Latest news with #KarenLeonas
New York Times
06-05-2025
- General
- New York Times
I'm Wirecutter's Laundry Expert, and My Favorite Cleaning Cloth Is a Diaper
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. When I asked my neat-freak father, Richard Thomas, why cloth diapers have been his rag of choice for 45 years, he answered enthusiastically: 'They're absorbent, they don't leave lint — they really cannot be beat!' Cloth diapers — Gerber Prefold Birdseye Cloth Diapers in particular — have also become my default household rags for the same reasons my father uses them: They clean up spills, they dust well, and the cotton weave leaves no fuzz. Due to their interlacing birdseye weave, my favorite cloth diapers are especially absorbent and terrific for cleaning. Andrea Barnes/NYT Wirecutter Gerber Birdseye Prefold Cloth Diapers consist of three layers of 100% cotton. The interlacing birdseye weave makes the fabric especially absorbent, explained Karen Leonas, a professor of textile sciences at Wilson College of Textiles at North Carolina State University. Cotton is also biodegradable, a detail I appreciate when I'm cleaning with cloth diapers. I've found that these diapers are great for mopping up spills. This might sound pretty obvious, but they really do soak up large amounts of liquid. I've used cloth diapers to clean up many different kinds of vibrant spills, like coffee, tea, and red wine. One downside is that cloth diapers tend to hang onto these types of stains if they aren't laundered quickly. A cloth diaper will thoroughly absorb spilled coffee. Andrea Barnes/NYT Wirecutter I recommend washing cloth diapers in cold water, with Wirecutter's top-pick powder laundry detergent; the added kick of oxygen bleach helps manage odors and stains. You can use warm water for an extra stain-removing boost, but I've had good results using cold water. I swiped this frame with a cotton diaper, and it easily picked up dust. Andrea Barnes/NYT Wirecutter When it comes to dusting, the birdseye weave creates a durable cloth that produces very little lint. And for dusting, cloth diapers wipe away debris as well as single-use dust pads. But if you're like me and you'd prefer not to throw away something every time you dust, cloth diapers are a great alternative. Cloth diapers don't leave behind the streaks of fuzz you often get when wiping down a mirror with a paper towel. And this is ideal when you want a speckless shine. A cloth diaper leaves a mirror shiny and free of streaks and lint. Andrea Barnes/NYT Wirecutter They're also great for spot-cleaning carpets, upholstery, and clothing. The first line of defense for treating fresh liquid stains is to soak up as much of the fluid as you can. Despite being small enough for a baby's rear end, Gerber's cloth diapers can easily absorb a surprising volume of fluids before needing to be wrung out. In our testing, they easily held about 4 ounces of liquid. I used a cotton diaper to soak up as much spilled wine from this carpet as possible. The diaper absorbed a lot of the red wine stain, making it much easier to spot-clean. Andrea Barnes/NYT Wirecutter Cloth diapers also come in handy in the laundry room. As Wirecutter's resident laundry expert, I've found time and time again that for fresh clothing stains, it's typically best to blot up the excess liquid before you pretreat and wash the item. I used a trusty cloth diaper to mop up excess berry juice from a pair of leggings before pretreating the stain. Andrea Barnes/NYT Wirecutter. And cloth diapers can quickly soak up pretty much any moisture or fluid from fabrics. They are ideal when you're handling fine or delicate materials that are not colorfast; quickly absorbing moisture from these garments can help prevent excess dye from bleeding. Cloth diapers will also do this without leaving lint on your favorite delicate vintage item. This large, tarnished silver tray had seen better days. With the help of a cloth diaper and some silver polish, the tarnish began to wipe away. Andrea Barnes/NYT Wirecutter Cloth diapers are great for polishing fine metals that are easily scratched, such as silver, brass, and gold. The soft material is gentle on surfaces, and it handles metal polish well, so the tarnish can be effortlessly wiped away. (Be warned that for a particularly grimy item, you may need to use more than one cloth diaper.) Once the tarnish was completely gone, I used a fresh cloth diaper to buff the silver tray to a shine. Andrea Barnes/NYT Wirecutter Cleaning with reusable cloth diapers might sound odd, but even Gerber suggests holding onto them for tasks other than diapering, including cleaning, dusting, and even washing your car. Wirecutter editor Signe Brewster first started using cloth diapers as burp cloths for her children, and now they've become her go-to cleaning rags. One downside is that cloth diapers need to be laundered fairly often. And, as with any rag, reusing cloth diapers without washing them could potentially allow nasty microbes to flourish — or, worse, you could accidentally spread them from surface to surface in your home. According to Sean Cormier, chair of textiles development and marketing at Fashion Institute of Technology, cotton fibers take longer to dry than the synthetic materials typically used in other cleaning cloths. This extra moisture creates an environment that can allow bacteria to flourish, especially if a cloth diaper is crumpled into a ball and thrown in a hamper. So be mindful of what you use the diapers for. I'd suggest reaching for something else to clean smelly food spills, bodily fluids, or other pungent substances that are prone to bacterial growth. (If you won't be washing your cloth diapers for a while, you can prevent odor and stretch the time between laundering by rinsing them in hot water with a little bit of dish soap and hanging them to air-dry.) Otherwise, clean away. My dad was right. These diapers really can't be beat. This article was edited by Ingrid Skjong and Megan Beauchamp. If you harbor a morbid curiosity about what exactly makes up the grayish, fluffy stuff that accumulates in your home, we've got you. Most microfiber cloths are essentially the same, but after weeks of testing, our cleaning writer liked Fixsmith Microfiber Cleaning Cloths best.
Business Insider
24-04-2025
- General
- Business Insider
L.L.Bean's crisp percale cotton sheet set is our favorite of all time
I've tested numerous sheet sets for our guide to the best sheets. In my opinion, the softest, most comfortable, and most durable sheets are easily Pima Cotton Percale Sheets. Trendy, direct-to-consumer brands often rely on glitzy photos of beautifully made beds to attract attention. stands out by quietly mastering the fundamentals: simple design and high-quality materials. Read on for more about why I think these sheets are the best option for most people. Design and materials Pima cotton is an extra-long-staple cotton. The yarns are smoother, stronger, and more resistant to abrasion than long-staple and short-staple cotton, according to Karen Leonas, a professor of textile sciences at the Wilson College of Textiles, NC State University. This is why sheets feel so good, despite the low thread count. When it comes to cotton sheets, material matters the most. "When finding sheets that will last and provide comfort and a relaxing night's sleep, take a look at the material first and thread count second," Ave Bradley, senior vice president of design and creative director at Kimpton Hotels, told us. That's why the sheets are still so soft and comfortable: they have a low thread count, but they're made from long-lasting, high-quality cotton. Weave is also important. The pima cotton in the sheets are a percale weave. This refers to a specific type of weave in which one cotton thread is woven over another into a tight grid pattern. The result is an airy, breathable fabric with a matte, crisp feel. Percale differs from sateen, another popular kind of cotton weave in which three or four threads are woven over one thread into a looser grid pattern. Sateen is silkier and shinier, and it has more of a tendency to snag. The sheets aren't particularly exciting in terms of color options (there are nine, including white, yellow, light blue, and gray) or design flourishes (they feature a simple hemstitched detail). For about $10-$20 more, you can get the sheet set in simple floral, checked, or windowpane patterns. They're unassuming but versatile. Some thoughtful features are less apparent from looks alone. The inside of the fitted sheet has labels for the long and short sides, so it's fast and easy to change your sheets. And it has a generous depth of 15 inches, accommodating most mattresses. Quick tip: Thread count doesn't matter as much as you think. Thread count is the number of yarns per inch, horizontally and vertically, but some brands manipulate the definition of a yarn to create an artificially high thread count. After a certain number — around 500-thread count — the difference in feel and durability isn't noticeable. Comfort and durability I could immediately tell the difference in just my first few nights of sleeping in the sheets, and they continued to feel super soft through many more nights of sleep and many more washes. After nine months, they hadn't torn, developed holes, or pilled. In addition to being soft, they feel cool — resulting in a pleasant silky smooth effect — and don't trap heat. Unlike sateen-weave sheets, which have a luxurious silky feel but tend to trap heat, the percale sheets are breathable and airy. They're perfect for people who sleep hot or for warm summer nights. I could sleep in them year-round since I love to stay cool at night. Kinsley Searles, home and sleep fellow, also tried percale sheets. "I'm a hot sleeper and I absolutely love these sheets," she said. "The percale weave feels crisp and soothing against my skin. They're noticeably cool when I crawl in bed at night and don't overheat throughout the night. Rather than waking up with the sweaty blankets thrown off of me, I'm always happily snuggled into my bedding in the morning." Care The Percale Sheet Set can be machine-washed and dried, but the tags do not go into specifics. Laundry experts recommend washing cotton on the hottest setting it can tolerate and drying on low. heat. This is a major perk since other types of sheets, like bamboo sheets or linen sheets, require more intensive care. We didn't notice any tearing, pilling, or shrinking after washing and drying these sheets, so they're sure to last for many laundry days to come. Value Given the quality materials and premium feel, we think the $169 price tag for a queen set is well worth it. These sheets will last you years, so they're worth the investment. While there's no warranty or trial period for sheets, they do have a one-year return window. If you're not happy with your sheets, you have 365-days to return them. You'll also have to pay a $6.50 return fee to cover shipping costs. Cons to consider While it's difficult to find flaws in our favorite sheets, we do wish there was a larger color and pattern selection available. The neutral color range is versatile, but we'd love to see some brighter colors or patterns as well. Searles also noted that the flat sheet was prone to wrinkling, even when removed immediately from the dryer. This isn't uncommon for cotton bedding, however. These sheets also aren't OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified. The product description says that the sheets are tested for harmful chemicals, but they aren't certified by any official organizations. What are your alternatives? For a smoother, softer cotton than percale, sheets with a sateen weave are a perfect option. Our favorite budget sateen pick is the Threshold Performance Sheet Set. These silky sheets fit the bed like a glove. We also love the Brooklinen Luxe Core Sheet Set which is similarly priced to the Percale Sheet Set. For another percale option, Searles suggested the Brooklinen Classic Core Sheet Set, which nailed the crisp, smooth construction she expects from percale. If you're looking to try cooling fabrics besides cotton, the Quince Bamboo Sheet Set is our top pick in our best bamboo sheets guide. Like percale cotton, bamboo sheets are known for their cooling properties, but have a slicker hand. For more options, read our best sheets guide. The bottom line Comfort and quality should be a couple of your top priorities when you shop for sheets, and nails both with its Pima Cotton Percale Sheets. They're the softest I've tried in my years as a product reviewer, and I love that they're fairly priced for all their benefits.
