Should You Wash or Dry Clean Your Clothing?
A lot of people ask us how to figure out which clothes they always need to have dry cleaned, and which ones can be hand washed. It’s easy to understand why so many people are confused. If you look at the care label on your clothes, it doesn’t offer a whole lot of help. Many of the care labels have dry clean only–even if you are wearing jeans and a t-shirt. If you’re confused about which articles of clothing you need to take to the cleaners, here’s a quick guide.
A Quick Cleaning Guide
If you have spots or stains on your clothing that you are not sure how to treat, you will need to bring those clothes to the cleaners. This is especially true if they are made of acetate, rayon or a triacetate fabric. Many fabrics can be washed in cold water, but there are stains that need special treatment.
If you have a piece of clothing with a lot of pleats or a lot of tucks, you won’t want them to be hand washed, because they will not look crisp or the pleats will become too loose and the garment won’t fit the same way. For example, if you have a business suit with a lot of detail, and pants that are pleated, you need to take those to the cleaners. That way, all of your business attire will look fresh and crisp each time you wear it. Also, it can be difficult to wash a suit or a jacket, because the inner lining may not be washable.
There are some fabrics you should never wash. For example, leather and suede need to be dry cleaned, or they will be ruined. Vintage and antique fabrics should also never be washed, because they tear or rip easily, and your washing machine could ruin them. If you have a special piece of clothing, such as a wedding dress or a christening gown, you’ll want that dry cleaned as well, to keep it in the best shape possible. In fact, many dry cleaners have preservation services for these special fabrics.
If you decide to wash your garments at home, you may want to consider hand washing in cold water, and laying it flat to dry. Follow the instructions on the care label so that you can get the best result possible.
If you have some garments you can’t bear to part with and you need a great dry cleaner, give us a call at 631-422-4339 or stop in and see us at 945-4 Montauk Highway, West Islip, New York, 11795.