IT COMES OUT IN THE WASH
Protect your clothes by using a detergent that cleans fabrics but doesn’t destroy them
“Take good care of your clothes, and they’ll keep you looking good,” says Christina Elsberry, co-founder of men’s styling company Todd Alan.
When laundering, she explains, most of your clothes would do well in cold water on the delicate cycle with the right detergent.
But isn’t that last part the rub? Which bottle or box do you choose from the three long shelves in the laundry aisle? Elsberry has high standards:
The detergent should clean the clothes, yet not destroy fabrics, and the bottle should be easy to use and not take up too much space on the counter. She and other experts have a few good candidates when it comes to detergents — and some laundry tips, too.
Once you’ve chosen a detergent, use less than you think you need, says Alexa Hotz, senior editor for Remodelista in Brooklyn: Too much detergent “will leave a film on your clothes and on the inside of your washing machine.”
Separate your laundry into different loads: dark, light and workout, and towels and bedding.
“Get extra credit by turning your jeans inside out to preserve the colour,” Elsberry says. In general, one all-purpose detergent will work for all fabrics, except of course, silk, wool, down and cashmere, which would benefit from delicate detergents or professional treatment. (Hotz likes Tangent Garment Care’s Denim Wash for her jeans; $28 for about 10 oz./300 ml; plainandsimplehome.myshopify.com)
Last, use caution with the drier, which can wear down fabrics.
“Invest in a foldable drying rack or two, and it will make laundry easy-breezy,” Elsberry says.
Erin Barbot, an organizer in Silver Spring, Md., did her own test of laundry detergents, looking for products that were low in chemicals but still effective, without spending too much.
“Basically, the unicorn of cleaning products,” she says.
Barbot says most big brands have free-and-clear options.
Her winner was Tide Purclean Unscented Laundry Detergent ($14.97 for 2.2 L; widely available). It’s plant-based, works in all machines and cleans well in cold water. Decant products into containers or store them in baskets to make laundry day even better, Barbot says.
Mrs. Meyer’s Scented Clean Day Laundry Detergent ($19.99 for 64 oz./1.8 L, mrs.meyers.ca for store info), is the go-to detergent for Elsberry of Todd Alan.
“It’s all the things I look for in a detergent. It gets clothes clean, yet it’s gentle on fabric. It’s concentrated, so a little goes a long way,” she says. “The bottle doesn’t take up too much space, it has a pretty label design, and there is no gooey mess.”
For workout clothes, Elsberry adds Mrs. Meyers Scent Booster in lemon verbena ($24.14 for 18 oz./532 ml; amazon.ca) “to get things extra-fresh.”
If you are washing sheets, wash them alone, says Missy Tannen, co-founder of bedding company Boll & Branch in New Jersey. To prevent wrinkling, shake them out after machine-washing and pull them out as soon as the drier cycle is done.
Tannen uses Grab Green’s 3-in1 Laundry Detergent Pods for her bedding ($21 for one 60-load package, amazon.ca).
She prefers the fragrance-free version, but does dry her laundry with wool drier balls that have a drop of lavender essential oil on them.
When washing more delicate yarns such as wool, merino, alpaca and cashmere, be careful. Alberto Bravo, co-founder and creative director of We
Are Knitters, a company based in Spain, uses the Laundress’s Wool & Cashmere Shampoo ($24.65 for 16 oz./475 ml; amazon.ca).
“It really preserves the yarn’s softness, which is crucial for us,” Bravo says.
“Once you’re done rinsing your woolly piece, lay it flat gently to dry. This way, you will preserve its shape and form.”
The Washington Post