutes.
I forgot to launder last year’s holiday clothing, and now they smell smoky and slightly mildewed. How do I get the odors out?
The Laundress: For an all-purpose stain and odor-remover, our Scented Vinegar is perfect. It effectively removes stubborn odors from your fabrics, no matter the source.
Pre-soak the affected piece with ¼ cup of the Scented Vinegar in a washing bucket or sink, then launder the piece as normal.
Over the summer, I found my grandmother’s lace tablecloth in the attic, and want to set the table with it this year—but it’s slightly yellowed over the years. Can I get the yellowing out, without using bleach?
The Laundress: Our All-Purpose Bleach Alternative is a gentle, yet effective, whitener and stain-fighter that will help remove any graying or yellowing from vintage or heirloom clothing or linens.
Pre-treat any stains on the fabrics with our Stain Solution, as above, then prepare a bucket or sink of hot water. Add 1/8 cup of our Bleach Alternative, and then the affected item, and let it soak for at least 30 minutes. Launder as usual, taking care with delicate fabrics.
As a holiday gift to you, The Daily Meal readers who shop online at The Laundress receive a 15% discount when you use the code dailymeal at checkout. But act quick--it's only good until November, 23rd!
Then, once your linens and clothes are clean, how about ironing that dress shirt… the right way?
--
To view original article - click here.
At your next holiday party, don’t worry about spilled red wine on your new white dress shirt, or spots of gravy falling on your white pants as you eat. The ladies at The Laundress are here to help.
As anyone who does the laundry can attest, stubborn stains are no fun to tackle. With the holiday entertaining season upon us, the number of stains battled in the laundry room rises. Whether its yellowing linens, or the spots from that Bolognese or hot fudge sauce, these stubborn stains fear some people into refraining from indulging in holiday treats all together.
This year, though, will be different. We asked Lindsey Wieber Boyd and Gwen Whiting of The Laundress to share some of their stain-fighting secrets (and a holiday gift for you—read on to find out more!), no matter the substance, so you don’t have to let fears of inconquerable stains hold you back from indulging this year…
What do do when your guest spills red wine on the table?
The Laundress: Once your table is cleared, take the tablecloth to your laundry room.
- Apply our Stain Solution directly to the affected area.
- Work the Solution into the fibers with our Stain Brush.
- Pour hot water directly on the spot, preferably from a height where it can penetrate the fibers.
- If the stain isn’t completely gone, repeat until satisfied.
- Launder as normal.
The kids are playing outside at the family holiday party, and Jane is bumped. She runs in with a bloody nose streaming down her new white party dress. How do I get the blood out?
The Laundress: Our Stain Solution again can come to the rescue! It’s specially formulated to target and break down stubborn stains, and not just red wine or blood. It also tackles grass, chocolate, coffee/tea, grease, pit stains, and more.
When treating Jane’s dress, follow the same steps as above, except that with blood stains, always use cold water, as hot water will “cook” blood or any substance that contains protein.
Also, it’s important to remember that if you get something like chocolate on your delicates—say a silk blouse or cashmere sweater—use tepid water for soaking these fabrics, and to never let them sit for more than 30 minutes.
I forgot to launder last year’s holiday clothing, and now they smell smoky and slightly mildewed. How do I get the odors out?
The Laundress: For an all-purpose stain and odor-remover, our Scented Vinegar is perfect. It effectively removes stubborn odors from your fabrics, no matter the source.
Pre-soak the affected piece with ¼ cup of the Scented Vinegar in a washing bucket or sink, then launder the piece as normal.
Over the summer, I found my grandmother’s lace tablecloth in the attic, and want to set the table with it this year—but it’s slightly yellowed over the years. Can I get the yellowing out, without using bleach?
The Laundress: Our All-Purpose Bleach Alternative is a gentle, yet effective, whitener and stain-fighter that will help remove any graying or yellowing from vintage or heirloom clothing or linens.
Pre-treat any stains on the fabrics with our Stain Solution, as above, then prepare a bucket or sink of hot water. Add 1/8 cup of our Bleach Alternative, and then the affected item, and let it soak for at least 30 minutes. Launder as usual, taking care with delicate fabrics.
As a holiday gift to you, The Daily Meal readers who shop online at The Laundress receive a 15% discount when you use the code dailymeal at checkout. But act quick--it's only good until November, 23rd!
Then, once your linens and clothes are clean, how about ironing that dress shirt… the right way?
--
To view original article - click here.
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