How to Do Away With Dry Cleaning Once & For All

Rip & Tan: How can we wash our dry clean-only items at home without worrying about ruining anything?

The Laundress: Most “dry clean” tagged items can be safely laundered at home using the right fabric-specific detergent formulas that cleanse and protect delicate natural and synthetic fibers as opposed to stripping them. Use our Wool & Cashmere Shampoo formula to clean knits and sweaters made of cashmere, wool, alpaca, merino, and knit blends, and Delicate Wash for silk, silk-like synthetics, lace, and delicate blends.

Sort items by fabric type and wash them separately. To machine wash, insert items into a Mesh Bag, add detergent according to load size, and select a cold, delicate cycle. Alternatively, you can wash by hand with cool water and a squirt of appropriate detergent, and let soak for up to 30 minutes before rinsing. Always reshape and air dry delicate items away from heat sources like sunlight and radiators to prevent shrinkage.

Rip & Tan: What’s important to keep in mind when cleaning cashmere and wool? Any tips to help our sweaters last longer?

The Laundress: It’s vital to preserve the natural oils in your cashmere, wool, and other natural fiber items. This is what keeps them feeling soft and cozy! Always use cold water and low spin when washing knits, and use a mesh bag when machine laundering to prevent snagging in the machine. Keep in mind cashmere and wool fibers tend to tighten up naturally when wet, so it’s important to gently reshape them before laying them flat to dry.

Aside from proper cleaning methods, another way to prolong the life of your knits is to go a few wears between washes. In between cleanings, spritz with our crisp cedar-scented Wool & Cashmere Spray.

Rip & Tan: What are a few at-home remedies we can use to do away with any lingering aromas on clothing?

The Laundress: A quick way to address odors in between washes is to gently steam (the high heat can help kill odor-causing bacteria) and spritz with a fabric refreshing spray like the Fabric Fresh Classic! This plant-derived formula adds a crisp, fresh scent to fabrics between washes while removing odor.

It’s also ideal for deodorizing bedding, outerwear, car interiors, sneakers, and luggage, and works to freshen up closets and drawers, too. For a deeper clean when laundering, pretreat collars and underarms with our Stain Solution, which helps combat sweat smells and odorous grime and buildup in the wash.

Finally, to address set-in odors (like a musty storage smell, or campfire odor), try presoaking fabrics with a few capfuls of Scented Vinegar and cool to warm water for up to 30 minutes before laundering. This formula combines odor-absorbing vinegar with our fresh No.247 scent, so it deodorizes as it infuses your fabrics with a beautiful scent. 

Rip & Tan: Laundry is never the sought-after to-do on our list. How can we make laundry feel less like a hassle and more effortless?

The Laundress: Elevating laundry is at our core! We believe in transforming ordinary tasks like laundry and home cleaning into the exquisite with products that feel luxurious to use and deliver noticeably beautiful results. Our detergents and fabric care products contain high-performing, plant-derived ingredients with fine scents by master perfumers (the same people behind major perfumes)  for an efficacious, elevated experience.

Rip & Tan: From wine to coffee, what should you do the moment a stain appears and you’re not at home? What’s the washing protocol once you get home?

The Laundress: If you run into a stain or spill while you’re out and about, don’t stress. Lightly dab away excess residue using a clean cloth or paper towel, and avoid rubbing the fabric as this can “push” the stain in further.

Once you’re home, grab the appropriate targeted stain treatment, and get to work! We recommend the Stain Solution, a powerful blend of plant-derived enzymes, for dye and protein-based stains like wine, coffee, ink, food, and sweat. For oil-based stains like salad dressing, grease, and oily makeup, try the Wash & Stain Bar instead. Simply work your pretreatment into the garment (we like to use our gentle Stain Brush, specially designed for delicate fabrics), and then proceed with soaking or washing the garment according to fabric type.

Rip & Tan: Does it really matter if we separate darks and whites? Any shortcuts when we don’t have enough in one load to justify a separate cycle?

The Laundress: Yes, separation does matter for most garments. It helps to keep whites bright and maintain color, avoiding potential dye bleed and lint transfer. If you don’t have enough in a load to justify a separate cycle, we love hand washing a few garments (like a workout set, or a rogue sweater). This helps to save on water and detergent use, too!

Rip & Tan: Do you have any insight on how to make our laundry routine more sustainable?

The Laundress:  The average laundry routine uses a lot of energy and ingredients that aren’t great for you or the environment, but cutting down is easy with a few simple switches:

Save on water and energy use and go longer in between laundry loads by spot-treating stains using our Stain Removal Essentials (avoid All-Purpose Bleach Alternative on silks, woolens, and dry clean fabrics) and a Lint-Free Cleaning Cloth, and lifting surface odors with our Fabric Fresh Classic. Steaming will also help reduce odors and remove surface dirt and dust.

Select a high-efficiency, plant-derived detergent free of chlorine bleach, parabens, phosphates, and dyes to help preserve the integrity of your garments for longer. Our formulas use thoughtfully chosen, plant-derived enzymes to wash away stains, dirt, and grime for the best results.

Always opt for cold or cool water wherever possible. You’ll still get a deep clean and it’ll help protect your fabrics and prevent fading, too!

Hand wash small loads to cut down on water use. When you must use the machine, run a full load with cool or warm water (not hot). Washing machines often use the same amount of energy regardless of load size, so it’s wasteful to run small ones.

Ditch the dryer—lay your items flat to dry or use a drying rack to slash energy, keep your fabrics in good shape, and stop shrinkage!