The Truth About Discovery Plus' New Show The Laundry Guy
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Laundry expert Patric Richardson brings all his squeaky-clean expertise to his series "The Laundry Guy," and we're officially obsessed with getting the dirt on just how to get our dingy whites as bright as possible.
Streaming on Discovery+, "The Laundry Guy" shows Richardson going home to home and restoring age-old treasures thought to be tarnished forever. Combining sentimentality with tons of DIY laundry tips, Richardson brings his impressive cleaning knowledge to the forefront as clients watch lost pieces come back to life (via HGTV). Sharing tips from his book "Laundry Love: Finding Joy in a Common Chore," just published in March, laundry never seemed so exciting until now.
In the series, Richardson works with several clients who bring old, family gems like wedding dresses, baby blankets, or even stuffed animals so they can be restored. Once the items are brought back to life, clients and viewers alike are shocked at the transformation. As Richardson told HGTV, "we wear our lives' stories — from first dates to wedding days to bundles of baby joy. When it comes to stains and the stories behind them, everything comes out in the wash." That being said, the cleaning part isn't always that easy!
Richardson's laundry journey
Richardson's journey to become a total laundry expert was a long and winding one. As the television host and writer told Media Village, his love affair with laundry began at three-years-old when Santa brought him a toy washing machine. In fact, one of his earliest memories is "handing [his] granny clothespins" for hanging up the wash. Richardson's passion for laundry only continued as he grew older when he asked his mother to wash his clothes more than once a week (via Star Tribune). When she said no, the future laundry expert resorted to washing clothes himself, getting the best age-old tips from his grandmother. By college, Richardson was teaching his peers how to wash clothes correctly, and once he started working in luxury stores like Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus (via Seattle Times), taught clients how to wash $900 cashmere sweaters.
Before long, Richardson helped a woman get rid of a stain from an heirloom napkin, inspiring both his book and upcoming series. Coupled with the sold-out Laundry Camp he offers at his Mona Williams store at Bloomington's Mall of America, which teaches students how to clean their clothes the right way, Richardson quickly rose to notoriety for his expertise. Interestingly enough, the expert only uses vinegar, vodka, rubbing alcohol, non-toxic soap, or a bleach alternative to get rid of any stain.
The laundry evangelist's unexpected tips
Richardson has some unusual tricks up his sleeve when it comes to getting tough stains out, and lucky for us, the "laundry evangelist" is keen on sharing them. As per Yahoo, the show host believes everyone should have vodka in their bar and their laundry room. According to the show host, the alcoholic drink eliminates foul odors with just a quick spray. To illustrate his point, Richardson talked to Apartment Therapy about a client whose hugs always leave him smelling like perfume. He explained, "I go in the stock room and have one of my sales people spray me with vodka to take that away." The inventive host assures that vodka's scent disappears when dry, and as a natural antibacterial and odor-remover, can be sprayed on gym bags to smelly clothes.
On his show, the "Laundry Guy" uses all kinds of unexpected supplies to brush up everything from wedding gowns to three-piece suits. Some magic tricks? Richardson is a fan of using balls of aluminum foil in the dryer to eliminate static, mesh bags for delicates, oxygenated bleach for foul smells and stains, and even advocates for using less soap to make clothes cleaner (via Seattle Times). Other tips include soaking clothes overnight in hot water and salt to insure colorfastness, wearing jeans 10 times in between washes, and using a mix of water and olive oil to stretch out a shrunken wool sweater back to its original size. Yep, genius!
Laundry is Richardson's true passion
There's no doubt Richardson loves his job, and sees it as a lifelong vocation. As he told Media Village, "It is incredibly rewarding ... it gets me choked up because it reminds me of my granny and my mother and even my dad," explaining that being a laundry expert is "like being a florist, times ten. I don't think it gets any better than that. I get to use this gift, this knowledge of textiles, and laundry." On the show, Richardson can be found restoring a soot-stained wedding gown that survived a horrific fire, or a Snoopy stuffed animal that gave someone comfort when emigrating — and he wouldn't have it any other way.
Bringing Southern charm and a love of storytelling, Richardson is a fun, charismatic, warm show runner, helping all the featured clients on "The Laundry Guy" restore treasured possessions. Richardson told HGTV, "Laundry is a kind of love language. It's a privilege that I get to wash these things for my clients," which only furthers the host's emotional perspective of laundry. Now, excuse us as we practice our laundry skills while watching this incredible show!