Do’s and Don’ts for Garments Requiring Dry Cleaning

When you come across clothing with the “dry clean only” tag, knowing what to do with it can be somewhat intimidating. Unfortunately, dry cleaning is necessary for many luxury garments like leather and silk, so you’ll come across this tag more often than expected. 

In addition, dry cleaning may seem like a relatively straightforward task, but you may damage those luxury fabrics if you don’t have the proper knowledge. Luckily, if you have a dry-clean-only item you need laundering, we’ve got you covered. 

Here, we will delve into what dry cleaning is, the dos and don’ts for garments requiring dry cleaning, and how professionals like Oak Neck Cleaners can handle all your dry cleaning queries and garments. Let’s dive in!

What Is Dry Cleaning

When looking at the dry-cleaning process, you will find that it uses only non-water-based chemical solvents to remove dirt and stains from bedding, clothing, upholstery, and any other fabric types. Using non-water-based chemical solvents is essential, as water-based chemical solvents can damage specific fabric types, and residential machines can often cause damage to delicate items. Thus, dry cleaning is an excellent alternative.  

Typically, the initial dry cleaning process goes through various steps, which include inspection and tagging, pre-spotting, dry cleaning, post-spotting, and final touches. The actual dry-cleaning process involves placing your garments into a machine ensuring they are fully submerged beneath the non-water-based solvent.

Next, the garments are rotated inside the machine’s perforated cylindrical drum. This ensures the non-water-based solvent is distributed slowly and evenly throughout the dry cleaning process. At the end of the machine cycle, the machine rapidly spins to remove any leftover solvent from the garments before releasing dry air into the machine. Once the dry cleaning process ends, the garments should be completely dry and your garments unharmed.

What Are The Do’s And Don’ts For Garments Requiring Dry Cleaning

Now that we have looked into what dry cleaning is let’s dive into the dos and don’ts for garments requiring dry cleaning:

Dry Cleaning Do’s

• Brush your clothes thoroughly and regularly. 
• Stains can be permanently set into a garment through light, air, and heat exposure. So, immediately take stained items to the dry cleaner to prevent the stains from settling into the fabric indefinitely. 
• If you have a garment with a stain that has already had time to set into the fabric’s fibers, let your dry cleaner know the stain-causing substance, as this is essential for them to remove the stain successfully. 
• Save the garment care tags and show them to your dry cleaner for their reference. Also, be sure to take any notes about special home care instructions. 
• Garments with even the slightest bit of grit, dust, sweat, and grease accumulation can affect the lifespan and attractiveness of a garment. Thus, garments that are dry-cleaned regularly tend to last longer.

Dry Cleaning Don’ts

• Don’t use an underarm roll-on antiperspirant without ensuring the garment has a shield for protection, and always allow the antiperspirant to dry before putting the item on to wear. Failing to do this can make dry cleaning difficult. 
• Don’t press a stained garment. Pressing a stained garment with heat will likely set a stain into the garment’s fibers, possibly making the stain irremovable – even with dry cleaning. 
• Don’t hang knitted fabrics, as this tends to pull the fibers out of shape, causing the hemline to sag. Knitted fabrics are best kept folded over a padded coat hanger or laid flat in a draw after dry cleaning.
• Don’t use untested or even home-tested stain removers, as they can create a permanent loss of color or aggravate the garment’s condition. Instead, take the item to the dry cleaners.

Speak To The Dry Cleaning Experts At Oak Neck Cleaners 

Now you know the dos and don’ts of dry cleaning. Regardless of how careful you may be, the chance of a stain ending up on a garment or the likelihood of it needing dry cleaning is pretty high. In addition, many of your clothing items might be dry clean only due to their fabric or delicate nature. 

Thus, if you are unsure whether your garments need dry cleaning, contacting professionals like Oak Neck Cleaners is your best bet. 

Their dry cleaning experts can run you through all you need to know about the dos and don’ts for garments requiring dry cleaning alongside taking care of your laundry for you. So, reach out to their friendly team today!