Without a doubt, one of my most frequently asked blog questions is how I take care of my clothing (especially silks or other delicate fabrics). And it’s a good question, because a lot of consciously and fairly made clothes are expensive, so of course we want them to hold up well and hit the cost-per-wear we’re looking for.
I’ve been washing my clothing exclusively with products from The Laundress basically ever since I started blogging. I realized that promoting taking care of your clothes was an important part of my sustainable fashion mission, and I have had a great experience with their products. Their line is plant-based and cruelty-free, and is based on fiber science to give your clothes their longest life possible.
Because The Laundress’ laundry and fabric care products are more expensive than what you’d find at the supermarket, I know people wonder if it lives up to the hype (spoiler alert: it does!). So, I thought I’d review every product from The Laundress that I’ve tried in this post, so it’s all in one place for you. I’ll update it as I try new items, as well!
A few key laundry tips before we dive in:
- I always hang my clothes to dry, except for some older pajamas and some undergarments.
- Most items labeled “dry clean” can be laundered at home. Read the care label to determine the fabric content and washability.
- When an item is labeled “dry clean only,” the best way to care for it between cleanings is to treat it with a fabric spray and steamer in between dry cleaning sessions.
The Laundress Delicate Wash ($19): This is the product that EVERYONE wants to know about, so it’s first on the list. If you are only going to purchase one thing from The Laundress, let it be this. I have washed all of my silk items with this detergent, and they have held up beautifully. When I’m doing laundry, I ask myself, “Would I be devastated if I ruined this item in the wash?” – if the answer is yes, I use this detergent because I know the item will be washed perfectly. I have also used it on anything dry clean (not dry clean only), including one of Matt’s suits that he realized he forgot to dry clean the night before a business trip. It has a subtle, pleasant scent. The only downside of this product is I notice that sometimes my items come out still a little sudsy, even if I use a very small amount. I always rinse things twice when I use it.
The Laundress Wool & Cashmere Shampoo ($19, gifted but I have purchased it in the past): I don’t own a lot of wool & cashmere sweaters, because I am sensitive to a lot of fibers. So the ones I do have are really, really nice and don’t make me itch, and I’m meticulous about taking care of them. This shampoo has a nice cedar scent to keep pests away, and it is pH-neutral fabric to be gentle on wool, cashmere, merino, mohair, and blends. Most knits should be hand-washed (the agitation from the washing machine can shrink them) though to be honest, I always use this shampoo in the washing machine. I don’t have a woolens cycle, so I do a pre-soak and wash on cold, delicate and lay flat to dry. Everything has turned out great! If you don’t want to dry clean your sweaters, this is a must-have.
The Laundress Denim Wash ($19, gifted but I have purchased it in the past): I wear a lot of denim, as you can tell, so I was eager to try out the denim wash! This wash blends detergent, fabric conditioner, and color guard to soften and preserve denim. It uses The Laundress’ Classic scent, a “clean laundry smell,” blending lily of the valley and jasmine with sweet musk, sandalwood, and a touch of citrus. I haven’t seen a significant difference in my denim since using this, but I like it and feel like this detergent is about the long-game of keeping your clothes lasting longer. My denim is still stiff after air drying (so I’m not sure how much I’d say this softens denim), but it seems to be preserving the color of my jeans nicely so far.
The Laundress Sport Detergent ($19): The Laundress Sport Detergent helps to remove perspiration, odor, and stains, and is designed for all performance fabrics, including nylon, spandex, cotton, and synthetics. I usually just wash my workout gear with the Signature Detergent or Delicate Wash, but sometimes I splurge on this, especially since I work out more often since getting into The Bar Method. I don’t think this one is a necessity, but I do have some expensive leggings and like that this is designed specifically for performance fabrics. For me, the benefit of this is in the fabrics it is designed to help upkeep, as the odor removal efficacy is the same as the other detergents, I find.
The Laundress Stain Solution ($18, gifted but I have purchased it in the past): This works incredibly well and is highly concentrated to treat up to 200 stains. It works on grease (I am a messy cook), makeup (both on the neckline of my clothing or my face masks) and other miscellaneous stains. I have not tried using it on red wine as I haven’t needed to (fortunately!) but will update you if I do. It generally removes the stain in one wash cycle, whereas other stain removers I have tried sometimes take two or three washes. I do wish it came as a spray, as other stain removers often do. I find that a bit easier to apply and work with.
The Laundress Signature Detergent ($20.50, gifted): I like this detergent. It’s long-lasting, with 64 washes in each bottle. I like the Classic scent and that I can wash my everyday items with a plant-based, cruelty-free detergent. I’d prioritize purchasing The Laundress’ more specialized detergents, like the Delicate and Wool & Cashmere washes, over this, but this is a great detergent if you have the budget to spend a bit more for your general laundry. My one complaint (which really applies to all Laundress detergents) is that it is difficult and messy to measure the detergent in the small cap provided, and I sometimes get frustrated and just squirt a bunch of it into the wash, so I may not be getting 64 washes in reality, haha.
The Laundress Fabric Fresh ($16): Also featuring the Classic scent, this spray is designed for freshening clothes in between washes. I liked this one until I tried the No.10, which I prefer (but both are great!). I think it is most useful in the travel size for when you need to freshen up in a pinch.
The Laundress No.10 Fabric Fresh ($16, gifted): I am OBSESSED with this. It is my second favorite item from The Laundress, hands-down, after the Delicate Wash. It smells so good and I spray it on everything, from sweaters that need freshening up, to bedding, to couches, to rugs. It has a powdery yet woody/musky smell and it is just perfection. The scent could be a bit longer lasting; it dissipates after an hour or two. But it’s so nice to use after tidying the house or right before guests visit.
The Laundress Delicate Spray ($10): I don’t feel really strongly about this item. I wanted to give it a try, but if my delicate items need freshening I usually just wash them, since I likely didn’t wear anything underneath them. I do wish it came in a travel size, though.
The Laundress Wool & Cashmere Spray ($10): I also don’t use this spray much (because I love the No.10 so much) but it works well on some of Matt’s knits and is nice to have when you just want to freshen sweaters up. Since most people wear a tee under their sweaters, you don’t really need to launder them as often, so this is helpful for giving them a refresh.
The Laundress Sweater Stone ($18, gifted): This really works. I have a few heavy knits that got really badly pilled (check out my Instagram for a Reel of the Sweater Stone in action!) and had tried all those fabric shavers to no avail. This worked perfectly to remove big pills and make my sweater look good as new. Just make sure to glide it in one direction, and carefully.
The Laundress Mesh Washing Bags ($34): These are my third favorite Laundress product, because I get so much use out of them. These bags are SUCH a good size – the large one can fit my heaviest, bulkiest sweater (or multiple sweaters) and the small one can fit lighter-weight garments or undergarments. They’re worth it to protect some of your favorite, most delicate items.
The Laundress Collapsible Hamper ($26): We use this hamper in our laundry room for towels and other linens, and it is really sturdy. The wire has popped out of a lot of collapsible hampers I’ve owned in the past, and this one is still going strong despite heavy use. It is also just so cute!
The Laundress Large Zip Storage Bag ($45): I use this to store some lesser-worn or lesser-used sweatshirts, jackets and tote bags in my closet. It’s sturdy and keeps things safe from my cats, and is a nice neutral color. A solid storage option. I also prefer fabric storage bins because I find I can squeeze more in them than I can in the plastic storage bins.
Thanks for reading! Is there any product not on the list that you want me to try?
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