Wash a Dry Clean Only Garment

Manufacturers label their garments with washing and drying instructions, they are designed to help the item last as long as possible. However, if you have a closet full of clothes labeled "Dry Clean Only," you may be looking for a cleaning option that is less expensive and more convenient. Many items with this label can be successfully washed at home using one of three methods: hand washing, gentle machine washing, or using a home dry cleaning kit.

Steps

Cleaning by Hand-Washing Clothing

  1. Read the garment's label. If the item is made from wool, silk, or cotton, you may gently wash it by hand.
    • Avoid washing suede, leather, fur, feathers, and other extremely fragile fabrics by hand. These should be taken to the dry cleaner for a professional cleaning.
  2. Mix soap with cold water in a basin or bucket. Use soap flakes or a mild detergent, and agitate the water a bit so that it produces some foam.
    • Never use hot water on items that are meant to be dry cleaned. It will damage the fibers and cause the fabric to shrink.
    • Woolite is an acceptable detergent to use when hand washing wool.
  3. Dip the garment in and out of the soapy water. Submerge it completely, then lift it from the water and dip it again.
    • Rub any areas that are soiled, such as the armpits and collars, using your finger tips.
    • Don't use an abrasive scrubber on the clothing, since this may damage the fibers.
  4. Rinse the garment. Drain the basin of soapy water and fill it with fresh cold water. Dip the garment in and out of the clean water until it is no longer covered in soap.
  5. Lay the garment out on a clean absorbent towel. Roll the towel up with the item inside, squeezing gently to remove water.
    • Unroll the towel, move the garment to a dry spot, then roll the towel again. Repeat the process three to five times until the garment is no longer dripping.
    • Do not wring the garment out, since you could damage the fragile fibers.
  6. Reshape the garment and lay it flat to dry. If it is made from a stiffer fabric that won't get misshapen by hanging, place it on a hanger and hang it up to dry.

Cleaning by Machine-Washing

  1. Read the garment's label. Reserve gentle machine washing for items with stiffer fabric that won't get misshapen if agitated. Cottons, linens, and durable polyesters can usually withstand machine washing.
  2. Set your washing machine to its gentlest cycle. The water should be cold, not warm or hot. Use a mild detergent to wash the clothing.
    • Wash your dry-clean-only items on the gentle cycle.
  3. Remove items from wash as soon as the cycle is over. Lay them flat or hang them to dry.

Dry Cleaning at Home

  1. Buy a home dry cleaning kit. These kits come with a bottle of stain remover, dry cleaning sheets, and a dry cleaning bag.
  2. Read the garment's label. Dry cleaning kits are useful for silks, polyesters, and other delicates that are not heavily soiled. If your garment is heavily soiled, it's best to take it to the dry cleaner instead.
  3. Use the stain remover to clean stains. The stain remover that comes with dry cleaning kits is the same as stain remover that you buy separately at the store Apply it according to the instructions it came with.
    • If you're concerned that the stain remover may leave a mark on your clothing, do a spot test in a discreet place to make sure it's safe to use.
    • Don't use stain remover on large stains. If a stain is covering a large spot on your clothing, it's best to take it to a dry cleaner instead of trying to remove it at home.
  4. Place the garment in the dry cleaning bag. Add a dry cleaning sheet to the bag. The sheet will release perfume and a little moisture to freshen the garment during the dry cleaning process.
  5. Place the bag in the dryer. Start the dryer's gentle cycle, making sure the dryer is set to use only low heat. When the cycle is complete, remove the bag from the dryer.
  6. Place the garment on a hanger. As the garment airs out, the wrinkles should "fall out," and the dry-cleaning process will be complete.



Tips

  • Some garments are labeled "Dry Cleaning Optional" or "Dry Cleaning Suggested." You may machine and hand wash these items, but the manufacturer believes that the quality of the merchandise warrants dry cleaning to extend the life of the garment.
  • Machine washing and drying clothing shortens the life of all garments. Dry clean any garment that is extremely important to you, no matter what washing instructions are the manufacturer provides. However, there are a few materials should never be dry cleaned. These items indicate "No Dry Cleaning" on their tags.

Warnings

  • Some dry-clean-only materials, such as rayon, will shrink if you wet wash them by hand or machine. Most items will only shrink for the first washing.
  • Never machine wash dry-clean-only garments that have delicate lace or beading, or special creases, pleats or stitching.
  • Material that has a finish on it, such as something to make it stiff, can only be dry cleaned.
  • As a general rule, you should always dry clean and never try to wash garments made from acetate fibers, leather or suede.

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