Washing "dry clean only" silks?
hlg222
11 years ago
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Cavimum
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agodave1812
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agoRelated Discussions
Fashion clueless: Dry Clean vs. Dry Clean Only
Comments (10)You might try calling RL cust svce and ask them. I did that with a dress from a different label. Sometimes they will put DC because it is the best way to insure people follow the cleaning instructions (fFWIW, I had a black burnout material top turn brown after one dry cleaning, and the top was supposed to be dry cleaned, so no guarantee of good results). I explained to the woman at the other label that my front loading washing machine has an ultra hand wash cycle and I would use that cycle if she felt it would be ok, which she did. People often do not use the gentlest cycles they should, so saying dry clean/only on the label helps to cover the manuf. butts. That said, there are some fabrics and embellishments that really should be DC'd, period....See MoreCan I machine wash a dry clean only comforter?
Comments (16)I worked for a dry cleaner for several years in my (sort of) misspent youth. I worked in the alterations department and I also learned to press which meant I spent a lot of time "out back" with the dry cleaner and the spotter. I learned a TON about fabric care and when I no longer worked that job (and no longer received free dry cleaning!) I began learning how to properly launder things, by reading old sewing and Home Economics books I picked up at yard sales. "Dry clean only" is the safety net for manufacturers. If they slap that label on something they're protected from liability. Consider that both sheep and geese routinely get wet. ;) Cold water and a dilute solution of my favorite laundry detergent is how I wash things like comforters. I will take them to a laundromat to use the extractor to really get remaining water out of them and use their dryers (I don't have a dryer). I routinely wash our feather pillows by first soaking them with the garden hose (this keeps them from floating in the washer). I put them in the washing machine with a cup of ammonia and run the cycle. I rinse them twice. Ammonia cuts grease (and everyone's hair is oily and sometimes we sweat while we're in bed). I take them to the laundromat and "extract" them and then dry them, finishing with a full day in the sunshine on top of the car, turning every couple of hours. They look nearly brand new when I'm done. They're now nearly 15 yrs. old, too. I use ammonia a lot actually; esp. for woolens. I use it for hats, socks, mittens (I rinse carefully and add a capful of lanolin to the final rinse to add water repellency and promote elasticity in the wool fibres). I block and dry them flat or, in the case of socks, on stretchers....See MoreRichloom Solarium outdoor fabric dry clean only?
Comments (7)Here's the description taken from another fabric site: Description: This outdoor fabric is solution dyed (solution-dye process is when the color is manufactured into and throughout the fiber, the color is part of the finished fabric). This gives the fiber consistent and durable color that stands up in tough environments, such as sustained direct sunlight. This fabric will withstand 5,000 hours sunlight and is perfect for porches, patios, deckside, poolside and boatside. This fabric is designed to withstand harsh environmental effects. Every two to three years a thorough cleaning is required. Always use mild soap with cool to luke-warm water. For deep-cleaning, use a sponge or fine-bristle brush. I called Joann's, and when I asked the customer service rep, there was a long pause, and she said "Well, the fabric shouldn't be saturated or washed with home chemicals because that would void the warranty, but I'm sure it can get wet." Whatever. Good grief! Maybe I'll buy a piece of it, and give it a test run with some soap and water....See MoreDoes anyone machine wash "dry clean only" items?
Comments (28)RN, the sequins and beads were sewn on to lace. They lost none of their luster in the wash. I was afraid if i soaked just the bottoms of the gowns the soaked fabrics would behave differently from the unsoaked fabrics and trims, so I pushed the entire gown into the machine for the soak and wash. Every bit of the black dirt on the hems and trains is gone. One girl was married in a garden so you can imagine what that was like, the other was married in a children's museum and the wine drips on the front are absolutely gone! I only air dried the gowns in the dryer for several minutes to get the layers fluffed, then hung them on doors to dry. That took days! I fluffed and readjusted repeatedly, but in the end both gowns are perfect and we saved hundreds of dollars. Re The cleaning and preserving: My own gown was preserved in 1968. When we opened it before my eldest dtrs wedding in 1996, all the silver baguettes my mother had sewn on my lace had turned black, and the little seed pearls had lost their luster. It was awful, completely studded with black spots, so useless for any purpose at all. For some reason, I saved it anyway! We Good luck with the project!...See Morehlg222
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agodave1812
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agohlg222
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agodave1812
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agoCavimum
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agohlg222
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agodave1812
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11 years agolast modified: 9 years agohlg222
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11 years agolast modified: 9 years agodave1812
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agoCyberspacer
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