Getting Thrifted Clothes Clean

I spent the morning at Salvation Army with my mom- we LOVE bargain hunting and you never know what kind of treasures you can find at the local Goodwill, Salvation Army or any other type of second hand shop. I love a great bargain more than just about anything else, but I don't love how I feel so grungy after pawing through the racks. Some nicer consignment shops require the pieces they sell to be dry cleaned immediately prior to taking them, but shops like Sal's and Goodwill aren't as discriminating.

If you're like me and get the heebie-jeebies when you think about wearing another person's dirty clothes, then this post is for you. I never wear a second-hand item without cleaning it first. Even if the garment still has the original tags on it, there's something about it being on a rack next to all the other potentially dirty clothes that gets my mind reeling and before I know it, I'm having nightmares about microscopic bugs infesting my closet. Ok, you really didn't need that visual, I know, but it's definitely something you should think about if you shop second hand.

I've bought clothes and accessories from vintage and thrift shops and not noticed their smell until I was home and it wasn't until then that I realized how overwhelming it was. Of course everything I buy second hand goes through the wash, but that doesn't always do the trick. Strong cigarette smoke, body odor and even some perfumes are absolute nightmares to get out. Fortunately, I have a few tricks up my sleeve for just such a situation.

For starters, make sure that you inspect every garment carefully in the store before you purchase.
1.) Look at all the seams to make sure they are all secure and free of holes or tears.
2.) Always check out the armpits and necklines for staining and discoloration- those are the areas that will have the worst discoloration. Deodorant may keep us from being stinky, but it is not always kind to our clothing.
3.) If the garment has a lining, check to make sure it is in as good shape as the outer part of the garment. Linings on coats, jackets, pants and dresses can be close to disintegration while the outside appears brand new.
4.) Hold knits and felted knits up to the light to look for moth holes. If your local thrift shop is warehouse-style and not particularly well lit, carry a small flashlight with you to get a really good look at the garment.
5.) Make sure all zippers and closures work and are fastened securely. The last thing you want is for a button or hook & eye to fall off immediately after you purchase.

Once you have determined the garment is in good condition and worth the purchase, go for it. Have it cleaned or take it home and wash it prior to wearing. If the garment still smells musty, or has a residual scent you want to get rid of (perfume, cigarettes, B.O., etc.), then grab a bottle of- you may be surprised- VODKA. I'm not kidding. Straight vodka acts as a disinfectant and deodorizer when used on clothing and even upholstery. Simply use a spray bottle filled with straight or slightly diluted vodka and saturate the garment, just like you would with a bottle of FeBreze. (I find it to be most effective if you spray both the outside and the inside of the garment.) Hang the garment in a well-ventilated area and let it dry. The vodka kills any bacteria in the garment and when it evaporates it leaves no scent behind. In my experience, vodka has removed all offensive odors from many different types of fabrics and textiles. In extreme cases, I've had to apply it two or three times before the smell would go away entirely. In those cases, it was usually the smell of stale cigarettes that was the culprit.

If a garment I see in a thrift or second-hand store has any kind of stain, I will always pass on it. Generally, the stains are old and set-in and I don't consider it to be worth my time to try to get it out. I would rather move on and find something that is stain-free. Occasionally, however, I won't notice a stain until I get home. In that case, I try to determine what it is and go from there. I posted a few months ago about getting different types of stains out. You can view that post here and apply the various methods to the stain you've found. In other cases, I may find I've stained a vintage garment myself. Usually it's that I've managed to get lipstick on the neckline or my foundation has rubbed off somewhere. In that case, I want to get the stain out, but because the garment is old, it's more delicate. I don't want to just spray it with Shout and toss it in the wash! That's when I go to the shower and pull out my clarifying shampoo. It doesn't have to be an expensive brand- in fact, I've had success with both White Rain and Suave brands in the past- usually they cost around a dollar or two at the most for a pretty large bottle.  To remove a stain using clarifying shampoo, simply take a damp washcloth and a small amount of the shampoo and massage the stain in a circular motion, allowing the shampoo to foam up a bit and continuing the motion beyond the stain. Rinse the area thoroughly and repeat until the stain is gone.

These tips can of course be used on clothing that has not been thrifted, too. Happy thrift shopping and cleaning!

Lancaster County Consignment

I am a huge fan of consignment and thrift shops- I'm always on the lookout for a bargain- I suppose that's why I love stores like Marshalls, TJ Maxx, and Target. It's also why I love a good outlet store. But buying cheap clothes and accessories isn't nearly as exciting as buying expensive clothes and accessories for cheap. Right?

Today I decided to visit a handful of consignment and second-hand shops in the Lancaster area and review them all for you. If you don't live in the Lancaster, PA area, I'm sorry, but if you ever come to visit, at least you'll know where to go for a bargain.

I didn't really go into this review process with a formal checklist- I decided to do this at the last minute, so it wasn't exactly planned out. Despite that, I think I have a pretty good review system figured out to make this clear and easy for you. I'll rate each store on a scale of 1 to 5 (1: poor, 2: fair, 3: average, 4: above average, 5: perfect) in the following areas: presentation/cleanliness, selection, and price. I'll also give a breakdown of what you can find in each store and a brief description of my experience and impression.

A little about each category and rating to start. Presentation/cleanliness is a really important category for me. I don't like feeling like I'm in a second hand shop. Whether you admit it or not, the less you feel like you're in a discount/thrift/second hand shop, the more enjoyable the experience. I prefer stores that are bright, clean, and organized. Selection is not necessarily about high end labels, but rather about variety. In other words, is this a shop for the preppy girl, the girly girl, the rocker chick or all three and then some? Finally, the price rating is determined by what you get for your money. In other words, the prices in a shop may be very low, but they also have mostly low-end garments, so it's not that great a deal. I'll be sure to explain my ratings. Enjoy!

Deja Vu
1521 Lititz Pike, Lancaster, PA

Shop Type: Consignment
Presentation/cleanliness: 4
Selection: 3
Price: 3
Plus size: Minimal selection
Formal wear: Yes
Jewelry: Yes
Handbags: Yes, mostly new
Shoes: Yes, minimal selection
Children's clothes: No
Menswear: No
Furniture/Home Goods: No

Deja Vu is picky about the pieces they will accept to consign. As a result, their selection is of a high quality, if not a high quantity. I prefer it that way, to be honest. The prices range a great deal, but overall you are getting a relatively decent price. They average a few dollars less than what you'd pay for something similar in Marshalls or TJ Maxx, but there are also some amazing bargains. For example, I got a pair of fun, sparkly shoes for only $2. In my opinion, the jewelry is a tad overpriced, but it also appears to be mostly new, as do the handbags.

Wearhouse Consignment
329 Main Street
Landisville, PA

Shop Type: Consignment
Presentation/Cleanliness: 2
Selection: 3
Price: 3
Plus Size: Yes
Formalwear: No
Jewelry: Yes
Handbags: Yes
Shoes: Yes
Children's Clothes: Yes
Menswear: No
Furniture/Home Goods: No

This store is located in a somewhat dark space- there is little natural light, so it has that "bargain basement" vibe to it. The racks are crowded and not as organized as they could be. Also, the store itself feels cramped and crowded. I rated the price "3" because I felt that while some prices were phenomenal (less than $40 for a pair of gorgeous Frye cowboy boots), I felt that others were way too high (almost $30 for a FAUX Prada handbag). When I considered each item at face value, I often couldn't understand the logic behind the pricing. For example, there was a pair of Old Navy ballet flats that were a little bit dirty- clearly they had been worn several times before. They were priced at $8. While $8 is not a lot of money for a pair of shoes, it would seem like a much better deal if the shoes weren't low-end and worn-out to begin with. Had they been brand new, and mint condition, then $8 would have seemed appropriate.  It seems that the Wearhouse isn't as selective in terms of what they are willing to accept on consignment and maybe they should be. What I liked about this shop is that the tags clearly display when the garment or accessory will drop in price. The dressing rooms were the cleanest, brightest area in the shop.

Divine Consign
37 Market Square
Manheim, PA

Shop type: Consignment
Presentation/cleanliness: 4
Selection: 4
Price: 4
Plus Size: Yes
Formalwear: Yes
Jewelry: Yes
Handbags: Yes
Shoes: Yes
Children's clothes: Yes
Menswear: No
Furniture/Home goods: Yes

This is one of the better consignment shops I've seen. They seem to have struck a good balance between carefully selecting their items while keeping the store well-stocked. The prices were the best of the day, hands down. They were also pretty consistent. Nearly every pair of jeans was under $15 including designer labels. In fact, there wasn't a lot there that I saw over $15-$20. I'll definitely be heading back there again soon.

RE:Purpose
342 North Queen Street
Lancaster, PA
(Inside Building Character)

Shop Type: Thrift
Presentation/cleanliness: 4
Selection: 4
Price: 4
Plus Size: No
Formalwear: No
Jewelry: Yes
Handbags: Yes
Shoes: Yes
Children's clothes: No
Menswear: Yes
Furniture/Home goods: Yes

RE:Purpose is one of the many vendor "booths" located inside Building Character and is run by two lovely sisters. The shop offers not only very gently worn clothing and accessories, but also discounted new pieces from a handful of high-end designers. The selection is fun and youthful and is constantly being updated. The sisters even travel around the world and bring back fashions from the places they visit to sell in the store. It's a very cool shop and they always have some sort of special sale going on as well.

Next To New
1920 Lincoln Highway East
Lancaster, PA

Shop Type: Consignment
Presentation/cleanliness; 4
Selection: 4
Price: 4
Plus Size: Yes
Formalwear: Yes
Jewelry: Yes
Handbags: Yes
Shoes: Yes
Childrens clothes: No
Menswear: No
Furniture/Home goods: Yes- across the street

Next to New was the most impressive of the consignment/thrift shops I've visited. The organization is stellar- clothing is arranged by type and within type by size and within size by color/print. Divine Consign was also organized this way and in both stores I felt the least like I was in a second-hand shop. It's all about presentation and those two shops do it best. What struck me about Next to New was the enormous selection of accessories- there is jewelry everywhere you turn in that store! And they had the best selection of handbags by a long shot. The shoes were about on par with all the other shops, but I noticed they actually carried quite a lot of large size shoes- 10-11. This store is also the largest of all the shops I visited, and the layout feels spacious, not at all cramped or crowded.

Well, I hope this review has been helpful to those of you who live in this area. If you are from the Central PA area and would like a review of a specific shop, let me know. I'll do my best to keep you informed. Since I shop so much in my line of work, I'm a good person to ask if you're looking for something specific. I shop in person at actual shops, but I also shop online a great deal. Feel free to ask if there's something you're looking for. I'll do my best to help you out!