Sugar Blaze

Photo by Steve Navarro

Recently, a friend asked for some advice on cleaning a garment with a strange care label, and her surprise over the tips she received got me thinking that perhaps not everyone is aware of how easy it is to avoid dry-cleaning bills by hand-washing and taking advantage of the delicate cycle on your machine.

Most items that state “dry clean only” on their tags are hardly allergic to water. The reason they say that has more to do with the clothing manufacturers covering their own butts than it does to do with your wallet. If a particular garment garnishes a heavy return rate to a store, because of damage caused by following the care instructions on the tag, you can bet that the store will send those items back and expect a credit. So, it is in the best interest of a clothing manufacturer to err on the safe side of things and state “dry clean only,” even when it isn’t necessary.

There are only two situations that cause me to use dry-cleaners: 1) when I have an item too large to reasonably wash myself (e.g. a large ball gown), and 2) when I have an extremely delicate item that is badly stained. Everything else, I find a way to wash myself and save the cash.

Washing Options

Hand-Washing

If your items are especially small, washing them in the sink may work just fine, but if you have several items or anything larger than a small top, you will want to purchase a tub or bucket to wash things in. For years, I used a $5 round tub purchased in the summer kitchenware section, meant for filling up with ice and drinks at cookouts. Just about anything will do.

Laundry soap is your next concern. I don’t recommend Woolite, because it tends to be rough on clothing over time. A better alternative is a gentle washing solution that can be found in mid-to-high end lingerie stores. Read the label and use the amount directed on the bottle.

Once you have your tub filled with cold water (never use warm or hot) and your soap added, wash each piece one at a time, beginning with the lightest colors and working your way up to darks. Be sure to agitate each item around, alternating clockwise and counter-clockwise methods. This is what gets the soap into the fabric and truly cleans the item; just letting it float in soapy water will not get it clean.

As you’re washing, pay close attention to the color of your water. If you start to notice a change in color, you will need to empty the tub and start with fresh water and soap, so no item ends up with color bled onto it from something else. When rinsing, the same care should be taken, and again, make sure you agitate the clothing to get all the soap out.

Machine-Washing

The first thing you will need is a laundry bag made for delicates. You can buy these in various sizes just about anywhere (I have one made for sweaters from Wal-Mart – that’s plenty big enough for me to toss in multiple items). The key is to look for tightly knit mesh, not one that looks like a fishnet. If you can touch your item through the bag, it’s not going to protect your clothing very well and will probably rip in the washing machine.

Some people will always feel more comfortable hand-washing delicate items, and that’s a fine route to go. I’ve done both, and for me, the washing machine is easier, but not everyone has a delicate cycle or is as daring with their clothing, especially with more expensive pieces. It’s a judgment call more than anything else.

Considerations

Fabric Content

I once had a dress made of 100% cotton, with no embellishments of any kind, and the tag actually said, “Dry Clean Only.” My reaction was pretty much, “Are you kidding me?!” I tossed that baby into the washing machine on a regular cycle and had no problems.

Of course, most of your dry cleaning is probably not made of 100% cotton. However, basic fabrics like polyester are completely safe to wash in the machine. Silk, satin, lace, and sequins can also be washed in the machine, if you know what you’re doing. My basic rule is this: if I’ve heard of the fabric and know it can get wet, into the washer it goes (with the precautions covered above, of course). If I’m unfamiliar with the fabric, I consult my good friend Google and go from there.

Embellishments

If there are embellishments on the item, you must consider what they’re made of. If your item is made of a less delicate fabric than the embellishments on it, plan your care with the embellishments in mind. A cotton top with sequins should be treated as a sequined item, not merely a cotton item that needs no special care. Heavily beaded items should be cared for in the way the beads themselves would be cared for. When in doubt, hand-washing the item is the safest way to go.

One last thing to note is that when drying your items, hanging is almost always best. Exceptions to the rule are sweaters that can lose their shape and heavy items (many beaded and sequined items), where the pull of the weight will cause stretching if hung. Never use the cheap wire hangers you get from (of all places) dry-cleaners. Wooden hangers are best, but for those of us on a budget, the plastic hangers sold in packs of ten for a few bucks are far better than wire.