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Cash-more Cardigans

The problem with buying nice things is that you continually fear losing them or ruining them (one of the reasons Coco Chanel advised wearing costume jewelry over the real thing). My "nice" things include several high-maintenance cashmere cardigans (one of them just had its seventh birthday last week) -they pill, buttons pop off, they consistently endure wine and chocolate stains, but I love them and in the end, it's worth it to me to wash them by hand, comb them, and repair pulled threads.

I've used lots of gentle cleaners, including baby shampoo, but my favorite so far is the cedar-scented Wool and Cashmere Shampoo from the Laundress. It's not cheap, but you don't need to use much, and unlike dry-cleaning, which can disintegrate fibers, a gentle wash-and-lay-flat-to-dry preserves the fabrics' integrity so it lasts longer and stays softer - which, well, is kinda the point with cashmere. It also, of course, saves me the $10 dry-cleaning fee.

If you've got any amazing natural laundry tips that the world needs to know about, please share in the blog!

-Jenifer Morgan...off to chuck my less-nice things in the washer...

Posted by: hsnavely on 04/17/2008
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tralala  on April 17, 2008 at 12:02 PM 11
I'm looking for soap-based (rather than detergent-based) laundry soaps--if anyone has any ideas. (It's for a baby with eczema; am trying out the theory that detergents are harsher on permeable skin than soap.) We're currently using Charlie's, although as noted above it is actually detergent.
Anita Wilkinson  on April 17, 2008 at 12:09 PM 12
Michelle and I are on the same page. It's a customer referral system and anyone wanting more info can contact me at asbwilkinson@yahoo.com.
Liz  on April 17, 2008 at 01:52 PM 13
I second the 'dryer balls' comment above. They're reusable, unlike liquid or sheet fabric softeners. We have two or three sets of balls, because they migrate all over the house when a load of laundry is removed from the dryer. I hope people in hotter climates will be line-drying this summer. (It's hot enough already, why make more heat by running a dryer!) Unfortunately hanging things outdoors to dry is tough to do here in Seattle, because it rains so frequently.
Anita  on April 17, 2008 at 02:21 PM 14
I'm afraid most of us have weather-related challenges to line-drying clothes, in addition to bird droppings, no matter where we live. Most dryers have an air-dry setting.
Shera  on April 17, 2008 at 03:03 PM 15
Has anyone heard of Pink Solution? I know that it's been around forever and I've been told that it's "green", but I don't know anything else about it...any thoughts?
Dawn  on April 17, 2008 at 03:33 PM 16
I'm surprised Trader Joe's laundry detergent wasn't mentioned. It's cheaper than many grocery-store versions and vegetable based! (A note about dryer balls--I used those for a while, but stopped because they were wearing out my clothes and towels and adding to static cling. Maybe tennis balls would be better, but I find no fabric softener to be a fine solution.) Living in California, weather isn't often a deterrent to hanging laundry--time is, and so is how stiff the clothes end up afterward. Anyone have a way to soften line-dried clothes?
Anita  on April 17, 2008 at 07:20 PM 17
There are lots of alternative products out there that are safer than the typical grocery store brands, but none that I know of offer their customers the opportumity to share in the company revenues except the line that I use. I've found the line of green products that I want to use and they reward me for telling others about them. I know they're free of toxic chemicals and safer for my family and the environment, so why would I look elsewhere? For those of you still searching for the perfect products, contact me at asbwilkinson@yahoo.com
Michelle  on April 18, 2008 at 05:23 PM 18
I'm surprised that no one has mentioned using cold water to do laundry. The most significant environmental impact associated with laundry is the use of enrgy to heat the laundry water. Everything else pales by compariosn.
Danielle  on April 18, 2008 at 08:45 PM 19
Right on for cold water to do laundry! I use cold water for my laundry,except when I do the final wash on diapers. Cold works great,even on the dirtiest work clothes!
Linda  on April 21, 2008 at 02:27 PM 20
Good ideas, I guess, but they're way too pricey for my meager budget. (Besides, I don't want my clothes smelling like geraniums! I HATE the smell of geraniums!) I'd be interested in trying the Laundress Stain Remover, though. (I wonder if it gets out rust stains.) As for dry cleaning, the only piece of clothing I wear on a regular basis that needs to be dry cleaned is my winter parka. As for other clothing, if it can't be tossed into the washer, I don't bother with it. I can't afford dry cleaning bills.
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