Latest news with #JamesJoun
Yahoo
13-07-2025
- Lifestyle
- Yahoo
We Asked Cleaning Pros If Sorting Laundry Actually Matters, and We Wish We Knew This Sooner
Sort laundry by color (lights vs. darks) to avoid dye transfer. Separate loads of laundry by fabric, weight, and care labels. Prep clothes by turning them inside out, zipping zippers, and using mesh invest plenty of time and money in the process of selecting your clothes, so it's important to follow proper laundry instructions in order to care for your wardrobe as best as possible, to ensure that it will last as long as it can. If you're wondering how to sort laundry like a pro for the best results, we're here to help. Here, two laundry experts share their top insights regarding the steps to take when sorting laundry, how to best categorize various types of items into more specific piles for washing, and more, to ensure that you make the most of each Joun is the co-founder and chief operating officer of the on-demand laundry and dry cleaning pickup and delivery company, Rinse. Rechelle Balanzat is the founder of the clothing cleaning company, Next: Prime Day Is Almost Over! Here Are 107 of the Best Deals Still Happening Today First and foremost, you will want to sort your laundry by color before running a load. "Separating lights and darks helps prevent dye transfer and keeps your garments looking vibrant," James Joun, the co-founder and chief operating officer of Rinse, says. Rather than referring to whites versus darks, Joun uses the term "lights" to describe the former category of clothing, noting that he feels this is more accurate. "This category includes a range of white, off-white, and pastel shades—all of which are susceptible to dye absorption from darker garments," he says. Want more cleaning and organizing tips? Sign up for our free for the latest hacks, expert advice, and more! Once you have sorted your clothing into lights and darks, it's time to sort your piles further according to fabric type and care instructions, which we will detail further in the next section. Rechelle Balanzat, the founder of clothing cleaning company Juliette, explains how it's important to read and listen to clothing care instructions. "Care tags are your cheat sheet to keeping your clothes looking like new," Balanzat says. While not required, it can be advisable to wash items based on their weight as well, Joun explains, detailing the reasoning behind this in the next section. Delicates: Joun will place items that are labeled for delicate or gentle cycles in one pile; he shares that examples of pieces that may belong in this category include those made of wool, silk, lace, and other woven materials that are especially prone to damage. Athletic Wear: To protect the elasticity of these items, be sure to wash them in cold water and light detergent, Balanzat states. Heavy Items: Clothing such as jeans, sweatshirts, and towels can all be washed together, Joun notes. This is due to the fact that heavier pieces need to be washed for longer periods and may trap lighter items, which can affect cleaning results. Extra Dirty Items: Items that have been heavily worn or stained should be washed all together in hot water, Joun says, citing exercise clothing and kitchen rags as examples. Doing so will prevent cleaner items from absorbing dirt. Towels and Sheets: These can be washed at higher temperatures, which are needed to kill bacteria. Dry Clean Only Items: If an item's tag conveys that it is dry clean only, be sure to follow these instructions and do not place the piece into the washing machine in order to avoid permanent damage, Joun shares. Examples of such items include certain wool and silk pieces as well as structured clothing like blazers and outerwear. Turn items inside out as you go. While sorting your clothing into piles to wash, turn it inside out and zip any zippers, Joun suggests, noting that this will help to minimize wear during the washing process. Place laundry in mesh bags. Mesh laundry bags can come in handy when washing extra-delicate items such as lingerie, Joun states, and you can use the period while you're sorting your clothing to bag items as needed. Read the original article on The Spruce
NBC News
18-02-2025
- General
- NBC News
Experts explain what dry cleaning is and how it really works
We don't always have the answers, but we have some people on speed dial who do — which is why we present to you our series FYI where we have experts explain if lip balm is actually bad, how often should you wash your hair and more. Chances are, you have at least a few items in your closet that require dry cleaning. From a customer standpoint, dry cleaning is fairly simple — you just drop off dirty garments and then go back and pick them up when they're freshly cleaned and wrapped in those plastic garment bags. But what exactly is dry cleaning? Unlike throwing your clothes in a washing machine with some laundry detergent, dry cleaning is a bit more involved and is often used to clean more delicate pieces and fabrics that might get damaged if washed more traditionally. For a better understanding of the entire process, we turned to dry cleaning and textile experts to explain exactly what goes on when you drop your clothes off — plus, they shared the items that should be dry cleaned and tips on how to ensure your garments get cleaned properly. What is dry cleaning? A washing machine uses water, detergent and motion to get clothes clean. 'But dry cleaning is a cleaning process that uses a liquid solvent instead of water to remove dirt, stains, and oils from fabric,' says James Joun, co-founder and chief operating officer of Rinse, an on-demand laundry and dry cleaning pickup and delivery company. 'It is a process that is gentler on delicate materials and helps maintain a garment's original shape, texture, and longevity.' The solvents used in dry cleaning are made of fabric-safe chemicals. 'When applied, they clean the surface of the garment by dissolving and lifting dirt, oils, and stains without soaking into the fibers like water,' says Frej Lewenhaupt, co-founder and chief product officer of textile care company Steamery. How does dry cleaning work? Dry cleaning is a multi-step process that gently cleans a garment and removes any stains. According to Joun, when you drop off your items to be dry-cleaned, here is what happens: Garment inspection and tagging: Your item is carefully inspected for stains, loose buttons, missing embellishments, or damage. Then, a tracking tag is attached to ensure the garment is processed correctly and can be reassembled after cleaning. Pre-treatment spotting (stain removal): Any visible stains are pre-treated using specialized stain-removal techniques based on the type of fabric and stain composition. For example, dry cleaners will use tannin removers for wine stains or will use enzymes for certain food stains. Dry cleaning: Garments are placed in a large dry-cleaning machine, which uses a solvent that removes dirt and oils. While normal washing uses water to flush out dirt, the dry cleaning solvent cleans without saturating the fabric with water. The solvent is continuously filtered and purified to ensure the best cleaning results. The same machine can remove the solvent through heating, and the garments emerge from the machine completely dry. Post-treatment and pressing: Any remaining stains are treated again using spotting methods and potentially dry cleaned. Most garments, however, emerge completely clean and are then pressed, steamed, or reshaped to restore its original look and remove wrinkles. Final inspection, assembly and bagging: The garment undergoes a final quality check before assembly. Once the garment is cleaned, it is placed in protective packaging that shields it from debris during handling and delivery. What types of items should be dry cleaned? The easiest way to determine if clothing should be dry cleaned is to look at its care tag. If it says 'dry clean only,' you should follow those instructions. 'Garments that say this tend to feature fabrics that have difficulty maintaining their texture when they absorb water and then are exposed to high heat (i.e. machine dried),' says Joun. 'Items that say 'dry clean recommended,' can be washed at home. However, we recommend professional cleaning to help maintain their look for much longer.' Have items that don't have tags? Or perhaps you just want a basic understanding of the types of items that dry cleaning is best for. Garments made from wool, velvet, silk, leather suede or fur should be dry cleaned, as well as suits or items made with intricate beading or embellishments should all be taken to the dry cleaners, says Lewenhaupt. What happens if you wash a 'dry clean only' item? 'Washing a garment that should be dry cleaned can lead to shrinkage, a distorted shape, and changes to the fabric's texture,' says Lewenhaupt. 'For example, a wool sweater might lose its shape and size due to the fibers tightening.' Skipping the proper cleaning technique can also alter the color of your items. 'Some dyes used in professional garments are not water soluble and can lead to color loss,' Joun says. 'Washing them incorrectly can cause colors to fade unevenly or bleed onto other fabrics.' Trying to clean an item at home that should be dry-cleaned can also lock in stains. 'If a stain isn't treated properly, washing in hot water or drying can cause it to permanently set into the fabric, making removal nearly impossible,' says Joun. 'Oil-based stains — like salad dressing or makeup — are non water-soluble and instead require oil-based solvents which dry cleaning provides.' And if you accidentally wash a 'dry clean only' item at home, avoid putting it in the dryer. 'Instead, bring it to a professional dry cleaner as soon as possible to see if they can reverse some of the damage,' Joun adds. How to maximize your dry cleaning experience A few tricks can help you get the most out of your dry cleaning experience and ensure your garments are cared for as well as possible. Both of our experts agreed that communicating with your dry cleaner is key. Here are the things they suggest you chat about when dropping off an item: Point out stains: 'Let your cleaner know if there are specific stains on the garment and what caused them,' says Joun. 'Different stains require different treatments, and some stains can become invisible over time but darken later.' By giving them more details, your dry cleaner can customize stain treatment to remove the spot best. Mention delicate fabrics or special features: Though it may seem like they can just look at whatever you bring in, it's helpful to let them know if your garment is made of silk, cashmere, or has beading, lace, or embroidery. This will flag to the cleaner that they may need to take extra precautions, says Joun. Note any loose buttons, tears or repairs needed: 'Dry cleaners often offer minor repairs, so letting them know about a loose hem, missing button, or small tear allows them to fix it during the cleaning process,' says Joun. Even if they don't provide repairs, it lets them know to be extra careful around those areas. Fess up to at-home attempts: Don't feel bashful if you tried to clean an item at home or treat a stain. Be honest and mention what products you used, says Joun. 'Some DIY stain removers can react with dry cleaning solvents, leading to unexpected discoloration.' Meet our experts At NBC Select, we work with experts with specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and experience. We also ensure all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest. Why trust NBC Select? Bethany Heitman is a contributor at NBC Select and a journalist who regularly covers beauty, home and lifestyle. For this story, she interviewed experts on the process of dry cleaning.
