Fresh off the recent release of his debut book Laundry Love: Finding Joy in a Common Chore, Twin Cities–based laundry expert Patric Richardson is front the center of a new series that will be streaming on discovery+ and broadcast on HGTV. The Laundry Guy’s premise is that Richardson will help show that hope is not lost for cherished items once considered unsalvageable. The series follows Patric as he listens to clients’ meaningful stories behind irreplaceable pieces, from wedding dresses and baby blankets to stuffed animals and vintage coats, and then carefully restores the items to mint condition.
Patric Richardson. Image courtesy Discovery
Throughout the season, Patric brings new life to his clients' most precious possessions, including removing stains from a decades-old denim three-piece suit and cleaning a 1930s-era child's coat and hat.
He also provides solutions for other common problems with garments, such as removing stains, reviving fading colors and treating the most delicate fabrics without sending them to the dry cleaners. In addition to mending the pieces, Patric offers families the expert knowledge and tools they need to preserve them in the future.
See a preview of the show on Patric’s Facebook page.
Locally known for his sold-out “Laundry Camps” and as the owner of Mona Williams women’s clothing and gift boutique at the Mall of America, Patric has been waving the banner for the art of laundering for years. When he first launched his Laundry Camps, I interviewed him for Minnesota Monthly. Here’s an excerpt from our conversation:
Why did you decide to start a blog on cleaning?
So many people ask me, “How do I get out such and such?” It just kind of started happening, because I carry [high-end detergent brand] the Laundress [at Mona Williams], and people ask about how to care for the items they buy from me. I tell people that I wash my suits, I don’t dry clean anything. And then word spread. Then there’s also people who love to talk about laundry. There are a couple of people who talk about laundry in the context of a lifestyle blog, but no one who is doing a blog just on laundry, apart from laundry brands themselves.
How did you first develop a passion for laundry?
My mother and grandmother were meticulous about laundry—everything was ironed, everything was pressed, everything was perfect. When I was 10 years old, I wanted to iron my own clothes. It really happened when I got into college, because I wanted nice clothes but I didn’t have dry cleaning money, and I was getting a textiles degree, so I was lucky enough to be able to get advice from my professors.
How did you come up with the name, the Laundry Evangelist?
Oddly enough, the Star Tribune came up with the name. I was going to call the blog the Launderer, someone said, “No you’re proclaiming your love for laundry, so you should be the Laundry Evangelist. It suits you.”
I hear you’re not a fan of dry cleaning. Is it really possible to hand- or machine-wash items that say “dry-cleaning only” on their tags?
I haven’t gone to the dry cleaner in three years. The manufacturer wants you to enjoy your garment for the lifetime of the garment, and the dry cleaner will do it appropriately. So they put it on there because they don’t want you to ruin the garment. A lot of care tags in Europe will tell you how to wash things, because Europeans are more familiar with washing more delicate fabrics.
You also are anti-bleach. What’s your alternative?
The problem with bleach is it’s so harsh. It may get the result you want, but it’s so hard on the garment. You can use hydrogen peroxide or an oxygen-based cleaner. The Laundress makes one.
What are your top three laundry tips?
I’ll give you five. Button everything up before you wash it (it will reduce the abrasion, which will make your clothing last longer), use the shortest possible cycle in the washing machine; use less detergent, because I can promise you’re using too much; pre-treat everything—I keep a bottle of vinegar nearby, it’s a great stain remover and it’s not hard on your clothes; and don’t bake your clothes in the dryer, because it’s hard on your clothing.
The Laundry Guy will be available to stream Wednesday, March 31. The first episode also will air on HGTV on March 31 at 9pm CST. Learn more at hgtv.com. You can also buy his book, Laundry Love, on Amazon.