Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
How can I dry clean a cotton dress at home?
By madhavi from Thane
Why would you want to dry clean a cotton dress? Are you afraid of shrinkage? wash it like you normally would anything cotton, use delicate cycle or hand wash, hang to dry, do not put in dryer. I was everything in the washing machine, it doesn't matter if it says dry clean only, then I hang it to dry, and iron it.
Woolite makes a product you can use to dry clean your dry clean only clothes at home. Very simple, easy to use.
Good Luck.
I have some dresses that require dry cleaning. I would like to know how to do that work in home conditions?
By marita from Shkoder, Albania
Depends upon the piece of clothing. Many silk pieces are marked "dry clean only" when you can actually hand wash them carefully. If your jackets/sweaters/coats need freshening up, try Febreze or a similar fabric spray.
Another suggestion - check into the "Dryel" product (I believe it is a Procter and Gamble product) that you can buy at the grocery store or discount store and use in your dryer. I've not used it for any kind of set-in stains, but it works well for refreshing and de-wrinkling "dry clean only" garments at home.
I have a dress that's made of viscose rayon nylon lining and the instruction on the garment states dry clean. Can my garment be hand washed? It's a more than $200 dollar maxi dress by Ranna Gill.
I love the dress, but it's just a hassle to dry clean one garment for me! I guess if I have to I can dry clean it, but I wonder if there's any suggestion to clean this dress easier? Thanks!This fabric doesn't wash well. If it is costly for you to dry clean, buy only washable fabrics in the future.
I have a vest that looks like it is suede, but the shell says 100% polyester. The inside looks like sheep skin, but tag says 60% polyester, 40% acrylic. I brought the vest to a place that is the middle person. The dry cleaner did not want to clean it. Do you think I can wash the vest in Woolite only and hang dry it without damaging it?
By Kelly S
I've never had any problem with polyester shrinking more than a tiny bit. You can probably wash the vest in cold water. If you want to use Woolite, you can, but Woolite is just a mild detergent and doesn't have any magical powers to keep something from shrinking. The cold water and not drying in the dryer is the key.
And now I see that this post is about 2 years old, so you probably figured out what to do.
Will machine washing a pair of slacks labeled "dry clean only"made of 65%polyester/35%rayon ruin them?
By A.Clay
It might, especially if they are lined. You can take a chance and hand wash in cold water and Woolite
I have a lovely and expensive wool peacoat. Unfortunately my niece threw up all over it. I checked for a washing label, but can't seem to find one, so I'm assuming it needs to be dry cleaned. Unfortunately the one closest to me has closed. Does anyone have any ideas on how to clean it? I've heard of washing on a gentle cycle with Woolite, but I'd like some other opinions before I give it a try.
By Katie
If the tag recommends dry cleaning, you're taking a risk by washing it yourself. However, some wool coats may be safely washed by hand or machine. If your coat just needs a touch-up, you can safely spot clean even dry-clean-only coats.
To hand wash:
1) Swish the coat back and forth in the soapy water for several seconds. Let the coat soak for up to 5 minutes.
2) Smooth out wrinkles with your hands, and gently shape the coat.
3) Lay the coat on a large bath towel. Roll the coat in the towel. Leave it for a few minutes to absorb water, then *dry.
*Allow the coat to dry thoroughly before hanging or wearing
I picked up a dress at a thrift store that's 50% rayon and 50% acetate. How do I clean it without dry cleaning? Can I machine wash this in cold water? Are there any other ways to wash it? Should I just hand wash it? If so, hot or cold water?
By Emma
The issue with machine washing acetate fabrics is that they lose a lot of strength when wet so spinning in the washing machine can cause damage. Try hand washing first. both of these fibres will wrinkle, so you may need to fluff dry them once you have hand-washed.
Does anyone know of an at-home method of cleaning men's dress suits? I remember reading books that mentioned "sponging" and other ways to clean wool suits prior to dry cleaning, but I don't know the procedures with today's fabrics.
Thank you!
By Elizabeth K.
Uderarm Odor On Dry Clean Only Clothes. I have a very expensive, dry clean only suit that has underarm odor. I took it to the cleaners but the odor is still there.
ThriftyFun is one of the longest running frugal living communities on the Internet. These are archives of older discussions.
A baby spit up on my blazer which is 53% rayon and 47% polyester. Instructions say "Dry Clean Only," but I don't want to have it dry cleaned. How can I get the spot out?
How do you wash a down jacket that says "dry clean only" at home?
I purchased a rayon/linen tunic, long sleeve shirt that states you have to dry clean it. Can Woolite be used to hand wash this?
I never dry clean clothes. If it is wool, I just use Woolite and wash by hand.
I haven't had any clothes drycleaned for years (oh, I can hear some gasping, she must be dirty).
