Do you avoid buying beautiful clothes because of the scary “Dry Clean Only” label?
For the most part, this is a disclaimer from brands so they can prevent returns. They need to minimize returns because it cuts into their profits – that’s understandable. But too often this is an unnecessary burden on shoppers because it’s just not always true.
There are a few instances where you are absolutely better off taking your garment to a professional. I’ll walk you through those cases below.
However, more often than not, you can save time, money, and the planet by understanding your garment better, using some gentle cleaning techniques at home, and stretching out the time between visits to the cleaners.
A note: This article contains affiliate links to helpful products similar to what I use myself. If you find it useful, and you decide to click through and purchase, we may receive a commission that goes toward funding our product launch. Thank you in advance.
What is dry cleaning, actually?
It’s not dry, for one thing.
It’s also less toxic than it used to be, as most cleaners have phased out perchloroethylene, although chemical solvents are still in use, (branded with various, green-washed names).
To understand what happens to your garment once you drop it off, this article is one of the better explainers I found. This video is also quite good (content ends around 6:10) and includes some history on how the technology developed.
Understand your garment
You don’t need special training to see when something is truly delicate or likely to be damaged in a domestic washer. You can use your gut instinct on items with delicate fabric, lots of embellishment that might snag or otherwise be damaged, or lots of internal structure (evening gowns or suits, for example).
If it seems a bit more durable, is made from more casual fabric, or is a simple design made from a special fabric, you can probably DIY this. Keep reading for specifics.
Why do you think you need to dryclean?
Refresh a piece you’ve worn a few times but is otherwise clean? You can DIY this with very little effort.
Stains or sweat? How bad is it? If it’s minor, DIY. Read on to learn how to decide.
Preparing to put it in storage for the off-season? Dry clean.
You can do this
Spot clean. Hopefully you remember what that stain is from, and you haven’t waited too long. Google specific spot cleaning tips from a trusted, science-backed source like Good Housekeeping or a university extension service. Anything oily, dark stains, or bodily fluids will need a pro. I’ve had great luck with this stain treatment.
Air it out. I’ve heard this is a French-girl secret. If there are no visible stains, and you’d like to get a few more wears before you take it to a professional cleaner, you can hang your garment (securely) in a well-ventilated area like an enclosed porch, or near an open window if the weather is decent – just be sure to keep it out of direct sunlight if it’s any color but white. Depending on what kinds of odors are clinging to the fabric, anything from a couple of hours to overnight or 24 hours at most, should do the trick. This works for me for light food smells and light perspiration.
Vodka spray. I learned this trick from a gig I had working in a professional theatre. Fill a reusable spray bottle (I found a small travel sized one at the drugstore) with straight vodka. Spray a generous mist (no need to soak it) on garment underarms and other sweaty spots, and a light mist throughout the interior of the piece, and hang it to air overnight. The alcohol breaks up the BO so you can get another wear out of the piece.
Throw it in the washer. I wash quite a few silk tops and all my linen garments this way, using cold water and a gentle detergent, and then hang them to air dry. A delicates bag made of mesh with a zipper close will keep smaller items from tangling and minimize friction – in fact, make sure you have a couple, in different sizes. Perfect for, yes, delicates like lingerie and hosiery, and some casual pieces that are made of “delicate” fabric.
A note about wool. You can machine wash wool sweaters if you must, if the water is 100% cold, and you lay them flat to dry on a mesh sweater dryer. Do not attempt to tumble dry, and do not flake out on the water temperature. There’s still a very good chance of pilling, just because of the friction, so use your judgement. Other wool items, depends – a wool scarf? Put it in a delicates bag for a cold wash, then air dry it. A structured wool coat? Off to the cleaners once a year or when necessary. For most woolens, you can get away with airing them out, with or without a spray of vodka, after each wearing. A couple of times per season (especially before and after being in storage) put a perfectly dry wool item in for a hot tumble dry for at least 20 minutes to kill any pests that might want a snack.
When dry cleaning is just necessary
Very delicate or very structured. Lacy, strappy, boned, padded. Suits should always be cleaned together even if, say, only the jacket is stained.
Embellished. Anything that can snag or be damaged, leave it to the pros.
Antiques and heirlooms. No brainer.
Major stains. Oily, greasy, bodily, red, or otherwise deep, dark colors.
When you need other repairs or alterations. Broken or missing hardware, rips, or undone stitching are easy fixes the pros can do to give your garment more life.
Always ask
Don’t hesitate to ask the staff at the dry cleaner about their techniques, and if they have tips for spot cleaning or preventative maintenance at home.
And be sure to share details about the stain and the garment so they can clean it effectively.
If you’re not getting satisfactory answers from the customer service staff, don’t hesitate to ask for a supervisor – the front counter folks may not necessarily be trained in cleaning methods.
A warning: Many cleaners are now using a barcode sticker placed inside your garment to track it throughout the plant. Great for making sure you get the right items back – really not great for fabric. I’m strongly recommending you request the old fashion paper numbers attached with a safety pin – adhesive does not belong on fabric, and I recently had a terrible experience with this new practice….
For the planet
The less water and electricity you use, either at home, the laundromat, or at the dry cleaner, the better all around.
The best commercial dry cleaning available will have a closed loop system, where they’re recapturing any water or solvents used and continually reprocessing it. Liquid CO2 (carbon dioxide) seems to be the least-harmful solvent, but it’s not yet widely in use.
Now that you’re not scared of “fancy” natural fibers like silk, linen, or wool, you don’t have to avoid them in favor of petroleum-based fabrics like polyester, acetate, or acrylic that are filling the oceans and fresh waterways with plastic microfibers even as we speak…
Not to mention the money you’ll save by staying away from the dry cleaners. You may spend a little extra time with the methods I share above, but it’s a small sacrifice with big payoffs. Win-win-win!