The EDF Laundry Thread

[garcia1000]

Ties can't be saved by washing. It's best to throw it away and buy a new one.

Ties are one area where I don't buy the best. If you wear a light vest with it, no one can really tell the difference. Save the money for buying shoes.

[case3]

I've been working on getting good results with laundry and have found a few things to be helpful.

Detergents -- I use 'The Laundress' brand. It feels a little funny to buy designer detergent but I am very happy with the results. The smell is much nicer to me compared with Tide, etc. Also, using special darks only, denim formula, or pit stain remover will give you better results on those specific items.

Whites -- To get a whiter white add a few drops of a bluing agent like Mrs. Stewarts Bluing. Bleach can make them whiter but will ultimately cause them to become a dingy yellow. Yellow pit stains are usually caused by Aluminum-zirconium found in most all antiperspirants. I give up on removing these, just have to buy new.

Dry cleaning cleans differently than laundering. Cotton dress shirts should often be laundered as it will clean regular sweat/oils better and is cheaper and not as harsh as dry cleaning.

Lots of tags that say dry clean only can be ignored, what's important is the fabric.

[untadam]

[ QUOTE ]
wash-and-fold for the win!

[/ QUOTE ]

I need to look into this...

[sunnycalifornia]

excuse the ignorance but I just have two quick questions:

1. I am a freshman in college and I'm unsure how to do my nicer polos - Lacoste/Ralph Lauren for example. The washers we have can do either colors, bright colors, permanent press, or linens. The colors are pure white, cyan/light blue, dark blue, pink, and bright orange. Which option should I pick? and when I do my polos should I only put polos in the washer and not mix them with other things such as boxers/undershirts?

2. If I have nice dress shirts/suits (Polo Ralph Lauren), how often should they be taken to the dry cleaners? after every use or after every few uses?

thanks very much

[private joker]

I'm sure people more knowledgeable than I will answer too, but:

[ QUOTE ]
excuse the ignorance but I just have two quick questions:

1. I am a freshman in college and I'm unsure how to do my nicer polos - Lacoste/Ralph Lauren for example. The washers we have can do either colors, bright colors, permanent press, or linens. The colors are pure white, cyan/light blue, dark blue, pink, and bright orange. Which option should I pick? and when I do my polos should I only put polos in the washer and not mix them with other things such as boxers/undershirts?

[/ QUOTE ]

Wash them in "bright colors," which is a cold water wash and should ensure color-fastness, especially if you use a good detergent like Tide. You can mix them with other colored shirts as well. I usually do underwear and socks and white t-shirts in a different load, as a hot or warm wash. Dry the polos in a medium temp and they should be fine -- unless you're worried that they'll shrink, then you can air dry them by hanging them up in the shower overnight, or tumble dry them on low.


[ QUOTE ]

2. If I have nice dress shirts/suits (Polo Ralph Lauren), how often should they be taken to the dry cleaners? after every use or after every few uses?

thanks very much

[/ QUOTE ]

For suits: Not too often; if you can press them yourself then you're fine. If they get stained or start to smell, then obviously get them cleaned right away. But hopefully you can keep a suit clean while wearing it -- don't sweat in it or spill food on it.

For dress shirts, I usually clean them after every one or two wearings.

[elwoodblues]

I've heard that soaking jeans or brights in salt water before the first washing helps preserve the color, but have never done it because I really don't care too much if my clothes fade.

Overall, the lower the drying heat the better (even if it takes longer.) You will be less likely to shrink, fade, set stains that didn't come out in the wash cycle, etc. by doing it on low heat.

[BG1124]

Does anyone have a good method to ensure that the collar on polo shirts don't curl up after you wash them? Seems to get worse after a few washes. Tried starching them but that doesn't seem to do the trick, anyone have any good tips?

[Aloysius]

[ QUOTE ]
Ties can't be saved by washing. It's best to throw it away and buy a new one.

[/ QUOTE ]

Garcia - I agree - just a waste of money to dry clean them, in my experience does nothing for the tie (usually was worse off post dry cleaning).

[ QUOTE ]
wash-and-fold for the win!

[/ QUOTE ]

Edtost - when I was in SF during super busy times in my schedule, I would use wash and fold (the one on Chestnut in Marina was very reliable, imo).

It's a great, cheap service (if they don't lose any clothes), but I would never give them any piece of clothing I was particular about wrt shrinking or whatever (they use as you would expect industrial dryers at super high heats).

All - kind of basic question about dry cleaning (not laundering / pressing). From what I understand dry cleaning is a chemical wash that is ultimately destructive to most fabrics. But I've read about "greener" or "safer" treatments where you pay a premium, but it is less destructive a cleaning. I may have even used it at some point, can't recall specific cleaners or results.

Does anyone know the particulars of this?

-Al

[Maulik]

Jeans - i'll rarely allow mine to enter a washing machine. for me its woolite with cold water (hand wash) and line dried. Designer polos I treat the same way, occasionally they'll be stained and require dry cleaning. I'm in the same camp as AZK.


detergent - consumer reports conducted a study and found the costco brand to be among the best for value and quality.

[Maulik]

azk,

woolite + cold water is fine for linen. Treat them like jeans.