Inexpensive Dry Cleaning

By

joanfry

The chemicals used at dry cleaners are very toxic. You would not want to smell them or let them touch your skin yet we let the cleaners inundate our clothes with them.

I have lived in Europe for 25 years and I have not yet once been to cleaners. Firstly they did not exist, now they are too expensive. I always factor the cost of getting there and back too.

So, I wash silk, cashmere by hand, hang outside if possible although my basement is a great spot, heat in winter and no bleaching sun in summer. You can also hang in your bathroom over night.

I put everything else except tailored suits in the cold wash, minimum wash and spin cycle and then hang them up. For tailored suits I spot clean, spray sometimes with deodorant under the armpits. Let hang in the fresh air overnight or over the weekend if possible. I have saved a ton of money over the years.

For my husbands dress shirts which were many each week I actually hired a young lady, and even paying her a decent hourly rate she was still cheaper than the laundry, plus my husband always smelled nice.

Quite frankly I hate dry cleaners. I think they should be banned.

By KT (Guest Post)

I like to hang my clothing up in a well-ventilated place with dryer sheets cut in half and placed in the arm-pitts. Just as long as there is no serious cleaning job needed this should have you clothing smelling fresh in no time!

By OrahLee (Guest Post)

If you haven't soiled the garment or haven't had wet armpit areas --- just hang the item up- turned wrong side out- and air out. I have things that have gone a dozen wearings without any dry-cleaning. And remember that dry-cleaning often won't get out body odor when cold wash and gentle wash will. (Especially when it was loaned to someone.)
Don't iron a smelly garment, this sometimes sets the odor!
I've read about someone, perhaps Coco Channel?, that had garments, that she only aired out.
If it worked for her !

By

the Oracle

Dry cleaning means NO Heat. Liquids are used on fabrics that are dry cleaned. Also, the steam pressing is a key item.

I have a steam iron--that is lots of steam--and a big steamer.

I wash in cold water, air dry, then steam press for looks.

By

Alph

This is a bit strange and I wouldn't try it on just anything, but automotive brake parts cleaner seems to be about the same stuff as dry cleaning fluid. I tried it on a favorite old wool cap which had become quite soiled with motor oil, grease, dirt, etc. After spraying the cap down with cleaner I used cloth and a clothes brush on it. I repeated this a few times and then let it air dry for awhile, and though it didn't look like new, it sure looked a lot better than before!

By

dayarl51

You can go to a $1.75 cleaners or you can buy the home cleaners kit.