A recent spotlight on a celebrity dry cleaner, who travels with clients on the road to make sure their clothes remain spotless, has some pretty dirty stories.
Hans-Jürgen Topf spoke with The New York Times on Tuesday about the strangest, dirtiest and most outrageous piles he’s had to deal with. If you have a weak stomach, maybe don’t read any further. (RELATED: Superstar Singer Says Designers Won’t Work With Her Because Of Her Size. There’s Just One Problem)
The mission of Topf’s company, Rock ’n’ Roll Laundry, is simple. He travels around the globe with superstar musicians when they’re on tour so they don’t have to outsource their laundry needs. Some of his clients have included Madonna, Beyoncé and Pink. The concept makes sense, if you’re familiar with what these artists’ shows look like. They’re sweaty, bright, and, oftentimes, very sparkly.
Live #concerts + #streaming = 73% of US #musicindustry. Streaming is exploding, but majority rev is coming from #liveevents.
According to US-based calculations shared by PwC, ticket sales alone account for a staggering 43% of all rev, w #festivals driving #growth.#jayz #beyonce pic.twitter.com/gkZFBWgYl7
— Live Music Experts (@livemusicexpert) January 22, 2019
Madonna works it on stage at the breathtaking opening night of her #RebelHeartTour: http://t.co/YbyVX6SKqM pic.twitter.com/WvTfxieIb0
— Us Weekly (@usweekly) September 10, 2015
Topf says the grossest thing he’s ever laundered, however, was a number that belonged to the metal band Slipknot.
“The most soiled garments he ever handled were coveralls worn by the metal band Slipknot that had been sprayed with beer, cream and fake blood, and left in garbage bags for three days,” he said.
Some of the more outrageous items include a pair of gold pants belonging to David Hasselhoff (which he accidentally shrunk), and a $3,000 vest belonging to Janet Jackson, which he claims to have ruined.
But Topf, who claims to spend three to four hours a day simply on ironing, says he love his job. Even though it’s completely different from what it used to be.
Topf says he used to find drugs in rockstars’ pockets all the time, but those days are gone. “These days, I’m more likely to find an herbal tea bag.”