Spotting a dry-clean only tag on an item of clothing is kind of the worst. It means that you need to go way out of your way and spend big bucks to get a wool, cashmere, or silk item looking and feeling fresh again. Or does it? Laundry experts say most garments labeled as dry-clean only can be cleaned at home with ease.
Not only does going to the dry cleaner regularly cost a pretty penny, it has another major drawback: the harsh chemicals used in the process are horrible for the environment and can even damage fabrics over time. And washing your dry-clean only clothing at home might seem complicated, but it's super easy. It's so simple, in fact, that you'll wonder why you ever brought half your wardrobe to the dry cleaner in the first place. There are a couple different ways you can go about it, depending on the fabric. Here's how to get started.
Angelina McCullar, the conscious-fashion designer behind the YouTube channel BlueprintDIY, says she never takes her clothes to the dry cleaner and only washes them at home. In a YouTube video, she said she used to use a store-bought kit to dry clean at home. But after researching how to make her own solution, she hasn't gone back since. Here's how:
1. Create your own dry-cleaning dryer mix
Spot-clean to get rid of any stains by putting a little water and Ajax ($13) on the mark and using a clean section of the fabric to rub the stain out. Next, prepare a dry-cleaning mix: "I mix one cup of warm water, 1/4 cup vinegar, 1 teaspoon of Borax ($14), 1 teaspoon of oxygen bleach ($8), and a couple drops of lavender," says McCullar.
Next, she dips a clean cloth, like a flour sack towel or white washcloth, in the mixture and puts it into a dryer sack with the items to be dry-cleaned. Then she puts the dryer sack in the dryer for 30 minutes. It's that easy.
2. Hand-wash your dry-clean only items at home
If your clothing needs some extra help, McCullar has a super-simple method of hand washing her silk and linen garments. "I hand wash with a dab of Ajax, then rinse well and lay it on a dry towel," she says. "Roll it up in the towel and keep rolling the towel to get as much of the water out as possible." After hanging it up to air dry it until it's damp, she irons it without steam. "When you iron it, it restores its silky feel. If you don't iron it while it's damp, it'll feel really stiff once it dries."
You can also hand wash your wool or cashmere sweaters. In a Youtube video, fashion-loving YouTuber Audrey Coyne shared how she goes about it. She first fills up a basin with water, then adds in a gentle detergent and mixes it with her hand. Then, she turns the clothing item inside-out and submerges it in the water.
"I'll let it sit anywhere between 10 to 30 minutes, depending on how thick the item is, how dirty it is, how often I've been wearing it," says Coyne. "Once it's ready, I take it out of the basin and run it under very cool water. You never want to use warm water in any of these steps because it has the possibility of shrinking your items. Gently press it in between your hands—never wring, as it misshapes your item. Or put it in a towel and roll it like a burrito." After most of the water has been removed, Coyne dries it overnight on a clothing rack made specifically for air-drying. The next morning, she steams the clothing items to release any wrinkles.
With these expert solutions, your entire wardrobe will be looking—and smelling!—fresher than ever. And all without spending a fortune on dry cleaning.
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Everybody has a horror story about a favorite item of dry clean only clothing that got ruined when it went through the washer, either accidentally or on purpose. In my case, it meant goodbye forever to my chic black pencil skirt. After it went for a warm water swim in my washing machine, I could never wear it again. The finish was trashed, the lining was weirdly lumpy, and it wasn’t my size anymore—an all-around fail. But that was before I knew that there's a right way to clean dry clean only clothing at home.
Believe it or not, you can wash most garments with a dry clean or dry clean only tag—you just need to know how. If the tag just says dry clean you can probably ignore it and hand wash the clothes carefully at home. Even when the tag says dry clean only you're not locked in. Manufacturers often stitch that tag onto clothes because they think dry cleaning works to keep them looking new longer, but you can often clean them at home just as well as the professional dry cleaners can.
There's a right way to wash dry clean only clothing at home, so you can save time and money by doing it yourself.
Are you wondering whether there are some things best left to the pros to clean? Yes, your vintage beaded top deserves expert attention. The only suede you should ever try to wash at home is a pair of UGGS—everything else goes to a leather cleaner. Clothing made of real fur should stay out of the water, and rayon (AKA viscose) does not usually wash well.
Still, if you follow our instructions, you can clean more of your clothes at home so you can save time and money.
Read the label
Credit: Getty Images
Always check the tag before you wash. It will tell you what fiber the garment is made from and show you symbols that explain how to care for it.
Even if you plan to defy it, take a long look at the care tag before you wash, and understand what the symbols on it mean. Doing that will tell you the fiber the clothing item is made from and help you decide the method you'll use for cleaning clothes.
Credit: Getty Images / coolvectormaker
You don't have to memorize the fabric care symbols, but definitely keep a chart like this handy when you're washing your dry clean only clothing.
So: ready to get started? These fabrics are almost always fair game. Our guide to cleaning every kind of fabric provides detailed directions on how to wash them.
- Cotton
- Linen
- Wool
- Polyester
- Nylon
- Acrylic
Do a spot test
Credit: Getty Images / piikcoro
Use a white washcloth or cotton swab to test clothing for colorfastness, because you don't want the color to run when you wash it. Silk is usually washable, but since it is not usually colorfast, it can be risky to wash.
Now, test for colorfastness. Silk fabrics are especially prone to losing color when washed. Find an inconspicuous section on the wrong side of the garment (inside a seam is good) and dot on a bit of water using a Q-tip or a white washcloth. Rub very gently. If any of the dye comes off, stop right there. If there’s no dye on the swab, move on.
Wash by hand or machine
Ready to wash your clothes? Pick your washing method carefully. Here's how to deal with delicate duds.
How to wash by hand
Credit: Getty Images / Tanya Lovus
Hand wash delicate clothing using a mild detergent instead of the stuff you usually pour in your washer. Treat them gently, or you might wish you'd taken your clothes to the cleaners.
Start with a clean sink or basin when hand washing. Swish carefully in cold water to keep each article of clothing, especially sweaters and other knits, looking beautiful. Part of good care is selecting the right detergent for the job. Don’t automatically go for detergent you pour into your washer. A mild detergent will give far better results. Whether you favor a few drops of baby shampoo, a small amount of Woolite, or a squirt of Eucalan, it will treat your clothes more kindly. Drain the soapy water out, refill the basin for a cold water rinse and press out the suds till the water is clear.
How to machine wash
Credit: Getty Images /bungoume
Some more delicate clothes are safe to machine wash if you put them in a laundry bag before you pop them in your washer. Turn them inside out before you do.
Select a cold water delicate or wool cycle on your washing machine, and for best results, tuck each clothing item into a separate mesh bag. Pull your laundry out of the washing machine as soon as the cycle ends.
How to dry
A delicate cycle can leave lots of water in the clothes. That's on purpose—it doesn't spin them hard. Step away from the dryer—these clothes are not going in there. Lay each wet garment on a towel. Roll up the towel with the clothing inside, pressing gently to remove water. Unroll the wet towel and move the garment to a dry towel. Then, lay it flat to dry.
Steam your clothes
If your dry clean only clothes aren't filthy, steaming is a great solution. At the very least, a good steaming will extend the number of wearings you get between cleanings. It's chemical-free, kills most germs, and quashes odors.
Use a handheld steamer
Hold the steamer over the garment, going from top to bottom. If there's a lining, steam it before you do the outside. Be cautious, because a steam burn hurts. Don't even think of steaming clothes while you have them on.
Steam clothes in the dryer
Credit: Reviewed / Jonathan Chan
If you're fortunate enough to have a dryer with a refresh cycle like this Electrolux model, you can give dry clean only clothes a quick shot of steam.
Don't panic! We're not suggesting that you take your cherished clothing for an unprotected spin in a hot dryer. We would never do that. But if your dryer has a steam refresh cycle, you should use it to perk up a lightly-soiled garment. It's not a true wash, but fine for stuff that's not really dirty.
Buy home dry cleaning kits
Credit: Dryel
You can buy a kit like this one from Dryel to do your dry cleaning at home, in the dryer
Kits like Dryel's can be safe for clothes as long as you follow the directions to clean at home. Clean-at-home kits are often a good way to get a quick refresh, can remove most water-based stains, and leave clothes soft and unwrinkled.
But don’t toss in your good navy blazer in the bag and plan to wear it to a job interview that same day. It will need pressing before it's fit to wear. You may also want to let it air out a bit—many of these kits leave behind a particularly pungent perfume smell.
Home dry cleaning machines
If you’ve got some money to invest in at-home wardrobe maintenance, you have more choices. These appliances aren’t for everyone, but for those who need (and can afford) them, they can provide a great alternative to professional dry cleaning.
The steamy cleaning closet
Credit: LG
LG makes a steam closet for your business clothes. It will also crease your suit pants if that's your jam.
The LG Styler is a personal Wi-fi-enabled steam closet that refreshes clothes effortlessly. Vibration and steam smooth out wrinkles and reduce odors. The Styler can even crease your pants for you!
A multi-talented ironing system
Credit: Reviewed
The Miele Fashion-Master can iron and steam as well as the cleaners, for those who have $2000 to invest in it.
The Miele FashionMaster is a high-end iron and ironing board with powerful steam to freshen and smooth all your clothes. I tried it once and fell in love.
If you can’t afford a top-of-the-line solution and don’t want to jump through hoops for dry-clean-only clothing, there is one more option available—don’t buy clothes that demand it.
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