Wild about Woolite

I think a lot of reasons Kelly and I started PixiesDidIt! had to do with our grandmothers. We were blessed with two and while one gave us the run of her house, the other was so strict that one of her bathrooms was off limits to us, strictly for her and “proper” guests only. As such, the bathroom became almost mystical — it helped that it was completely pink and had flower shaped guest soaps in a glass bowl. It also had a retractable clothesline as it was here that she hand washed and dried her underclothes in Woolite so they would last—something my other grandmother never seemed to do as her bottle just gathered dust and she bought new underwear when it inevitably wore out. But, now Woolite has new detergents that will help even the laziest laundry personality types—sorry Grandma B., okay, more relaxed laundry personality types—make clothes last longer.

Our two grandmothers had diametrically opposed personality types — Introverted Organic Freedom (INFP) and Extraverted Classic Structure (ESTJ) — and that their laundry, and other household habits actually reflected quite nicely the genius that personality type. As an Organic Freedom (NFP) myself you wouldn’t think that I would end up doing laundry like my Classic Structure (STJ) grandmother because I don’t pay attention to detail unless I have decided to obsess about something, and I’m very impractical and tend to forget that I’m even doing the laundry, and as such it can seem to go on ad infinitum. But, probably because of the environmental influence of my Classic Structure (STJ) grandmother, and the fact that I struggled financially in my 20s, I have always separated out my delicates from my whites, colors and darks, and I have always washed my delicates in Woolite. What I didn’t realize until Kelly and I learned about this new detergent was WHY you used Woolite on your unmentionables in the first place.

Apparently most commercial detergents have enzymes in them that break down all the nasty food and bits that get on your clothes, which is great of course, except that because most clothes are also often made up of the same molecular substances as the stains, the enzymes ALSO attack the fabric, which means your clothes will end up faded and full of holes in a New York minute. Today’s fabrics aren’t actually cheaper; today’s detergents are that much harsher. It’s why my mom had to give up her cozy linen nightgowns which wore out in less than a year. It wasn’t the linen mom, it was the detergent! Woolite doesn’t have those enzymes, which means it’s much safer for your clothing — and hello in these uncertain economic times — it’s nice to keep your old clothes looking new and fresh longer than they might otherwise.

So now Woolite is competing with the Tides of the world for a piece of the regular laundry detergent pie and frankly they had me at — here’s a way to keep your clothes looking new longer. We think any personality type who is cost-conscious is going to care about that, and naturally this will appeal to those actual budget hawks we like to call Funs (SPs) and their equally thrifty counterparts, Classics (SJs). These types — especially the fact based Fun Structures (STPs) and Classic Structures (STJs) — will appreciate that this new Woolite — it’s called Woolite Everyday — has metal attachers that protect clothes from all the nasty minerals and metals that naturally occur in everyone’s water. Even if you wash your clothes in just water they’ll still get just as beaten up as they would if you wash them.

Woolite Everyday will also appeal to the get it done types, Classics (SJs), Organic Structures (NFJs) and Smart Structures (NTJs). One of the reasons my mom never separated her “delicate” linen nightgowns is that she wanted to get the wash DONE. As an Organic Structure (NFJ), she had a list of things to DO and the extra step of separating out certain clothes would have made the chore that much more annoying and longer. With Woolite Everyday, there’s no need for an extra step for your delicates, you can just throw in your underthings with the regular wash and it’s as if they’re all on the delicate cycle. And as someone who prides herself on being able to rid her husband’s clothes of baked on grease, my clothes are just as clean as they were before. And if you aren’t one of the get it done now kind and are fastidious about your laundry — hello Funs (SPs) and laundry obsessives of all types, Woolite still has its original delicate formula that you can use to handwash or run on the delicate cycle. Plus Woolite also has this detergent for dark colors that has similar attachers that stop the dye from jumping ship. I haven’t tried it yet but how awesome would it be to have your dark jeans STAY dark??

And for those other types who don’t pay attention to detail and for whom we always recommend keeping all unpleasant household tasks to a “one-step” process — yes we’re talking about Smart Freedoms (NTPs) and Organic Freedoms (NFPs) — Woolite Everyday is a one-step no-brainer. Its cost is on par with the other major brands and the money you’ll save in not having to buy new clothes all the time is the kind of bargain even spacey mothers who let their children play with their jewelry, shoes, clothes, and anything else that’s not tied down, can get behind. Our grandmothers didn’t agree on a lot — but they did have a lot of mutual respect for each other — and they would both agree on this one.

Woolite has a cool pop-up boutique in Soho featuring vintage clothes that have been washed with Woolite at 372 W. Broadway, New York, NY 10012. Check out their Facebook page for more info. They also have a cool Pinterest page with lots of laundry myths illustrated on great designed cards with which you can bother your friends who insist on not drying their clothes in the dryer as if it will damage their clothes less, using blue detergent as if it will actually get their whites whiter, and using hot water as if it will actually get their clothes cleaner. Oh and if you’re a Twitter person, then follow them here. Frankly, if I wasn’t at home with my newborn I’d definitely be checking out their pop up shop this week!