What Clothes Cannot Be Dry Cleaned?
What Clothes Cannot Be Dry Cleaned? Dry cleaning is a necessity for many of your business formal outfits. Dry cleaning prevents your clothes from shrinking, losing their colors, or physically wearing out. It is a safer solution for your most essential pieces of laundry.
But that doesn’t mean every bit of clothing you have needs to be dry cleaned. There are a few pieces of laundry that cannot be dry cleaned for various reasons. Many of these items are pieces of laundry that could be harmed in the dry cleaning process.
They may feature sensitive materials that can become damaged in the cleaning process, thus requiring an alternate cleaning method. Read on – What Clothes Cannot Be Dry Cleaned?
Fine-Hair Wool
Fine-hair wool materials are among the laundry products you should avoid dry cleaning. The chemicals the dry cleaning process uses can be harsh on these items. Cashmere and mohair are among the most fragile fine-hair wool items.
You can wash your fine-hair wool clothes in cool water instead. A mild detergent or shampoo can clean your clothes without risking possible damage. You can also air-dry these items to allow them to relax and to prevent wrinkles from developing.
Traditional Wool
You can also avoid cleaning traditional wool items through a dry cleaner. Wool tolerates water quite well, and it will stay comfortable when treated with a mild color-safe detergent.
It is also easier to spot clean wool fabric when you handle it yourself. A dry cleaner will focus on the entire fabric and not concentrate on specific segments. The chemicals the cleaner uses may also strip some parts of the wool from the fabric.
While a spot in question might disappear, it will be at the cost of the fabric’s quality. Cleaning your traditional wool fabric by hand will be the best way forward.
Synthetics
Some of your business formal pieces may feature synthetic fabrics. These man-made compounds include nylon, polyester, acetate, and spandex. You can wash these in warm water, as these synthetics will not shrink in the wash. You should still air-dry everything if possible, as excess heat can produce wrinkles.
Synthetics can theoretically be dry cleaned, but that is not recommended. Dry cleaning your synthetics is risky, as the fabrics may lose their natural textures from cleaning. The rough nature of the dry cleaning process can put your clothes at harm.
Denim
You might have denim clothing for the weekends or casual days in the workplace. You should still keep your denim looking its best no matter what the situation. Bringing your denim to the dry cleaner is highly discouraged.
You can wash most denim items in a traditional machine. You could also soak your denim products in cool water and a color-safe detergent. Everything should be rinsed off and then left to hang dry when you’re done.
Dry cleaning will do more harm than help to your denim clothes. The chemicals will strip some of the denim fabric’s natural textures, producing an uncomfortable and starchy texture. You’ll also find more creases around the denim, making it look less natural.
Cotton
Cotton is a common material found in formal business apparel, but it needs extra care to stay comfortable. Traditional washing will be fine enough for this fabric.
Cotton is safe for washing at home, as dry cleaning will not make much of a difference. The dry cleaning process may strip some of the cotton fabrics from your clothing. It may also cause your fabric to lose its texture.
Washing your cotton at home is a safer bet. Most cotton products are preshrunk, so you can safely dry them in a machine. But you should only wash your cotton with similar colors for the best result.
What Clothes Cannot Be Dry Cleaned? – A Final Tip
Always check the care tags on your laundry before determining if something needs dry cleaning. Always review what fabrics the clothing is made of before making your choice. The washing instructions the manufacturer provides on the label are usually basic recommendations. There’s a chance your clothes won’t require dry cleaning, or it may be too risky to dry-clean them.
The most essential consideration is to take proper care of your business clothing while you wear it. Always watch for how you treat your fabric to ensure it stays looking and feeling its best. The right support will ensure your clothes can last for years to come.