Machine washing dry clean only skirt

[AnythingNotEverything]

I've just bought a lovely skirt in a sale. I've taken a risk as it's dry clean only, and the cleaning fees will outstrip any savings quite quickly.

It's a linen skirt - thick suit type linen, and the label lists linen, "lyocell" (which Google tells me is machine washable) and polyester, which I assume is the lining.

My question is whether the washing machine (on a 30 degree delicates wash) will destroy it? I suspect the issue is with the lining, or that the skirt will be un-ironable ...

Any thoughts/advice/experience?

TIA

[MoonlightandRoses]

The potential issue will likely be the lining. If you use a delicates or hand wash cycle it should be absolutely fine. I tend to ignore the dry-cleaning label, unless it's heavily beaded/sequinned and haven't had a problem yet.

[AnythingNotEverything]

That's what I hope moonlight. There's nothing to fall off it and no suede or silk to be damaged.

Thanks for backing me up!

[MoonlightandRoses]

- I even do silk in the washing machine! - That is what the 'hand-washing' programme is there for...[lazy slattern emoticon]

[ItsDinah]

If the lining is only attached at the waist I would risk the machine. I wouldn't risk anything with a fully sewn in lining marked "Dry Clean" in the machine. I have ruined clothes that way. Washing up liquid and tepid water in the bath. A quick swirl and rinse. Some don't even stand up to that. I also ruined unlined thick woven linen suit trousers in the machine in the silks wash. I then tried the jacket with the hand wash method and it was just as bad. Both emerged as irreversibly crumpled. Normal linen is usually fine in the machine.

[AnythingNotEverything]

Thanks Dinah. You sound like the voice of experience.

[ItsDinah]

Bitter,bitter experience. I also discovered that there is a limit to the number of times clothes will take dry cleaning. I read some advice that said 6 dry cleanings was the limit. I found that hard to believe until I discovered for myself that some items only survive 3 dry cleanings. If you really love that skirt you might think about giving it 2 goes at dry cleaning and then try the hand wash.

[ThrowAChickenInTheAir]

This made me recall this. Interesting piece about washing dry clean only clothes. (Daily Mail)

[Molecule]

Lyocell is a form of viscose which often does not much care for water. I have found from bitter experience that mixed fabrics often don't wash as well as single fibre fabrics, and would worry that the Lyocell would shrink/stretch more than the linen, leaving a somewhat mis-shapen garment.