Celebrate your affection with the one you love Monday, the day we honor matters of the heart. And if you end up with a lipstick stain, chocolate smear, champagne spill or other unexpected souvenir, bring it to our professional stain removal experts.  

When powder makeup gets on dark clothing (always when you’re in a hurry) ignore the instinct to brush it away. Rubbing spreads the mess and pushes the powder into the fabric. Blow it off, using canned air, hair dryer or your breath. Makeup remover on a cotton ball should pick up what’s left. We can…

When a forgotten tissue in the pocket hits the washing machine, it quickly decomposes into tiny shreds of paper that get everywhere. Pick off the bigger pieces before letting the dryer’s lint trap do its job. Remove while damp and shake out remaining scraps, use a clothes brush or lint roller to finish.

Fabric mask care. Keeping washable masks clean and fresh is made a lot easier with a mesh laundry bag. Like delicate lingerie, a mask is small, is prone to tangles and can get beat up by larger and heavier laundry items. We use mesh laundry bags every day to keep delicates in shape and safe through the…

Deicing products, like salt, are a welcome relief from slippery sidewalks and driveways. But when salty slush and water splash on your clothes, the chemical solution can pull color, leave rings and create permanent stains on your winter clothing and shoes. Before your snow-spattered trousers, skirt or outerwear show the signs of damage, bring them…

You can safely home launder pet bed covers, collars and leashes on the gentle cycle in cold water with an all-purpose laundry detergent. Throw in grimy washable chew toys. Use small loads but use large-load settings to flush out hair and dirt.  Tumble dry on lowest setting or air dry.

Notice a white buildup under shirt arms?  Reader’s Digest offers a few tricks to remove antiperspirant residue on cotton and poly-blend garments. An hour soak in white vinegar can loosen stains and odors. Lightly scrub the stained areas, then launder as usual. A baking soda paste, left in place from 20 minutes to overnight, helps lift stubborn…

Sorting laundry into darks, lights and colors is just the first step. Darks include anything with deep-color dyes like black, red, navy, brown or dark gray. The lights are all whites and pastels. Color includes pink, lavendar, orange, yellow, light blue and green. Multiple colors in a print? Choose for the dominant color unless there’s…

Before you start a load of laundry, check buttons, pockets and zippers. Fasten buttons on jackets, knits and pants, zip zippers and secure drawstrings with a safety pin. Remove fabric belts and wash separately. For dark garments like jeans, turn inside out to preserve color. Stick delicates and small items in a mesh laundry bag…

Deicing products, like salt, are a welcome relief from slippery sidewalks and driveways. But when salty slush and water splash on your clothes, the chemical solution can pull color, leave rings and create permanent stains on your winter clothing and shoes. Before your snow-spattered trousers, skirt or outerwear show the signs of damage, bring them…