12 supplies that make doing laundry way easier, according to a pro dry cleaner

When it comes to the best laundry detergents, Pozniak says this heavy-duty tub from Tide takes the cake (and whatever else happens to be sticking to your clothes). 

"I've tested about 100 laundry detergents and Tide Hygienic consistently earns the No. 1 spot," he confirms. "No need to use more than two tablespoons though, even for large loads."

For delicates and natural fibers, Pozniak recommends Soak Laundry Soap, which he notes is formulated without the enzyme protease, which can harm delicate materials like silk and cashmere. 

"What's nice about this product is you don't have to rinse after use, which really cuts down on hand-washing time. It's a wonderful product to keep in your suitcase if you need to clean while traveling, too."

Pozniak considers oxygen bleach, which is color-safe and isn't made with chlorine, one of the best laundry detergent supplements someone can own. "Oxygen bleach attacks the color-causing molecules of stains and corrects them slowly over time," he explains. 

"For best results, soak your garments in hot water (ideally above 140°F) overnight with some powdered oxygen bleach and rewash after. Oxygen bleach requires lots of heat and time to work, so patience is key."

"Ensuring you have an all-purpose enzymatic stain remover in the laundry room is very important," says Pozniak. "These products quite literally digest stains thanks to the use of a suite of enzymes." 

For best results, he suggests applying a spray like OxiClean to the stain and letting it sit for at least an hour before washing. "Pro tip: Keep a bottle of this next to your hamper and treat stains before them tossing in. The longer this sits on a stain the better it'll work (don't exceed a week though)."

For food messes, Pozniak considers this stain treater from Miss Mouth's a go-to. "It's a handy product to keep in your bag," he says. "Its use of citric acid means that it immediately neutralizes the color in tannin-based stains like red wine and berries. Just make sure to wash your garment after treating it with this." (See how he uses it to remove tough wine stains in this video.)

Why choose between a deodorizer and a fabric softener when you can have both? At least that's Pozniak's thinking behind this multitasking formula from Downy.

Safe for all fabrics, the "product uses very low pH citric acid to perform another round of cleaning and deodorizing during the rinse cycle," he notes. "This replaces fabric softener so you don't have to use one or the other!"

If you still can't get to the bottom of an odor, it could be time to bring in reinforcements.

"Sometimes even the best detergent, rinse product and stain removers can't sort out malodor," Pozniak explains. "Laundry sanitizers are specially designed to attack viruses and bacteria which are often the cause of stink!"

He advises following the instructions on the label for best results. "Usually you either need to soak your items with this product or add to the fabric softener slot in the washer."

A handheld steamer is one of your best resources for combatting creases, and this one comes backed by experts — and more than 2,000 reviewers — for its efficiency and versatility.

"It heats up really quickly, is quite light given that it's an all-in-one handheld system, there is minimal 'spitting' (when the water comes out in large drops which can cause rings) and it has a metal plate, which means you can basically touch any fabric to provide a bit of ironing!" says Pozniak.

The compact size makes this steamer ideal for traveling. According to Conair, it also kills up to 99.9% of germs on contact.

If you want to manage lint, you're going to need a good lint brush. "This is the brush us dry-cleaners use," says Pozniak of this bestselling brush/shaver hybrid. "It's very durable and the plastic fibers are great for allowing solutions to penetrate the fibers of a garment so they work to the best of their abilities."

It comes in a range of color and kit options and is backed by more than 14,000 Amazon customers.

"Wool and silicone balls can help provide spacing in the dryer so your garments dry more evenly," notes Pozniak. "Nothing worse than taking out tumbled sheets with a few wet spots remaining!"

These dryer balls are a No. 1 Amazon bestseller — with more than 63,000 positive reviews — for their natural material and quick-drying capabilities (see here for a good silicone alternative).

Pozniak is in good company when he says microfiber towels are a cleaner's best friend. He advises applying a cleaning solution to the towel and then wiping outward when cleaning clothing or accessories. "This allows you more control when cleaning items like leather boots," Pozniak explains. 

You can wash and reuse these cloths, but Pozniak says, "When washing microfiber, never use fabric softener. And I highly recommend washing any synthetic fabric with the GuppyFriend Washing Bag to minimize microplastics in our waste water."

He also likes mesh bags: "They're super useful when it comes to washing delicate items or things that are easily lost, such as socks and shoelaces."

This set is made from fine mesh and has over 7,000 five-star ratings. It's currently on sale for a little over $5 a set, or less than $2 per bag — a small price to pay for keeping your belongings organized and intact, especially when it comes to expensive bras and other intimates.