Save Your Time, Leave The Laundry To Us!

Let’s face it. You can think of a hundred other things you would rather do than laundry. Nevertheless, you still want your whites bright, your colors vibrant and you would like them to get that way as quickly possible. With that being said, I thought I would take a few minutes to discuss some of the newer products to hit the store shelves, which are designed to promote both cleanliness and efficiency.

Tide Pods – You know those handy individual packets of dishwasher detergent? Well, Tide Pods are the same thing but they’re designed for your laundry. The pods consist of three chambers (cleaning, stain-fighting and brightening) housed in a smooth dissolvable shell. They’re safe for use in any type of washing machine and will work in any water temperature. Gone will be the days of measuring liquid or powder detergent and rinsing cups. Proctor & Gamble has delayed the release of this product twice because of unexpected manufacturing challenges, but it’s scheduled to be on store shelves by the end of the month. A package of 57 pods will retail for approximately $15.99.

Purex Complete 3-in-1 Laundry Sheets – One sheet provides detergent, fabric softener and static-guard for a full load of laundry. Drop a sheet into the washer, and the detergent is released during the wash cycle. Toss the same sheet into the dryer with the clothes. The stripe on the sheet will be activated by heat to soften clothes and remove static. The product has received favorable reviews on Amazon. A package of 22 costs around $10, so while it might be a bit pricey for regular use, it would be perfect to bring on vacation or emergency trips to the laundromat.

Shout Color Catcher Sheets – Designed to protect clothes from color bleeds while preserving original colors, this product is marketed as a time saver that reduces the need to sort clothes. Simply drop one sheet into the washing machine and it will absorb loose dyes found in the wash water. The sheets received mostly favorable reviews from Amazon customers, with some noting that while they may have prevented bleeding between colors, they failed to keep colors from bleeding on whites. A pack of 24 sells for approximately $4.29 at Walgreens.

Bounce Dryer Bar – This product attaches to the drum of your dryer and eliminates the need for dryer sheets. One bar will last between 2 and 6 months, depending upon its size and scent. The Bounce Dryer Bar has also received favorable reviews from Amazon customers, with some noting that it leaves a white residue on black clothing, which may or may not be caused by over-drying. Expect to pay between $8 and $10 per bar.

Mr. Steamy – This contraption is actually a ball that when filled with water and placed in the dryer, is supposed to produce enough steam to unwrinkle clothes. When purchased directly from the manufacturer, the product is $19.99, but online reviews indicate the people have found it at discount stores for $9.99. The product has been met with mixed reviews, with unhappy users complaining that it’s quite noisy in the dryer and fails to remove wrinkles as promised.

Affresh Washer Cleaner – Geared toward modern, high-efficiency washing machines, this product is designed to remove odor-causing residue from washers. One tablet placed in the empty wash basket and run through a normal wash cycle is all it takes to keep the appliance clean. Affresh was well-received by Amazon customers and a pack of 4 sells for approximately $7.56 online.

Scentsy Dryer Disk – Scheduled for release in March, the disk is made of plastic which is infused with a fragrance that includes anti-static properties. One disk will work on 15 loads of laundry. The product’s pricing has yet to be determined as of this writing. Contact a Scentsy independent consultant for further details.

The green movement has taken hold in some very important areas of our domestic lives. It’s time we include laundry in our eco-friendly agenda.
Follow these simple tips and you’ll be a bona-fide green, cleaning mama:
1.) Ditch all those commercial laundry products and opt for natural or homemade solutions. The internet is a mecca for homemade detergent recipes. Just google “homemade detergent” and you’ll get hundreds of websites and blogs with different recipes and reviews. Experiment with one until you find a keeper. An added bonus is that the main ingredients are so cheap that the average cost per load is around $.05, that’s 1/5 the cost of commercial brands.

For fabric softener, add ½ cup of white vinegar to your loads. I could write an entire article just on the benefits of using white vinegar in the wash. I’ll save you from the boring details and just sum it up; it brightens, whitens, softens, disinfects, reduces static and fights stains. When you use white vinegar in the wash you do NOT need to use any other softener. Just like homemade detergent it is way cheaper than commercial products: Gallon of White Vinegar = $3, 1.5 Litters of Downy = $9.

Stains can be removed with various home remedies. What you use will depend on the stain. I like to use a mixture of 1 part baking soda, 1 part white vinegar, and 1 part hot water. This will form a paste that can be applied to most stains.

2.) Line dry or use a drying rack. It’s estimated that dryers account for 5.8% of your household’s energy usage. That’s more than any other appliance in your home. You can easily lower your energy consumption by using a drying rack during the cold seasons and line dry in the spring/summer. Aside from the environmental benefits it is also better for your clothes. Agitation from the dryer is harsh on fabrics and the heat can cause static cling. Air-drying your clothes allows the moisture to naturally dissipate and clothes keep their shape longer when they are not spin-dried. I’ve also heard from many people who line dry that the sun acts as bleach to their whites. One more laundry product you can drop!

3.) Stop washing everything after a single use. Okay certain items you do need to wash frequently; underwear, gym clothes, your husband’s socks, but everything does not need to go in the hamper after one wear. Jeans are great example of this. Denim is meant to be extremely durable (think of cowboys) and after so many wears, should begin to form to the shape of your body. Frequent washing causes the fabric to lose its form-fitting quality and will fade out the color over time. Wash your jeans only after they’ve been worn a handful of times. Other items that should be re-worn before washing include sweaters, jackets, sweatshirts, and pajamas.

4.) Use cold water in the wash. Most of your energy usage in the laundry process comes from heating up the water (90%!). It is not necessary or even beneficial to wash everything on hot. Heat is not very nice to your clothes; it will cause dyes to bleed out and break down the integrity of fabrics. Only wash 1 out of every 5 loads in hot water. Please note that underwear should always be washed in hot water to kill bacteria.

5.) Wash complete loads. This one is pretty obvious. Washing only a half load is a waste of water and electricity. Make sure you are loading your washer up to 3/4s full.

A hundred years ago people had to wash their clothes in a tub by hand and then lay each piece on a drying rack or clothesline to dry. This process would consume hours of your day which is unrealistic for the modern mom. I don’t think we should necessarily go back a hundred years, but I do think we can take some tips from the past and move towards a more natural way of cleaning clothes.

Making these simple changes will be better for your clothes, your wallet and the planet.

Happy Washing!

We all know what goes into doing laundry: mainly water and detergent and if we’re feeling especially ambitious, perhaps a little bleach or liquid fabric softener. Have you ever wondered what happens when you send your clothes to the dry cleaner? How can they be “dry” cleaned, anyway? You’re about to find out.

When you arrive at the dry cleaner’s, the clerk counts your items and documents each piece (shirt, slacks, blouse, etc). He/she should then ask if you know of any areas requiring special attention due to stains, tears, missing buttons, etc. The clerk then attaches a small tag to each piece of clothing, in order to identify it as yours. Items that need special attention will also receive a special colored tag. These tags will remain on your clothing throughout the entire cleaning process. An invoice showing the drop off and pick-up dates will be generated; one copy stays with the cleaner and the other is given to you.

The process of pre-treating stains at the dry cleaner’s isn’t much different than how you do it at home. The goal is to get rid of the stain prior to cleaning the garment or to at least make it easier to do so during the dry cleaning process. Keep in mind that you are more likely to have a favorable outcome if you take time to pre-treat the stains as soon as they happen.

Once the pre-treament is completed, the clothes are ready to be dry cleaned. The cleaning and drying process takes place in one machine. The clothes are placed into a large perforated basket, which rotates as it is sprayed and submerged by constant flows of cleaning solvent. The solvent most commonly used is perchloroethylene or “perc”. Because the process does not use any water, it is referred to as “dry” cleaning. The clothes are gently dropped and pounded against baffles in the basket, which is the equivalent of the agitation of your washing machine.

A good dry cleaning company will do “post-spotting” after cleaning your clothes. This process uses special equipment and chemicals, along with steam, water, air and vacuum in order to remove stubborn stains from your clothes. A majority of soil and stains are removed by this procedure, but stains that were set by heat and time may be around to stay. This is why it is so important to attempt to remove a stain as soon as it makes contact with your clothing.

The last phase of the dry-cleaning process is called “finishing.” This is the process by which your clothes are steamed, pressed, ironed and repaired. Once your items are finished, they will be folded and placed in wrapping or hung in plastic to ensure they remain safe and clean during the ride home.

Have you ever taken a shirt out of the washer and found it covered with mysterious orange stains? If this has happened to you, you were probably completely stupefied by the incident. What could have caused such a catastrophic laundry mishap? Could it have been the detergent you used? Could it have been dye from a different garment? Did an orange marker somehow make its way into your washer? Although all of these are great theories, there is one likely culprit that you would never suspect. It comes in either a lotion or spray and you’ve been lathering it on since skin cancer became a well known health threat.  I’m talking about sunscreen; great for your skin, terrible for your clothes.

In all fairness to sun screen, there is another compound needed to make these stains come about. The other agent responsible is iron minerals
commonly found in hard water.

Here’s how it all goes down:

1.) Sunscreen applied to your skin rubs off onto your clothing.

2.) Avobenzone, an ingredient in sunscreen, oxidizes the iron minerals
found in the water.

3.) The reaction between the avobenzone and iron cause a colored stain (rust) on your garment.

Now that you’ve identified the culprit, it’s time to look at
different solutions.

Your skin is by far more valuable than your clothing so ditching the sunscreen is not an option, and unless your last name is Gates buying brand new clothes all the time is not an option either. Instead swap out
your current sunscreen for one that is avobenzone-free. Coppertone and Hawaiian Tropic both offer avobenzone-free lotions for just a little more than the cost of their avobenzone-containing counterparts. If you don’t want to use a different sunscreen, you can take preventative measures like waiting for the sunscreen to completely dry before putting on your clothes.

To remove stains out of your laundry follow these steps:

1.) Depending on the saturation
of the orange stain, you may or may not need the soak the garment in an
enzyme-breaking solution of water and oxygen cleaner (Oxyiclean) for 12 hours. If the stain is light, applying an over the counter stain treatment such as Resolve and letting it sit for 5 minutes should do the trick.  On white clothing, you can apply bleach directly to the garment as long as the care instructions do not specifically prohibit bleach.

2.) Wash the item on the hottest setting tolerated by the fabric.

3.) When the wash is done, check to see if the stain has been lifted. If it’s still present, repeat the previous steps. DO NOT PUT IT IN THE DRYER! Heat from the dryer will cause the stain to set in.

If you follow these steps you can have it all; beautiful healthy skin, and well-kept clothing!

The holidays are among us and I’m sure most of us have already seen our fair share of stubborn stains on fancy tablecloths, shirts and carpets.  With that being said, thought I’d take a moment to address some of the more common food stains and how to keep them from hanging around long after the holidays are warm memories.

Gravy Stains On The Tablecloth – This is a fairly easy battle to win.  Scrape off the excess gravy, treat it with a pre-wash stain remover and then wash it in the hottest water that the fabric will safely endure.

Gravy Stains On Upholstery – If your family is anything like mine, you no sooner finish dessert before someone breaks out the leftovers for another round of feasting; except this round usually takes place in front of the TV.  So what happens if gravy makes its way to the upholstery?  First of all, relax.  This one can also be made to disappear.  Scrape off the excess and sprinkle baking soda or cornstarch on the stain and let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes; these two kitchen staples serve as absorbents and will help to soak up the stain.  Use a white cloth to blot the stain with a dry-cleaning solvent.  Repeat the steps until the stain is gone.

Cranberry Sauce On The Fabric – This is tricky, but not impossible.  Flush the stain with cold water.  Mix one tablespoon of white vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon of liquid laundry detergent and one quart of cold water.  Soak the fabric in the solution for 15 minutes.  Rinse with cold water.  If the stain remains, sponge it lightly with rubbing alcohol.  Launder and use chlorine bleach if the fabric allows it.

Sweet Potatoes -  Now THIS can be stubborn.  Prepare for battle.  Remove sweet potatoes from the fabric.  Run cold water through the back of the stain as quickly as possible, which will force the stain through the fabric.  Rub liquid detergent into the stain.  If the fabric is white or will tolerate mild bleaching, apply hydrogen peroxide, white vinegar or lemon juice to the stain & rinse well.  If repeating these steps doesn’t get rid of the stain, apply a stain remover stick, gel or spray and allow it to sit for 5 minutes.  Launder with detergent and check the stain before drying the fabric.  If it persists, rub detergent into the stain and soak in warm water for 30 minutes.  Rinse well.  If the stain remains, apply another round of stain remover and launder the fabric, again.  This should do the trick!

Wine – Forget about the tablecloth for just a minute.  Spilling wine on your shirt can be an event that nearly stops your heart.  Whether the spill is on the table or on your shirt, you should treat the stain immediately by flushing it with cold water.  Ideally, you will do this through the back of the stain, in order to force it out, but if you’re wearing the shirt, applying water to the front of it is better than not doing it at all.  Blot the stain with a dry cloth.  Sprinkle salt onto it and allow it to sit for 2 – 3 minutes.  Rinse with cold water, while rubbing the stain with cold water.  Repeat both of these steps until the stain is gone.  If it refuses to leave, rub liquid laundry detergent onto it and allow it to sit for 3 – 5 minutes before rinsing with cold water.  Apply a stain remover and then launder according to directions.

The key to preventing stains from ruining your favorite fabrics is to treat them early.  If you use our laundry service, do not simply toss your stained clothes into a laundry bag and expect them to come back from the wash good as new.  Time is of the essence.  Pre-treat the fabric and be sure to mention the stain to your Laundry Care Associate.

Happy holidays!

Think about the last time you pulled a much loved article of clothing from the washer or dryer, only to find that it had shrunk to a size that would prevent you from ever wearing it again, unless you managed to drop a hundred pounds and shrink yourself by at least eighteen inches. Frustrating, right? We’ve all been there, but we don’t have to go back. Keep reading for everything you need to know about the causes of shrinkage and how to prevent it.

Heat is not your friend if you’re trying to avoid shrinking your clothes, especially those which are made of natural fibers like cotton, wool and mohair. However, don’t make the mistake of thinking that you can avoid it by simply reducing the heat in your dryer or by using a clothesline. The truth is that your washing machine is equally capable of shrinking your clothes, and not just with the wrong water temperature. Agitation is what causes animal fabrics like wool, mohair and cashmere to shrink, which is why it’s best to have them dry cleaned.

Cotton, while not an animal fabric, is a natural one and can therefore present certain challenges when trying to prevent shrinkage. Cotton shrinks because of the tension that is applied to its yarn and fabrics during the construction of the clothing. The tension is released by heat from the washer, dryer, steam and even sunlight, which causes the fabric to be reduced to its natural size. This is why most cotton clothing will shrink during its first washing. The best way to avoid shrinkage is to wash them by hand or to use cold water and the delicate cycle of your washing machine. Ideally, your clothes that are made of natural fibers should never see the inside of your dryer. Invest in a couple of folding tables, so you can lay your clothes flat and let them dry on their own. Cotton clothing can be dried on hangers. If you must use the dryer for your cottons, use the lowest heat setting possible.

“Oops, I did it again.” If you find yourself saying this in the future, consider using the non-wearable clothing for other things around your house. When I was growing up, my mother used old white t-shirts to dust the house. They’re gentle on wood surfaces and will leave them clean and shiny. If you’re looking for a more creative solution for your clothing mishaps, consider turning them into dog clothes. The mother of one of my high school friends once turned a shrunken tube top into an outfit for her portly Pekingese, but my wish for you is that your pets don’t end up with your hand-me-downs.

Happy washing!

Dish sets, reindeer socks, espresso maker; with so many choices this holiday season finding the perfect gift can suddenly turn into a hunt for Atlantis. Save yourself the headache and give your loved one something they’ll really like; laundry service. Not convinced this is the best gift? Here are some facts that prove this is the ultimate present:

1.) It doesn’t require batteries

2.) It won’t go bad in a week

3.) It won’t go out of style

4.) It won’t be re-gifted

5.) It doesn’t need fed, walked, watered or have its kitty litter
changed

6.) It won’t consume your husband’s every waking moment (thank you
Apple)

7.) It doesn’t take up space in a person’s garage, junk draw or
closet

8.) It doesn’t have to be worn when that certain someone who doesn’t
know kitten-embroidered sweaters are only cute on 3 year olds, makes a visit.

9.) Assembly is NOT required

10.) It will never need a geek squad to fix it when it stops working
one day past the warranty

11.) Trust us; it’s not a knock-off

12.) No one has to drive to a store to redeem it

13.) Your neighbor won’t ask to borrow it then never give it back

14.) You won’t have to open a credit line to buy it

15.) Its order-free and invisible but leaves you smelling good and
looking fabulous

What it will do is give back time; time to spend with friends and
family. Isn’t that what the holidays are all about?

So give them something that’ll make them say “Wow, what a unique
idea!” because nobody really likes gift baskets.

Do you remember what it was like when you first started doing your own laundry?  Although I’d helped my mom when I was in high school, I didn’t become completely responsible for mine until I went away to college.  At the very least, it was time consuming and often interrupted my study time.  At other times, it was downright horrifying.  I spent way too much time reading the laundry instructions on clothes tags when I could have been reviewing Physics notes.  I also spent a lot of time on the phone with my mother as I tried to master the arts of clothes sorting and stain removal, instead of bonding with my new friends or exploring the world around me.  My mother has often said that she would have paid for my laundry to be done, had it been an option when I was in college.  With that being said, the holidays are just around the corner.  Here are a few good reasons why you should give the gift of laundry service to your college student this year.

1.) It Saves Time – If you think doing laundry at home is a chore, think about what it would be like if you didn’t have a washer and dryer in your house.  Students spend a lot of time packing laundry supplies and lugging their clothes to the laundromat, only to find that all of the washers and dryers are in use when they get there.  Once a couple of machines become free, they have to wait for the laundry to be washed and dried before folding it and hulling it, along with the laundry supplies, back to their dorms or apartments.  When they return, the clean clothes need to be put away immediately, because small living quarters and roommates are not conducive to allowing this particular chore to be delayed.  Allowing our laundry service to take care of your student’s clothes will eliminate the hassles and enable him or her to focus on more important things, like studying.  We will pick up the dirty laundry and return it clean and folded within 48 hours.

2.) Safety – I’m going to be very blunt about this.  I simply would not want my college student to spend time in a laundromat.  Those that are on campus are often located in basements or are away from the general population.  Off-campus laundromats tend to be frequented by people whom I would prefer to never lay eyes on my child.  Moreover, college students are very much into doing what they want, when they want, just because they can.  As a mother, it worries me to think that my son or daughter might choose to do laundry at 1am because they’ve had one too many Red Bulls.  Moreover, I don’t like the idea of them putting their clothes in a washer or dryer and then leaving to do other things.  I knew of more than one person who had clothes mysteriously disappear by doing that when we were in college.  Their parents could have paid for six months of laundry service with what they spent on replacing wardrobes.  I would rather eliminate these possibilities by paying for a laundry service and be done with it.

3.) A Mother’s Touch & Experience – As moms, one of the ways we nurture and care for our families is by doing their laundry.  Laundry Service is owned and operated by experienced mothers who’ve developed professional techniques to remove stains and clean your student’s clothes.  We’ll treat the clothes as if they belong to our own children and will return them to yours fresh, folded and ready to wear.

4.) It’s Affordable - For about the cost of a bottle of Tide, you can get  one full size bag of laundry cleaned every week.  It’s quite a bargain, when you consider that it includes pick up, folding and delivery, not to mention all of the other perks listed above. Gone will be the days of sending care packages that include rolls of quarters, detergent and fabric softener.

As the holidays approach, students are finishing their first semesters of the school year.  They’ve had a little time to gain the experience and sense of responsibility of doing their own laundry, and most of them will happily relinquish the chore if someone else is willing to do it.  Why not give them an unexpected gift of Laundry Care for the rest of the school year?  It’s one that they’re sure to appreciate.