Some people have a thing for shoes. My thing is pants. Good pants are like a magic diet pill that instantly makes you feel and look...better!  The problem is that good pants are usually not cheap, so when my family and I got caught in a sudden downpour in the middle of a tennis match last week, my only thoughts were of my favorite white pants hanging on the clothesline, "My pants!"

I ran home and rushed to the back yard just in time to save my pants from getting completely soaked in the rain. I brought them into my bedroom and carefully hung them over a clean chair to dry. Only then did  I go get the rest of the laundry. 

If you do a lot of dry cleaning or have some nice clothes in your closet that need cleaning, here's the scoop on handwashing even an expensive pair of pants that might say "dry clean only". The only pants I ever send to the cleaners are my wool slacks that might shrink when washed with water. I've never had a problem with hand washing cotton, linen, silk or synthetics and encourage you to try this method for all your delicate items that you wouldn't throw in the washing machine.

1. Pre treat any stains with some stain fighter or even plain old dishwashing liquid. Rub it in, rinse out, and rub some more.