Those three dirty words... 'HAND WASH ONLY' (PUN INTENDED)

Those three dirty words... 'HAND WASH ONLY' (PUN INTENDED)

Ok friends...  Lets talk dirty, as in dirty clothes.  'Hand wash only' garments are commonly found in 509 as well as tons of other specialty retail establishments.  Unless we are dealing with a graphic t-shirt please know that the chance of a garment needing to be hand washed is around 85 percent.  Some people see a label that reads 'hand wash' and instantly fall out of love.  I'm not being dramatic.  I've literally seen people take one peak at the care instructions and go from 'can't live without it' to 'I think it has head lice' in milliseconds.

I just want to clarify a few things.  First of all... please note that shopping a 'boutique' by definition is a business that serves a sophisticated or specialized clientele.  Sophisticated and specialized people are required to do sophisticated and specialized things in order to keep their title.  I'm kidding... which leads me to my second point.  Nearly every washing machine made after 1990 has a delicate or hand wash cycle.  Pretty simple folks.  You put the 'hand wash' garments in and you set it to the hand wash cycle.  It is as basic as washing towels.  You got this!  

When it comes to drying, you have a couple options.  You can hang dry on a rack, a chair, a bike, a ceiling fan, or even a hanger (gasp.)  You also have the option of using the permanent press or delicate cycle on your dryer. Thirdly, there are garment tags that read 'dry clean only.'  'Dry clean only' and 'hand wash' are TOTALLY different.  My recommendation is to only buy 'dry clean only' items if your intention is to throw it out when it gets too dirty to wear.  

Lastly, I have a $20 secret that might be a real game changer for you.  You can purchase a hand held or travel sized steamer on Amazon for $20.  This little tool is super handy and super simple.  You fill with tap water and plug in.  In 90 seconds you have steam.  A couple swipes over your garment and you are wrinkle free!  Definitely steam your apparel on a hanger.  I do not recommend attempting to steam something from the inside out while you are wearing it... steam is HOT... just trust me on this little tip.
Cheers to more game changing tips in the future!  Thanks for reading.