Dry Clean Only: Dealing With This Pesky Clothes Tag

If I had found a blouse or dress I loved I would walk away from it in a heartbeat if I flipped over the tag only to read those dreaded 3 words:

“Dry Clean Only.”

As much as I love hauling clothes to a dry cleaner and having to spend my lunch break picking them up the next day, I just don’t have time to deal with this requirement.

Or do I?

The truth is many garments that are labelled with Dry Clean Only can be cleaned with other methods. Yes it is a little risky but I’d rather learn how to clean my own clothes at home then deal with having another weekly errand just to wear a blouse.

Tips for Cleaning Dry Clean Only Garments

If you’re going to wash items yourself that “should” be taken to a dry cleaner, here are some tips to keep in mind:

  • use cold water
  • use a mild detergent over a strong detergent
  • set your washer to delicate
  • place the item inside a garment protection bag

You might also try hand washing the item. This method is much more gentle on the fabrics that being tossed around in a washer for 60 minutes surrounded with 20 pounds of wet clothing. Again you should use a mild detergent.

Of Course It Can’t Always Be Avoided

There are some items in your wardrobe that you should leave to the professionals. These are garments made with silk and wool. These will easily shrink in your washing machine and will probably be effectively ruined if you ignore the Dry Clean Only tag and try and do it yourself.

You might ask since wool and silk are the main fabrics that require dry cleaning, why do so many items that aren’t made with wool and silk have this pesky label on them?

In all actuality many items should read “Hand Wash Only” and not “Dry Clean Only”, but clothing companies know most of us are not going to bother washing something in the sink with our bare hands. Instead we’re more likely to pay someone else to do it, so they give this business to the dry cleaners of the world!

By Ben from the Portable Closet Guide. Running out of room for your clothes? Just about everyone could use some extra closet space. Why not take a peek at the site and see if there’s a portable closet out there waiting to make your life easier?