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A Trusted Friend in a Complicated World

Woman smiling, wearing hoop earrings and striped shirt, stands against a dark background.

Jolie Kerr

location-pin Los Angeles, California

School: Barnard College

Expertise: Cleaning & Organization, Auto, Wellness

Jolie Kerr

  • New York Times bestselling author of My Boyfriend Barfed in My Handbag … and Other Things You Can't Ask Martha
  • 13 years of experience as a cleaning expert, advice columnist and podcast host

Experience

Jolie is a cleaning and fabric-care expert and the author of the New York Times bestseller My Boyfriend Barfed in My Handbag … and Other Things You Can't Ask Martha. She has been a contributing writer and the resident cleaning expert at Esquire, Town & Country, Elle, the New York Times and CNN. She was also the host of the weekly podcast Ask a Clean Person from 2015 to 2019, and her flagship cleaning-advice column, "Ask a Clean Person," debuted on the now-shuttered women's interest blog The Hairpin in 2011.

Education

Barnard College

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Reader's Digest

Articles

Clothes soak in soapy water, featuring a blue floral dress, white blouse, and pink shirt. The scene is filled with foamy bubbles.

How to Wash Silk Without Damaging Your Clothing

Known for its delicacy, silk is a natural fiber that requires special handling. Here, experts break down exactly how to wash silk without damaging the lustrous fabric.
Hands wash yellow fabric in soapy water within a white basin on a light countertop.

How to Hand-Wash Clothes the Right Way, According to Laundry Experts

Machines do most of our laundry for us, but learning how to hand-wash clothes is a skill that's definitely worth mastering
Person wipes dashboard with a pink cloth, holding a spray bottle inside a car's interior, wearing green gloves.

Here’s Exactly How You Should Clean Your Car’s Interior

Chances are, you’re missing a few important steps! Here’s how to clean your car’s interior the right way, according to a cleaning expert.