The Laundress

Fall is on our doorstep and soon it will be time to bust out those cashmere sweaters! Although living in sunny, Southern California, it might be a little longer before I can bring them out from their cedar-lined drawer, but a girl can dream! When it comes time to clean your most luxurious knit, please forgo the dry cleaners- in my experience, the texture of the sweater is never the same and they often pill- instead, reach for The Laundress Wool & Cashmere Shampoo!

About a year ago I read an article about The Laundress in Real Simple Magazine. It was a New York based company run by two women who wanted to bring glamour and luxury back to the mundane task of doing your laundry. With an entire range of products (that I now can’t seem to live without) from stain solution to delicates wash to crease release spray; The Laundress provides a stellar product in beautiful packaging (you’ll actually want to display the bottles!). They offer three different scents: classic- a clean, fresh scent; lady- a more feminine, alluring scent; and cedar- perfect for the cashmere shampoo to keep those moths away!

The first time I used the wool & cashmere shampoo I was petrified. I couldn't believe I was actually going to wash my cashmere sweater by hand! What if I ruined it and it was never the same? Needless to say, I picked my least favorite sweater- a cheaper cashmere v-neck I got at Bloomingdale's. There was no way I was going to risk ruining my all time favorite cashmere sweater- a heather grey Vince cardigan that I received as a present from my parents years before. So I proceeded to wash the garment by hand using the delightfully smelling cedar cashmere wash. I did not wring the sweater when finished but patted and “rolled” it dry, as suggested. Then I laid it flat to dry. The following day, I went with nervous anticipation to check the status. It was amazing! The sweater seemed softer than when I got it! The “shampoo” actually conditions the material, and it had a divine, slight scent of cedar chips- not overpowering.

The bottles aren’t cheap, especially compared to the bargain basement laundry detergent you could find at say, Target. But with almost 30 washes per bottle, it is a steal! Just remember, you are saving money on dry cleaning!

www.thelaundress.com