-
1 week ago | 
nytimes.com | Andrea Barnes
Before microfiber cloths became ubiquitous cleaning tools, humble household rags reigned supreme. Rags could be anything: old cotton undershirts, accidentally bleached towels, or a holey (and embarrassing) pair of tighty-whities. When I was growing up, my family’s favored rags were plump, cotton cloths, which we used for everything from dusting furniture to polishing brass. These cloths also happened to be diapers — reusable cloth diapers, to be specific.
-
3 weeks ago | 
nytimes.com | Andrea Barnes
A quick stroll through your grocery store’s cleaning aisle or a scroll through #CleanTok might have you considering a switch to laundry detergent sheets. Yes, there’s a lot to like about them. Laundry detergent sheets are solid, lightweight, and easy to use, and they come in recyclable, cardboard packaging. Unfortunately, our testing revealed a pretty major downside: They suck at removing stains, and they’re even worse at removing odor, especially in cold water.
-
1 month ago | 
nytimes.com | Andrea Barnes
Whether you regularly face serious stains or simply want your grubby laundry fresh and clean, a good laundry detergent can do it all—without irritating your skin or your fabrics. We pitted more than 35 detergents against a slew of stains and odors (on all kinds of laundry, from stained T-shirts to smelly socks). Tide Ultra Oxi Powder Laundry Detergent and Tide Free & Gentle Liquid Laundry Detergent consistently and effectively removed a wider variety of stains than the competition.
-
1 month ago | 
nytimes.com | Christine Cyr Clisset |Caira Blackwell |Rosie Guerin |Abigail Keel |Andrea Barnes
Listen and follow The Wirecutter ShowApple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube | iHeartRadio | Other platformsIn the final part of our stain series, we tackle trickier listener questions–from eliminating fishy odors to whether you can truly remove paint stains.
-
Aug 21, 2024 | 
nytimes.com | Andrea Barnes |Rosie Guerin |Caira Blackwell |Christine Cyr Clisset |Abigail Keel
Listen and follow The Wirecutter ShowApple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube | iHeartRadio | Other platformsThis week, we go deep on laundry—what you may be doing wrong, how to pretreat stains, and the tips and tricks to make it all easier.
-
Jul 15, 2024 | 
techtelegraph.co.uk | Andrea Barnes
Cleaning a handbag or a purse is harder than it looks. That’s because purses are usually not designed to be cleaned at all. These days, the construction of many higher-end handbags—fabrics mixed with leathers, dyes that can bleed from one part of the bag to another, glues and base materials that may delaminate if they come into contact with certain solvents—can create a litany of problems that make them tricky to clean, even for professionals.
-
Aug 16, 2023 | 
wrctr.co | Andrea Barnes
KitchenDining and entertainingFYIAfter a new round of testing, we continue to recommend the Magic Chef MCIM22/HNIM27, and we now also recommend the Igloo IGLICEBSC26. August 2023If you love cold drinks, a countertop ice maker might make your day. These machines tend to be more alike than different.
-
Aug 11, 2023 | 
nytimes.com | Andrea Barnes
How to Clean Smelly Sneakers in the Washing MachineAndrea BarnesReporting for WirecutterIf you break into a cold sweat when you’re asked to remove your stinky sneakers at the airport or a friend’s house, it could be time to rethink how you treat odor in your shoes. Here’s how to wash away the stench by using your washing machine →Andrea BarnesBefore you start, confirm that your sneakers will tolerate being machine-washed.
-
Aug 7, 2023 | 
nytimes.com | Andrea Barnes
After the wash cycle ends, you may be tempted to throw your shoes into the dryer. Don’t! According to our sources, air-drying your sneakers is a better approach. The glues, rubber, and foam used to make shoes are likely temperature-sensitive, and a dryer’s heat could ruin them. You can air-dry your shoes, insoles, and laces outdoors or on the ledge of an open window. If that is not an option, place them in front of a fan.
-
Aug 7, 2023 | 
wrctr.co | Andrea Barnes
We independently review everything we recommend. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more›HomeCleaningIf you break into a cold sweat when you’re asked to remove your stinky sneakers at the airport or a friend’s house, it could be time to rethink how you treat odor in your shoes. Fortunately, with the help of a few simple tricks, you can wash away that ripeness. The best part? You can safely do so in your washing machine.
