First I want to say I'm sorry for abandoning you for so long. When writing a blog of this nature it's hard to come up with topics you think will keep people interested and coming back for more, but at the same time it's important to remember that just constant communication is key-so from here on out, I will do my best to stay in better touch.
Today's topic is something I have to discuss with my clients every single day, then go home and discuss with everyone who lives in my house and gets things dirty-if I could teach the dogs to clean up after themselves I'd be set! A huge problem I run into with my clients is their fear of messing up their nice things. They come in, they buy gorgeous bedding that should last them 10 years, if not longer, then the dog jumps on the bed and leaves muddy footprints behind, or their young one has an accident, or the hubby is working late and leaves ink stains on the sheets...what do you do now?!? Spray a stain fighter on it? Run it under hot water? Put it in the machine? Take it to the cleaners? Throw it out? And what do you do when it's just time for a regular cleaning? If it's really expensive or a really scary stain most immediately choose the "I'll just take it to the cleaners and let them deal with it..." option; but is that always best?
Ok, let's talk. When it comes to regular cleaning, my best advice is to follow the instructions. Every company is required to include a set of instructions on how to properly care for your stuff-whether it's bedding, clothing, curtains...you name it-you'll find a tag sewn in somewhere. Now here's the problem, sometimes it's not written out in plain English, sometimes you just get those symbols that look like something you'd see on a report about crop circles...and what do you do then? Well common sense comes in handy here. With today's technology and love for chemicals, you do not (let me repeat, NOT!) need to use hot water on your linens just to get them clean!!! #1 Half the detergents out there now brag about being "cold water activated!!!" #2 Most of the detergents out there now have enough chemicals in them to kill any germ that dare hang out on your fabrics #3 Your machine will do a very thorough job of washing and rinsing your garments better than any hand-washing could do. Secondly, please don't ever (EVER!) use bleach on your linens. Unless there's a sterilization situation going on, avoid bleach at all costs. It's just not necessary-see 3 points above. Bleach can be very harmful to fabrics, in ways other than just discoloration; it literally breaks down and weakens the fibers...ever wonder where those tiny little holes come from when you've never seen a moth inside your closet?? Or why your sheets are tearing up when you haven't had them but a year or two...now ya know. When it comes to regular washing, it's the same when it comes to eating, everything in moderation...Medium to Low temperatures (in BOTH machines!!!but we'll get to drying later), no need for a "heavy duty" cycle, regular washing will be just fine, and please-oh-please vary the amount of detergent you use based on how much you are actually putting in the machine! This is a HUGE mistake most people are making. If you just go by the amount the little cup tells you-you're already overusing product. Think about it-those companies want you to blow through their products faster so you're having to repurchase sooner. Another downside to overusing detergent is that your fabrics will actually come out dirtier than they were when they went in-the detergent will not only not fully rinse out, when overused, but it will also cling to all the dirt in the water like a magnet. So please be careful when putting detergents and additives into your machine before you run it. If you're only washing one or two things, just use a small cap full or maybe a tablespoon of cleanser.
Now, as far as drying goes-this is where most mistakes occur. If you're like me, well-how I used to be before it became my livelihood, you never touch the temperature dial on your dryer. It stays on "regular" or "high heat" 24/7/365. That is what is going to kill your fabrics. Over drying is basically the laundry equivalent to leaving a pan of cookies in the oven until they turn black; only your sheets won't change colors. When you leave your fabrics in the dryer too long they get split-ends...no that's not just a term used for hair. Over drying causes your fabrics, at a microscopic level, to become brittle and break off. And when this occurs enough that's where tears and holes appear, that's why pilling starts. For those of you unfamiliar with that term, think about your sheets, are there little fuzz balls all over them? That is considered "pilling", when the fibers break off and start to curl, forming those little balls. You see it a lot in sweaters in areas with the most wear-think under the arms. I cannot honestly think of one time I've ever seen the words "Tumble dry high heat" on the tag on any piece of clothing or bedding I've ever owned. What does it always say? Either "Medium heat" or "Low heat" and those words that few understand "Iron if needed"...well why wouldn't ironing be needed?! I'm about to tell you, just let me finish the dryer talk first. It's best to follow the instructions on the tag when it comes to temperature, but if you're really nervous and just too unsure, Low will always be your safest bet. Now if you are worried about the item shrinking, which you should, the even safer bet is to skip the dryer altogether and either lay the item flat or hang it, depending on the size. If it's a piece of clothing judging by weight, size, and shape, sometimes laying it flat on the machine is best and sometimes putting it on a hanger and hanging it on your showercurtain rod is best. For bedding the items are usually much larger and call for a little more creativity. Again, use your best judgement. If you've got a decent sized laundry room and side-by-side machines, stretch it out over the top of the machines to air-dry, or create a fort out of kitchen chairs and stretch it out among those, or once again, head into the bathroom and drape it over your showercurtain rod. Some people choose to air items outside when it comes to drying, I, however, am too nervous and see everything that could go wrong with that picture-my dogs could get a little too happy and grab the item and play tug-of-war with it, I am immediately able to visualize any and all allergens that are floating in the air and being drawn to this piece of fabric like some sort of super magnet, and then there's always birds flying overhead...enough said.
Stains are the one thing that scares people the most. There's always that immediate feeling of "Now it's ruined!" But that's not always the case. The #1 thing to remember is treat it as soon as humanly possible. The less time that stain has to set in, the better. Another thing to consider is the size of the stain; is this something that requires washing the entire piece or will a simple spot-treating do the trick? That is your call. But the instructions are pretty much the same. Start off by wetting the stained area and then add a stain-fighting agent directly onto the spot and work it into the stain; depending on how quickly you're able to treat, you may start seeing results here. Now don't rinse it, just let the item sit with the cleaner on the spot and let it sit-depending on severity for I'd say 5-15 minutes. After letting it sit, if you're going to wash the entire piece, this is when you'd put it in the washer and wash as normal. However, if the whole garment does not require washing, just rinse the affected area and let air dry. Now you may be asking yourself, "That's it?!" But for me, it is. Those are the only steps I have to take to get my stains out. If the same isn't for you; you might want to take a look at what products you are using. Now my arsenal of cleaning products may be a little different than yours, but I would highly recommend looking into getting yourself the items that I use. First and foremost, I use Leblanc Linen Wash on just about everything. Not only is it a fabulous detergent, but it is an incredible stain remover. For right there, on the spot, as soon as it happens stains, Leblanc always manages to do the trick...including my latest incident where I was going to take a bite of chocolate ice cream just as my dog jumped up on the couch to ask for a bite (which she didn't get), causing me to drop it down the front of my brand new white shirt (the reason she didn't get a bite!). I just treated it immediately and without even having to throw it in the washer, the stain came out. For older stains, as well as items that can't be thrown in the washing machine, when Leblanc doesn't quite cut it, I also use a product called SUDS. SUDS comes in a consistency I can only describe as like a gritty Jello. Now you can either use it as such, or you can dilute it in a spray bottle with hot water and use it in spray form. Either way, this product has gotten everything I've ever put it on out...and that says a lot! Between Leblanc and SUDS I have been able to remove blood, ink, mascara, automobile grease, cooking oil, mud, pet stains, and tomato from fabrics ranging from clothes, furniture, car upholstery, and bedding, without doing any damage to the fabrics. Now I do sell these items at my store (please contact me if you'd like some!), but that is also only because I have tested each one and found wonderful results. I also carry The Laundress, which is a fabulous laundry care line full of wonderful products including stain fighters, but also products specifically designed for certain fabrics, so you know when you're using them, that you are using the absolute best product for that item.
Sorry this is so long, but this is a topic with no short answers. And hopefully, with this knowledge, you will be able to care for all of the items in your home to the best of your ability.
Now, I usually spend most of my time, when talking about caring for linens, bad-mouthing dry cleaners and how I never-ever-ever want you to take your bedding to a dry cleaner. And for the most part, that is 100% true. I would much rather you wash your items yourself, so that you have complete control on what products are being used on your items, but also what temperatures are being used and how quickly they are being handled. The majority of what I hear about dry cleaners from my clients is how they messed something up and my client needs to replace it. Which isn't always possible and which is exactly why I'd rather you see to your items personally. Dry cleaners tend to use very harsh chemicals and very high temperatures when cleaning the items brought to them, and you're not always guaranteed that your items won't just be thrown in with a bunch of other items and treated all the same. Dry cleaners don't have the time to take each individual piece and read every one's label and follow those careful instructions. This is why a lot of items come back shrunken or discolored. So please really consider the item you need to have cleaned and see if it's possible you can do it yourself, especially now that I've bestowed all of my laundry knowledge on you. There is one exception, however, to my anti-dry cleaners policy, and that is when severe shrinking is a threat. A lot of people out there have a mattelasse on their bed. A mattelasse is a coverlet that is woven into a pattern, not quilted or printed. When there is a 3D type pattern that is not just stitched in, chances are it's a mattelasse. Pronounced "matt lass eh" in case you're wondering. Now, like I said, with the technology out there these days, a lot of fabric mills have now started weaving mattelasses that don't have high shrinkage rates, or they're created using a Poly-Cotton yarn, in which case the Polyester part alleviates the threat of shrinking. However, there are still several mattelasses where the risk of shrinkage is just too high for regular machine washing, and in these cases, I recommend taking the items to a dry cleaner. BUT! There are a few things you must do in order to achieve the wanted results...#1 You MUST let them know up front that you do not want this item to shrink and #2 ask if they have the ability to "block" the item. Blocking is when after washing, the item is placed in a canvas-type structure and stretched to it's current size and kept there until dry, basically not allowing it to draw in as the moisture evaporates. If they do not offer that service, run, don't walk, out of their facility and find one that does, because when it comes to dry cleaning and shrinkage prevention-blocking is the best solution.
So see, I don't think dry cleaners are the enemy, I just would much rather you try to do it yourself so that you can ensure it's done properly depending on the item itself. And I look at it this way, if my stuff is gonna get messed up-I would rather do it myself, than have to be mad at somebody else for doing it!
*If you have any questions, leave them in the comment box below or email me at reveriefinelinens@gmail.com anytime!
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