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Lemons in the laundry.
When life gives you lemons, there’s more than lemonade. The citric acid in lemon juice helps break down stains and brightens whites – instead of bleach, add a cup of lemon juice with your regular detergent. An old trick to remove rust stains still works better than chlorine. Moisten the rusty stain with lemon juice,…
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Chino season.
Warm weather means chinos for most guys, dressed up with a white cotton shirt, dressed down with t-shirt or polo. Chinos come in colors way beyond khaki; we’re seeing classic blue, green, grey, brown and black. For a crisp tailored look, let us clean and press all your cotton trousers and shorts. For home care,…
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No more free pour.
Want your laundry to look dingy gray? Too much detergent will leave unrinsed soil in your garments and the over-sudsing will stress your machine’s pump and drain system. The manufacturers would love you to use more, but if you want clean clothes (at lower cost) stick with the minimum recommended amount, and use the measuring…
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Après swim.
Beach wear care. Three easy tricks to get more swim from your suit. Before you jump in the sea, or the pool, take a shower and saturate your suit in fresh water. Pool and seawater can deteriorate stretchy fabrics and fade colors. Keep your creams and suntan products on skin and off swimwear. After the…
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Wedding emergencies.
Even the best-laid plans can go awry. Double-sided tape, super glue and safety pins can rescue a dropped hem or slippery strap. Sticky zippers yield to a little candle wax rubbed into the teeth. Greasy makeup stains or lipstick can be blotted up with a stain removal wipe, then hidden with baby powder. The most…
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Summer travel.
Travel plans for summer, big or small? Use plastic dry cleaning bags like tissue paper when you pack. Tuck the bags between your folded clothes to reduce wrinkling. They’re great to wrap around shoes, too. We’re happy to package your garments for travel, folded and individually wrapped in plastic or paper, ready to slip into…
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Hot dogged?
Yellow mustard is one of the toughest stains, so act fast if your sandwich squirts on you. Get it to us, pronto. Our stain experts will get the yellow spot out, and we never charge extra for regular stain removal. The sooner we get to work, the better your chance of stain removal. So celebrate…
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Thrifting, part 2
Know your brands and remember that big names like Givenchy license their name for low quality mass-market garments. Avoid synthetics in vintage clothing and just skip anything made in the third world. With few exceptions, there’s no reason to buy used clothing that was made to be low cost. Speaking of cost, use your smartphone…
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How to thrift, part 1
Know your fit and know what can be successfully altered. Carpe item. In other words, grab it when you find it. Time your visits to take advantage of thrift store stocking schedules. Look for damage. Hold it up to natural light and check for spots, holes and stains. Then try it on to make triple…
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Happy Fourth of July.
In the words of Harry S. Truman, “America was built on courage, on imagination and an unbeatable determination.” Today we celebrate the courage, imagination and determination that has made this a great country. We’re with our families today, celebrating our nation’s freedom, liberty and blessings. Happy Fourth!