CONTENTS

Author’s Note

Preface

Introduction

PART I: ABOUT LAUNDERING

1 Gathering, Storing, and Sorting Laundry

2 Carefully Disregarding Care Labels

Glossary of Care Label Terms and Symbols

3 Washers, Dryers, and Other Laundry Room Equipment

4 Laundering

Glossary of Laundry Products and Additives

5 Drying the Laundry

6 Ironing

7 Folding Clothes and Linens

8 How to Launder Tricky Items

9 Common Laundry Mishaps and Problems

10 Sanitizing the Laundry

11 Removing Stains from Fabrics

Guide to Stain Removal from Clothes, Linens, and Other Household Fabrics

12 Science for the Laundry

PART II: LIVING WITH CLOTH

13 Fabrics That Work

14 Aprons, Dish Towels, and Rags

15 Beds and Bedding

16 Textile Furnishings: Carpets, Rugs, and Upholstery

Glossary of Rugs and Carpets

Guide to Carpet and Upholstery Stain Removal

17 Sewing

18 Closets for Clothes and Linens

PART III: ABOUT CLOTH

19 The Fabric of Your Home

Glossary of Fabric Terms

20 Transformations

21 The Natural Fibers

22 The Man-Made Fibers and Blends

Notes

Acknowledgments and Sources

Index