Please recall on Laundress Lucca's last pilgrimage to London, she attended the Queen's Jubilee. Last week, however, the reason for her call was the coronation and subsequent glittery and glamorous soirees that followed. Never one to miss a bacchanalian feast, she pounced at the opportunity to hang with her Anglo peeps. Unfortunately, Toby Metro was in Seychelles shooting a Women's Wear Daily cover of curvy maidens in biodegradable swimsuits. In an effort to curtail the endangered Lavender Turtle from consuming spent latex, these suits are made of hemp and slowly become more revealing as the season progresses. A hot seller on the Italian Riviera, the rest of the world has yet to discover said fabric that stands to go viral upon Toby's cover reveal.
Remember the days when we San Diegans had to fly to LA or New York to transfer planes to get to Europe? Times have changed as British Airways offers nonstop service over the pond on the new Airbus A350-1000.
A sleek new vessel with individual pods, privacy doors, Hermes amenities, and a swanky cocktail bar with plenty of celebratory swills.
After arrival and a quick disco nap at The Mayfair, The Laundress made stops at the Blue Point Oysterette at Claridges, Beluga Bar at Selfridges, and the Crystal Lounge at Lucy's Lair. Then, filled to the brim with the world's finest bubbles and plenty of black Beluga gold, she slithered to the reception at the Savoy for Dubonnet and Soda. And for this extravaganza, the soda was replaced with a Veuve Clicquot float; a toxic combination for those that imbibe.
Just as Lucca arrived, she bumped into Betsy Burgdorf, Alan Carlyle, and Nigel Marcus. Betsy's a Nebraska senator who runs in the same circles as the Laundress when in La Jolla for the season. Alan founded the online dating service "Love for All" based in Bankers Hill, and Nigel just designed and launched a new street sneaker picked up by The Harrod's Box Park.
All fabulous and accomplished individually, where this throuple really sparkled was in the boudoir. You see, in spite of Betsy's conservative Republican life in Lincoln, she abandoned her GOP platform and lived a scandalous, very liberal trilogy when in San Diego.
On the other side of the room, Laundress Lucca spotted international beauty and style guru, Sandra Denny. One snap of her fingers and she could raise hemlines so high the world becomes your gynecologist. Notorious for crystal ski runs in Switzerland and drug runs in Cuba, the woman is a walking hypodermic syringe. To put it mildly, the last mosquito that bit her had to check into the Betty Ford clinic. Recently on the wagon, her brief stay in rehab was the worst 8 hours of her life. Her stoic figure was emaciated, just like her brain. Yet, in spite of her shortcomings and internal challenges, her presence was flawless, and her wardrobe reflected her fashion-mogul status. Day or night, her signature Chanel sunglasses left the rest of the world pondering her next move. Flanked by her posse were live-in boy-toy Richard Farnsworth and gal-pal Trinket Milligan.
Deemed the most fragrant flowers in the world, the luscious aroma of the Stargazer and Casablanca lily is indeed intoxicating. The scent, albeit noxiously strong, is ethereal and harmless. Instead, it's the pesky stamens that cause all the strife. At a party as lavish and glitzy as the Savoy, it's just as easy to fall into tipsy bliss as it is to accidentally brush against a powdery lily stamen. Usually, a stain you don't notice until your return home, it's crucial to deal with it as promptly as possible.
How to remove pollen stamens from your clothes:
Pollen stains on clothing are a regular yet frustrating part of the dazzling blooms of spring and summer weather. Fortunately, there are at-home and all-natural measures you can take to remove pollen stains from fabric. Under a microscope, you can see that pollen has structures that help it attach to plants. The latching designs work perfectly for pollinating but make removal from clothing challenging. Be sure to avoid touching the pollen or attempting to brush or wipe it off; you'll only spread the powdery substance and work it deeper into the fabric. Rather, leave the pollinating to the honey bees and butterfly's; that's their beneficial job. Check out the following steps to remove pollen stains from the comfort of your home before you send all your laundry to Pacifica-Laundry.com.
Before you begin:
Because you want to remove the pollen without touching it and without letting the substance touch other areas of the clothing, begin to remove the stain while still wearing the garment. If you must take it off, remove the item very carefully and without letting it fold over or touch other areas of the garment or another stainable surface.
What you will need:
Equipment/Tools -
Washtub
Materials -
Masking or Scotch tape
Laundry stain remover
Laundry detergent
Instructions:
Shake out the pollen.
Shaking out the stained garment outdoors is advisable to remove as much of the stamen stain as possible. Hold the stained area face down so the pollen doesn't contact other parts of the garment.
Lift the pollen with tape.
Wrap masking or Scotch tape sticky-side-out around a few fingers, gently press the tape onto the stain, and lift the pollen from the surface. The more surface pollens you can remove, the more likely you'll be able to remove the stain entirely.
Rinse and soak using cold water.
Rinse the stained areas with cold water, running the faucet through the underside of the fabric. This will gently push the pollen away from the material. When you've removed as much of the stain as possible by rinsing, soak the garment in a washtub or sink full of cold water for 30 minutes.
Rinse again.
Rinse the fabric again to ensure you are removing as much of the pollen as possible. Then, if necessary, soak the garment again. You may repeat this as many times as you see fit.
Apply stain remover.
Apply your favorite stain removal product before washing. Let it sit for 10 minutes or as directed.
Wash as usual.
Wash the garment in the hottest water advised on its care label. Hot water will help activate the stain remover. However, ensure it isn't so hot that it damages your clothing or permanently sets the stain.
Air Dry.
Check for the stain before drying. Pollen stains may need several treatments to make them entirely disappear. If the stain remains after cleaning, repeat the above steps before drying the garment. Sometimes it's hard to see if a stain is completely gone while the garment is wet. To be sure, you can hang it to dry in a cool room and examine it afterward. Do not use a machine dryer until the stain has vanished.
Special Tip.
Hanging or laying out the garment in direct sunlight helps eliminate many pollen stains, especially those from light-colored pollen. If you've air-dried your clothing and still detected the blemish, leave it in the sun for a day or two to further lighten it before repeating the stain removal process.
When to call a professional.
If the garment is labeled dry clean only, take the item to the dry cleaner as soon as possible and point out and identify the stain. The same applies to a stain that damages a vintage garment. Again, you need to contact a professional cleaner, or else you will likely do more damage if you try to remove the stain yourself.
Additional tips for Handling pollen stains:
If the pollen stain persists despite multiple rounds of cleaning, you can try rubbing alcohol on the pollen. Blotting it with a clean white cloth, be sure to test for colorfastness in inconspicuous clothing areas before using the alcohol on the stain. Rinse the area thoroughly with water before washing the item.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Will Lily pollen stains come out?
Some lily pollen stains are very pale and easy to get rid of in a cold water soak. However, orange and red lily stamens can be a little trickier. They might require an application of rubbing alcohol if stain remover and laundering don't work.
Does yellow pollen come out of clothing?
Vivid yellow pollen is prone to making noticeable stains on clothing, but it can be removed. The key is not to wipe or rub the stain to spread and embed it further into the fabric fibers. Instead, take your time to shake off as much as possible, and then lift more pollen with tape to lighten the stain as a preparatory step prior to rinsing, treating, and washing.
How do you get pollen off outdoor cushions:
Because outdoor furniture is made to stand up to the elements, you typically can just hose off pollen. But, for more thorough cleaning, you can add a few drops of dish soap to a spray bottle of water and then scrub the furniture with the solution.
So the next time you splurge for the lilies at your favorite florist (Jolie Fleur in Del Mar comes to mind: Jolie Fleur; the fine art of flowers), keep in mind that too much to drink and lily stamens are a toxic brew for fabric and clothing.
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