Laundry: The Home Comforts Book of Caring for Clothes and Linens

by Cheryl Mendelson

Book Overview

For Cheryl Mendelson, laundering is the best part of housekeeping. It's full of physical pleasures--the look of favorite clothes restored to freshness and beauty, the tactile satisfaction of crisp linens in beautifully folded stacks. Good laundering preserves things you love and protects your pocketbook. It doesn't take much time or effort. What it takes is knowledge, and Laundry is the comprehensive, entertaining, and inspiring book...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0743271467
• ISBN13: 9780743271462
• Release Date: October 2010
• Publisher: Scribner Book Company
• Length: 416 Pages
• Weight: 1.38 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

I'm not kidding it was inspirational

Like most people growing up I despised laundry growing up, however after starting cloth diapering I began to understand the importance of doing it right even if I didn't enjoy it. After picking up this book I not only learned how to do things right but I've also come to enjoy a task I once loathed. I've noticed an increased softness, colorfastness and durability in my clothes after following the advice, and for a penny pincher like me that's been a major boon. I can also shop smarter for clothing, bedding and such thus getting more for my money. The only things I'd love to see improved are an improved understanding of all the types of cloth diapers out there and how they can laundered and still remain clean, a more detailed as the typical feel of certain materials particularly as they apply to clothing, a comprehensive section on "green" laundering, and the biggest thing-tips on how to get caught quickly without compromising the quality of the work. Also tips on how to pack clothes to keep them well maintained both for the winter/summer change overs and for moving. Unlike other reviewers I found this book to be essential in addition to Home Comforts because it does have some more information but more so because it is organized in a way that is quick to go through when I'm right in the middle of sorting or going to head out and pick up some dish towels. Also the science of laundry section really helped bring home the facts of laundry in a way that I felt the Home Comforts: The Art and Science of Keeping House didn't have time to get into. Even if you're not a domestic diva this book is a great way to improve the quality of your clothes, save money by keep what you have in good order, as well helping you make the best purchases when you're out (after all how can you call saving money if you spend $5 on something that will last two years and look bad in one as oppose to spending $20 on something that will last ten years and look good the whole time). Penny pinchers, the fashion divas, and domestic queens will all find this book vital (despite the feminine pronouns it's a must for men too).

Excellent resource!

I bought this book in hopes that it would help me figure out laundry. I really enjoyed Ms. Mendelson's book "Home Comforts" and I was certain I would find this as informative as I did the former. It is an extremely informative work! I am now approaching my laundry with a much different view from reading this book. It is designed to be both an instructional manual and a reference book, and I have often used it to figure out the warnings and options for different articles I have. I highly recommend this book!

Outstanding for fiber artists, seamstresses, and anyone who washes clothes

This is an excellent book, that I've been recommending to all my friends. I saw a review of this in the Handwoven Magazine, so I bought it. It not only gives excellent insight to fabric and fibers and their care, but goes in depth on how to do laundry. I never understood the difference between soap and deteregent, color safe bleach and clorox, pre-soaking, enzymes, the different cycles of the wash machine, the impact of temperature, softeners, laundry boosters, etc. This book explains it all. And the section on dealing with stains I've already used multiple times. HIGHLY RECOMMEND FOR EVERYONE!!

From washing and folding to fabric storage.

It's surprising to see a book entirely devoted to housekeeping and one might wonder what could be said about laundry which could occupy an entire book on the topic; but LAUNDRY: THE HOME COMFORTS BOOK OF CARING FOR CLOTHES AND LINENS actually holds many surprises. For one thing, it culls from the bestselling HOME COMFORTS newly revised, updated information on caring for cloth, from bedding and baby clothes to vintage linens. Details cover such specifics as when to disregard labels, how to remove stains, and how to properly store fabrics. Chapters also cover all kinds of care: ironing, folding, and washing. Homemakers will find LAUNDRY an invaluable reference.

Expansion and Improvement

Laundry is an expansion of a chapter of Home Comforts, true, but that expansion could be very worthwhile to someone interested in really organizing their home-laundering process (which sounds pompous, but that's what it is when you toss all that stuff in the washer). While it's true this isn't a necessary text it's certainly a noble contribution, and Mendelson's prose is still a delight.