Introducing Wilton London. A fresh approach to laundry.

A couple of weeks ago, I sat down to write a blog post about washing. I know a fair bit about how we should wash our bed linen, but am quickly discovering that I know very little at all about washing powders and liquids. Each day we are making choices about what to put on our clothes and bedding to freshen and clean them. Do any of us know what goes into these bottles, and fragrances? Most with names that mean nothing. What is ‘Laundry Fresh’? I realised that I had a lot to discover.

No sooner had I finished writing my tips, an e-mail popped into my inbox, the title was ‘You smell nice’

Sam had sent me a note about his brand new washing detergent business, Wilton London (named after his home street ‘Wilton Way’). The timing was perfect, meant to be I thought. I went to meet Sam the very next week. I have tried Wilton and I must say, I’m not sure that I’m going to use another detergent again.

Sam is the most enthusiastic person about washing I have ever met, and I have been to many professional laundry’s. Meeting Sam was a complete pleasure, and I learnt loads. I thought you might like to meet him too.

Hi Sam

Great to meet you.

So, I am now a fan of your washing liquid, it’s staying in my home. I would really love to introduce you to our customers, would you mind answering a few questions?

Let’s start at the beginning, why washing liquid, where did it all start?

Well, I don’t have a big, clever or touching story. I just didn’t like any of the laundry products I was using. I’m a big fan of smelly candles and anything that smells great – but all the laundry detergents I used smelt cheap – or smelt great out of the bottle then disappeared when my washing dried. So, I made my own laundry care range – and now my laundry smells amazing – even if I say so myself.

Why liquid rather than powder, and what is the difference?

The main difference is the space they take up. Our formulas are concentrated, so we can fit more washes into a bottle compared to a box of powder - which means they have a smaller carbon footprint on their way to the shops. Also, most powders contain bleach, which as most people know, isn’t a nice thing to use too much of around the home. Bleach in laundry detergent also speeds up colour fading

What makes Wilton different?

Our formulas are eco-friendly, biodegradable, not tested on animals and suitable for vegans - all the lovely stuff. But for me, all that is just the way it should be - you don’t need nasty chemicals to get a good clean anymore. What makes us different is our approach to scents. A lot of people tell me they’re disappointed when they switch to an eco-friendly brand, there’s usually a trade off. It either doesn’t clean very well or it doesn’t smell nice when dried – they miss the luxury of fresh smelling sheets. So we’ve packed our formulas with loads of essential oils which smell amazing. And importantly, the scent lasts when dry.

We are all concerned about the environment, and would love to be doing more. Tell us why Wilton is better for our planet?

We’ve ditched all the questionable stuff you find in a lot of laundry detergents. For example, a common ingredient found in lots of laundry detergents is optical brighteners. They con you into thinking that your whites are whiter, when actually little particles stuck to your clothes are glowing in the suns UVA rays. These little particles are potentially toxic to humans and often don’t degrade. Which means they have the potential to bioaccumulate in our waterways affecting aquatic life. So we don’t use them. We use lots of green ingredients – one of our cleaning agents is derived from chicory!

Do you have any tips on keeping white bedding white?

My granny’s sheets have always been whiter than white. She kept her colours, mids and whites separate which helps but that wasn’t her secret. Her secret ingredient is super eco-friendly, the sun. Hang your sheets out to dry in the sun and the light will help to gradually bleach your sheets, naturally. Also, the movement from the wind rubs the fibres making them dry a little softer and they’re less likely to ‘over dry’ becoming stiff. It’s a win win.

Where can we buy some now?

We’re the new kids on the block but our stockists are growing pretty quickly. You can find us in lots of independent grocery shops but the best place you can pick up a bottle or two is from our site. www.wiltonlondon.co.uk

Thanks so much Sam.

Watch this space as Sam is going to be working closely with us in the coming months, and we will be putting Sam out there for some questions really soon.

Sleep Well, Molly