Yay! Spring is here. This is always a time of renewal, fresh flowers, fun colors, and yes, cleaning! When it comes to your wardrobe, a good rule of thumb is, if it's says, "dry clean only", then take it to the dry cleaner. Everything else (aside from silk, leather and suede), you can wash at home.
Since our skin is our largest organ, I like to use a non-toxic laundry detergent. It's so easy, I make it myself! Just 3 ingredients: castile soap, baking soda and washing soda. I've included the recipe here and an option to buy the same detergent if you don't want to make it yourself.
Coats
With buttons and embellishments, this is best sent to the dry cleaner at the end of the season. However, don't forget to take it OUT of the dry cleaning bag as the fumes can ruin your clothes if stored in the bag.
Sara, a client and friend, modeling her printed puffy coat from Land's End after seeing me buy a patterned one on the Discover Paris with a Stylist fall 2013 trip. You can see more pictures of Sara's coat (and mine), on the StylishAfter40.tumblr.com blog.
Puffy Coats
Sometimes you can wash a puffy coat yourself (definitely read the label). If it doesn't say "dry clean only", then when it comes to the dryer, throw in a tennis ball to help fluff up the stuffing.
Embellished gloves I bought at the MaxMara outlet on my Discover Milan & Lake Como trip. I love the jewel on the left ring finger - so chic!
Scarves & Gloves
I like to hand wash these half-way through the winter since they touch my skin and face nearly every day.
You can use a little liquid Dr. Bronner's castile soap in a sink full of water (fabulous non-toxic option), or I like to use Soak, which is a biodegradable, phosphate and fragrance-free no-rinse formula that pulls the dirt out - no rinsing required! This is ideal for items that absorb a lot of water like sweaters, tights and scarves. I love it so much that I sell it on my site.
Sweaters
I have a separate blog post (and video from my favorite and very trusted dry cleaner in New York City, Wayne Edelman of Meurice Garment Care). Again, you can use Dr. Bronner's or Soak and wash them by hand - wool and or cashmere.
Denim
Denim items need the least amount of attention and care. Don't be so quick to throw these in the wash too often. Turn your jeans inside out before you wash them and remember, it's the heat that causes colors to fade. I put my jeans in the dryer for 10 minutes and then let them air dry the rest of the way.
White Blouse
White items can be tricky because sometimes, a garment has been dyed to look whiter (I wrote a blog post about that here). Dry cleaning is very hard on clothes, so if you can, wash it yourself and then you can have them pressed at the dry cleaner (a lot less expensive, too!).
For pit stains, as soon as you can (don't let the garment sit), rub a bit of lemon juice and water onto the stain. You can also add a little salt to help lift the stain quicker. Let it sit for a few minutes, then rinse or toss in the wash.
Silk Items
I've hand-washed silk items before and I don't recommend it. The water seems to remove the shiny-ness from the silk. While your silk top won't shrink if you wash it yourself, it will look a little dull (dry cleaning doesn't mean an item doesn't get wet - it just means there is no water involved). Take these items to be dry cleaned.
My mom in a gray leather top from BCBG as seen on my other blog, StylishAfter40.tumblr.com
Leather and Suede
Just like silk, I trust these fabrics to a professional. I can buff out a small water spot or dirt with my trusty suede brush, but if the whole item needs to be cleaned, I take it to the dry cleaner.
Shoes
I have found that it makes a big difference if I show my shoes a bit of TLC after each wear. Okay, woah! I know this sounds like a lot, but in the summer, my sandals hold up a lot longer if I quickly wipe out the inside (with a damp cloth, towel or just a tissue). This helps removes any sweat or dirt that has accumulated.
I do this with my high heels - after a night out or a work event, I quickly wipe off the outside and the inside sole before I put them away. For flats, I don't brush them off every day, but I do check the sides for dirt or salt and give them a once over every now and again. Everyone appreciates a little extra attention :)
Boots
For boots, the best thing you can do is to take them to a cobbler and have them cleaned and polished before you put them away at the end of the season. This will make sure you don't leave any dirt or grime on them. And of course, be sure to wipe off any salt or water if they are not weather proof so you don't look down and have a ton of stains at the end of the winter.
Handbags
While Marie Kondo, the best-selling author of "the life-changing magic of tidying up", believes in taking everything out of your bag at the end of each day (I'm trying to implement this practice), a handbag can be cleaned at the end of each season.
If it's leather, a good leather cleaner is a must since it will clean and condition your bag (if leather isn't treated, it can get dry and crack). I sell a $5 leather cleaner on my site that you can use on handbags, boots, leather seats and more.
Be sure to always wipe down the handle as this gets the most dirt and oils from our hands. I've heard of many people using baby wipes (this will also work for the inside of your shoes), but I use a leather cleaner. Clean out the inside (all those wrappers and crumbs, right?) and always store your bag upright - on a hanger or stuffed with tissue or old t-shirts if stored on a shelf (a slouched over bag just never looks right after it's been sitting like that for several months :).
I hope this list of cleaning tips was helpful. It makes my life so much easier each time I pull something out (a pair of boots, heels or a sweater) and it's ready to go. Cleaning it not my favorite, but it feels so good once it done!
Is there something I forgot? Let me know your secret cleaning tips!