Would you handwash dry clean only?

[mrsvilliers]

Or more precisely put through your machine on the handwash cycle? I bought a dress from eBay for a one off event and would like to sell it again but I've just noticed it's quite grubby. If I was keeping it I'd dry clean but don't want to spend £10 if I don't have to.

[scandichick]

I do... hasn't failed me yet, but then I've got low standards.

[ChickyDuck]

It really depends on the fabric. I have some dry clean only dresses where even a little patch that just got a bit wet (I think I spilled some water on it) is noticeably changed in texture. Maybe dry wetting a small patch and letting it dry before you go the whole hog?

[Out2pasture]

another one to say it depends on the fabric.

[Gowgirl]

I chuck it in the machine on a wool wash! But I'm pretty slack.....

[LotsOfShoes]

I would wash it, yes. I wash everythinng except for suits/jackets

[Ilovewillow]

I have a cold wool/silk hand wash on mine and wash pretty much all dry clean only - no casualties yet!

[whatiswrongwithyou]

Yes definitely - I've got a gentle 30 degrees cycle and I turn the spin right down with anything delicate or that I'm unsure of. I also use washing detergent for wool/silk.

[Ifiwasabadger]

Yes!

Top tip....johnsons the dry cleaners used to be my client...they had deals with retailers to put dry clean only tags in clothes.

99.9% of stuff that says dry clean only can be cold washed.

[mrsvilliers]

Ifiwasabadger Scandalous!!!

Forgot I have a wool wash too, I will use that then and also a handwash/silk detergent I have. Thanks all!

[BabyGanoush]

Let us know how you got on.

I once handwashed a unique vintage dress I had borrowed of a friend.

It was viscose crepe. It shrunk to about a quarter of its size, the sheer panic!

I pulled ay it with a friend and laid it flat and held it into place with bricks. Then it was small AND wonky.

Still, with most things that doesn't happen.....

[thatorchidmoment]

A bit at collusion between clothing manufacturers and dry cleaners although not sure why it surprises me!
I would definitely put pretty much any 'dry clean only' garment through a machine wool cycle with wool/silk detergent.

[thatorchidmoment]

Also, I remember a shrinking episode with a dry clean skirt of mine. It had shrunk by about half: I was astonished.
A good (cool) ironing later and it was back to its original size.

[PresidentOliviaMumsnet]

Stick it in a pillowcase too to protect further.

[botemp]

It's to cover their asses, the average user will not put it in a special program and not all washing machines do a decent job of it. Since the fabrics are delicate they will wear quicker (stitching is also not as strong due to fabric) so the likelihood that it falls apart quickly is high while most of us wait forever and a day to visit a dry cleaner so it appears to be a high quality item that lasts for years when it's not.

Though some fabrics do really warrant it and for things that are really difficult to iron or steam I happily leave it to a dry cleaner but silks, wool, etc. can easily be washed at home at cool temperatures. I don't buy synthetic fabrics much so I don't really know how that would pan out, it's what I'd be most hesitant to try to wash myself especially if it has a synthetic lining that might contract differently in a traditional wash thus warping it out of shape. If you have a steam function on your iron I'd give that a try first.

[Doobigetta]

This site is really good for advice on what you can and can't get away with- www.thelaundress.com/asklaundress/

[SandunesAndRainclouds]

Also low spin speed. Polyester mixes can crease badly.

[notagiraffe]

Yes, inside a pillowcase, on a wool wash with delicates fabric liquid.

[mrsvilliers]

What a useful site Doobigetta thank you. Bad news for me though as apparently viscose is very unpredictable and needs to be dry cleaned. Gah!

[IJustLostTheGame]

I wouldn't wash viscose. I did it once and ruined a very expensive dress.

[mrsvilliers]

Thanks IJustLost it was the viscose that made me think twice. I think I'm going to keep it anyway now I need to have it dry cleaned!