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11 Clothes Cleaning Hacks

Also known as an excuse to buy white wine and expensive moisturizer.

Wellness
Bambi Northwood-Blyth
"First fashion memory is probably doing the shows in SS/10, going to Paris to walk for Balenciaga and CHANEL."
Dress, Saint Laurent

Some call it serendipity, we just call it, well, sh*tty luck. We're talking about how it's only ever when you find yourself on your way to something incredibly important and potentially life-altering—like an extremely daunting interview (you know, like with the likes of Carine Roitfeld?) or in the cab on your way to a Tinder date—that you spill. Usually, of course, said spill just happens to also be on the days on which you chose to wear white, or something similarly lightly-hued. We're not quite sure what gives us the impression that yes, a high-waisted white leather skirt is a sound, solid investment, but we're willing to bet it's comparable to the notion that red wine is the best beverage to balance precariously beside us while wearing said skirt.

It was our latest (and arguably, um, greatest) spill (buh-bye, suede Céline pumps—it was nice while it lasted) that inspired us to actually take action, though. Why sit idly by while that coffee stain only grows when we could salvage the (literal) threads of our relationship with a garment? And so we'd like to present (just in time for all of that red wine you'll inevitably spill all over yourself this weekend) a few handy-dandy clothes cleaning hacks (that's what the kids are calling them, right?) to save the day—and the shoes.


clothing stain removalSweat stains? Try equal parts lemon juice and water.
clothing stain removalSpill coffee all over yourself this morning? Try a paste of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide, or washing with half a teaspoon with white vinegar and two cups cold water.
clothing stain removalScratched your new leather jacket? Rub a little moisturizer on it.
clothing stain removalGot a little streak of Ruby Woo on your outfit? Sprinkle cornstarch or baking soda, then iron it out. Follow up with a little dishwashing soap after the fact.
clothing stain removalSpill red wine on your outfit? Pour a little white wine on it (it works, we swear) to dilute the stain, and follow up with salt to keep it from setting in.
clothing stain removalOil slick on your new leather trousers? Baby powder will soak it right up.
clothing stain removalSoak the ink stain in question in milk. Alternately, try a spritz of hairspray.
clothing stain removalForget what The Simpsons says. Try a mixture of digestive enzymes and plain water on the stain.
clothing stain removalStick with the tried, tested and true for mascara stains––a little of your stain remover of choice and dish detergent will do the trick.
clothing stain removalScratches on suede? Rub it with stale bread. No, seriously. Try it and then get back to us.
clothing stain removalDeodorant marks? Rub it with denim or panyhose.

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