07/15/2020

Can Perfume Have a Negative Impact on your Clothing?

Perfume dates back to 1370, and I suspect was created to help mask the fact that folks didn’t bathe daily, but today perfume is so much more than a potion for masking odor. Scents seem to invoke memories of people or places more so than anything else. For instance, two summers ago we went to Cuba, and I designed a special perfume concoction make of lavender, vanilla, and peony, and whenever I put it on, my thoughts immediately go to memories we made while there.

What’s the Proper Way to Apply Perfume?

Apply it to your pulse points – inner wrists, base of your throat, behind the ear lobes, behind your knees, and at your inner elbows. Placing it at these pulse points will cause it to react with your body and emit the scent throughout the entire day. And remember, let it dry completely before dressing.

Why Let it Completely Dry?

Many perfumes contain alcohol and if sprayed directly on a garment, it can leave an oily-looking spot or cause discoloration. The easiest way to keep this from happening is to apply before dressing.

What do You do if You Have Perfume Marks on Your Clothes?

If the garment is machine washable, we recommend the following:

• Soak the garment in a mixture of warm water and a small amount of laundry detergent with a color-safe bleach.
• Without rinsing the garment, place the item in the washer and launder according to the directions on the care label.
• When the cycle is complete, check the garment to ensure the spot has been removed before placing it in the dryer. Remember, heat from the dryer can cause a stain to set.
• If it has been removed, dry according to the care label’s directions. If not, you may want to consider taking it to a professional.

If the garment is dry clean or professionally wet clean only or is silk, we recommend dropping it off at one of our locations. When it comes to perfume or any cosmetic product stain removal, you can trust A Cleaner World to keep your garments looking their best.

“A woman who doesn’t wear perfume has no future.” – Coco Chanel