Q.
What happens when you wash clothes that say "dry-clean only"? Are there any fabrics one should never wash? What if I'm in a pinch?
A.
We thought it would be a good money-saving idea to cut out dry-cleaning too, but boy was that a mistake. A lot of the time when clothing manufacturers say dry-clean only, they mean it. Fabrics like silk and wool normally just don't do very well in an ordinary washer. Water can wreak havoc on your favorite silk blouse or shrink DH's cozy wool sweater beyond recognition. When washing dry-clean-only items you also run the risk of altering the color of the garment, distorting its shape, or wrinkling it so much that even the best iron won't help. Our advice: Skimp on lunches out, not your dry-cleaning.
Because we all find ourselves in a tight situation sometimes, allow us to cautiously offer one method for caring for your dry-clean-only clothes when you're absolutely need-it-tonight desperate: Use an at-home dry-cleaning kit like Dryel. It's good for freshening up your clothes and getting the stink out, but not so good at getting rid of stains, lint, or pet hair.
-- The Nest Editors
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