Laundry Cleaning

Why is it that getting into a freshly made bed is one of life’s simple pleasures, but the process of removing and putting on new bed linens feels like such a laborious chore?

I went straight to the pros — that is, people who design, launder, and organize for a living — to get their takes on the essentials for any laundry room space.

Eight people who work in and around what could be considered “messy” professions, from a potter to a plumber, a butcher to a drag performer, share their tips and tricks for avoiding stains while on the job and dealing with the cleanup when the clothes hit the laundry room. 

Laundry experts explain why some clothing tags suggest laying flat to dry in the first place, if you can get away with ignoring the instruction, and how to truly best go about drying these items.

Is there anything you can't handle with vinegar?

Dread laundry day no more.

You remember the time that dollop of meat sauce landed on your white shirt and you started rubbing it vigorously with seltzer to try to get the stain out? That might not have been your best move.

It doesn't matter if you're doing laundry for two or seven, there's one nagging thing that turns the task into a chore and something that takes longer than it needs to: inside-out clothes.

As it turns out, the majority of people have probably been using far too much laundry detergent for far too long.

Keep your clothes looking like new with these tips.

When it’s dreary outside, I usually hunker down and do household chores. But not anymore!

It doesn't rot or rust!

You might want to do laundry differently, depending on your household's health.

Ever do a load of laundry after a day outside and notice a weird, yellow ring on your shirt collar that you just can’t seem to get out? Here's the fix.

It washes clothes in minutes!

In my time as a fashion editor, I’ve tried famous methods of decluttering for stories, and even had professionals re-organize my entire closet. Nothing has ever worked as well as this.

If you think unpacking is a chore, this one's for you!

Welcome back to One Good Thing, where we keep rolling! You know why? Because we’re having fun and you all seem to keep clicking on us, so that’s as good a reason as I’ve had since Covid began to keep doing anything. AND we love to be helpful.

It's affordable, non-toxic, and absolutely effective.

Turns out, there are pitfalls to pod life. The question becomes: Are self-dosing dishwasher and laundry pods actually worth all the hype? If you want to keep using pods for the convenience factor, here’s what experts say about making sure those pods work for you.

How on earth (or rather, off Earth) do astronauts do laundry?

They take all the guesswork out of laundry day!

Give your plastic hamper a break with one of these cute picks.

Instead of squatting or bending down to load and remove clothes, you simply have to open the tilting door and drop your laundry in.

Curious how your favorite celebs prefer their towels folded?

If you live in a small space, this is for you!

So I tried it — and timed it!

I wanted to harness the power of the sun to help whiten my sheets, and for the breeze outside to infuse them with the scent of fresh air.

Here’s my train of thought: Wouldn’t it be easier if laundry baskets were just big, solid plastic tubs so we could also use them to pre-treat or pre-wash dirty stuff? Here's the answer.

This applies to A LOT of your warm-weather wardrobe. And probably your cleaning cloths, too.

It's a simple way to prevent the pollution of our planet from right inside your laundry room.

Now, rather than shuffling through the cabinet for what I need and then having a pile of things to put back in, I can always grab what I need with ease.

"Effortless, lightweight, easy to use, and affordable."

*checks bar cart*

The ingredients do make sense for dealing with oily stains, but there's a problem with this hack — and our laundry expert has a way better solution.

Patric Richardson wants you to love laundry day: “Something I always say is that you get to do laundry, you don’t have to do laundry."

I’ve been following the family tradition and air-drying my clothes. But the funny thing is, my family never taught me the secrets: I learned the hard way on my own after lots of trial and error.

If you’ve ever wondered how to make something look like it’s on display at a store, The Folding Lady’s feeds have probably got you covered.

Here are seven ways everyone (even adults) can use it around the house.

We asked a laundry expert to look at the label and tell us what's really happening in those "after" photos of dark brown wash water.

Slime can leave you in quite a sticky situation, especially if you have messy — er, creative — kids like mine.

It's time to rethink your laundry habits.

It'll save your clothes, wool blankets, and upholstered furniture.

It's dermatologist-approved.

Seriously, where do they go?!

If your laundry is in a constant state of disarray, you’re not alone, and solving the problem probably isn't as complicated as you think. You don’t need tons of space to prevent your clothes from piling up in your laundry room or bedroom—you just need a reliable system.

“If I made a washer, it would only have one setting on it,” says laundry expert Patric Richardson.

Often, the laundry room becomes a catchall space for hard-to-organize items, like cleaning brushes, stain removers, and even rogue hangers. But applying the abundance of pantry organization tips and tricks to the laundry room is one resourceful way to whip this neglected area into shape quickly.

Not all stains are created equal.

Learning these things will save you frustration, time, and money—and keep your items looking their finest.

A laundry hack sweeping social media helped me save an entire load of laundry from indigo dye stains.

To get the yuck out of your towels, you'll need three things (that you probably already have at home).

When you’re culling through a collection, you should spend your time thinking about what you want to live with, instead of what you can live without.

Good ventilation is a sensible splurge.

It just requires a few small tweaks to your normal laundry routine.

Simplifying almost always means less. But when it came to solving my laundry problem, it turns out that simplifying means having more of something.

Parenthood is definitely full of surprises, but “Yes, I’d leave my 6-year-old alone with a Sharpie” is truly something I never thought I’d say.

Every now and then, in my nightly TikTok scroll, I find a life hack I absolutely have to try.

Get rid of your clunky iron for good.

It’s well known that germs can survive on soft surfaces like fabric.

Whether it happens at the laundromat, the laundry room, or just a tiny corner of your apartment where you stash the washer/dryer, Tide wants to take laundry day off your plate. This week, the detergent giant launched Tide Cleaners, an on-demand laundry and dry cleaning service “aimed at giving people the option to spend more time on life and less time doing laundry.” Although cleaning the bathroom is America’s most hated chore, doing laundry isn’t exactly loved.

Every kid with a piggybank knows that careful saving can add up. If you could find a way to save just $4 a week at the laundromat or in your own laundry room, you’d have over $200 at the end of the year to use however you like! Here are 8 simple steps I feel confident will put those extra dollars in the bank. 1. Wait until you can wash full loads.

When you don’t have a large kitchen or enough space for all of your appliances, it’s time to get creative. You’ll have to find space where you can salvage it, optimize your kitchen for maximum efficiency, so that it works, looks good, and still doesn’t feel cramped. The placement is also important, since you don’t want the washer and dryer column towering over your dinner table.

Dry cleaning kits *do* work a lot like dry cleaning does—but it actually isn’t necessary for most clothes.

What if you could have one stain-fighting solution to cover all your bases? And, better yet, what if it was even more effective than the alternatives?

We spoke to experts to find out so you can make the best, safest decision. Here's what to do with your clothes after running essential errands or a socially-distanced hang.

We worked with a laundry expert to put together a list of worries you don't actually have to worry about.