This Battery-Free Tool Rescued My Favorite Sweaters From Pilling

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The Gleener brought new life into my treasured cashmere

If you grew up in a Southern household, you probably had a few fashion rules to live by like I did. Here are some of the tips my mama shared with me, usually as I was walking out the door, not heeding her advice: If you’re wearing a dress in cold weather, you should be wearing tights. Sometimes a dress would do so much better with a belt. White shoes will get you nowhere except for wishing you’d bought a pair you could wear after Labor Day. And most importantly, always bring a sweater with you wherever you go because you never know how cold that restaurant or theater or the Southern Living office might be.

The last of these rules has forever defined who I am as a person. Holding onto a treasured piece of cozy outerwear requires a tenacity that will ensure that your favorite sweater will be by your side no matter what. From an early age, I have to admit that I’ve prioritized the protection of my sweaters over most friendships. But no matter how hard I tried to keep those sweaters pristine, pilling would occur and I would have to begin a search for a new favorite sweater to wear until the inevitable happened yet again. However, my ceaseless search for sweaters has been put on pause thanks to a little tool my mother told me about called the Gleener.

BUY IT: $20; on amazon.com

I’m unsure of my mother’s sources or how she found this little product on Amazon, but I can tell you it’s made such a difference in my wardrobe, just like Mama said it would. What makes this product so great is the little added perks that come with it. When you open the package, you can just tell that this is a thoughtfully made product. The tool comes with a travel bag, instructions, three different edges for shaving different materials from your thickest wool sweaters to the lightest of linens and last but not least, the tool itself has a built-in lint brush to pick up anything that might have been left behind on your garment.

I’ve tried this tool on my prized Irish Fisherman’s sweater, my Warm and Wonderful Princess Diana sheep pullover, a pair of fuzzy pants that I thought I could never wear in public again and countless cashmere sweaters that have seen better days. On every single one of these articles of clothing, the Gleener essentially gave the garment a new life. Some of my sweaters that I thought might look better in a trash bag are once again my go-tos. All of the pilling vanishes after a few short flicks of the wrist with this tool.

It’s so satisfying to see all of those fuzzy threads catch onto the Gleener and no longer be a burden to my prized possessions, and I have to say all of my sweaters feel brand new. I also love to use the built-in lint brush that I occasionally use on my leggings before I go for a walk. The Gleener is also a battery-free tool, so you can save a never-ending amount of sweaters. You don't have to worry about replacing a battery or hope that the Gleener can keep charge. It's just a good, old-fashioned device that's Mama approved.

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