Can I get away with washing this? (Labeled as dry clean only)

[ShakeShakeTheMuffin]

Possibly a cold wash? Any advice greatly appreciated. I read on here a little while ago the Karen Millen dresses are often marked unnecessarily as dry clean only.

[HappyLandFan]

What sort of material is the dress?

[HappyLandFan]

Sorry ignore that I just saw the picture lol
Only risk it if you can afford to lose it. I dont think you’ll know til you try.

[WanderingTrolley1]

I’d gentle wash.

[LimpidPools]

It's all on the label HappyLand.

I would say that will pretty much definitely be fine OP.

It's a long way from silk, isn't it? (And I've washed that too )

[Fabellini]

I'd risk it, but then, I'm well known as being quite daring with what I'm willing to chance putting in the machine.
Mine has several "safe" cycles - 30degree delicate, and hand wash, cold quick wash, etc.
Never lost anything yet. I do sometimes sit in front of it with my fingers crossed, but going by that care label, I'd chance it.
How devastated would you be if it went wrong though?

[Lucked]

Yes gentle wash in a delicate bag and I think it will be fine.

[HarrietSchulenberg]

Have a look at this, it says "No":
www.thelaundress.com/clean-talk-blog/which-dry-clean-only-items-actually-need-to-be-dry-cleaned.html

Personally I'd try a cold wash or a very cool hand wash but I'm a bit slapdash and don't mind being dressed like a scarecrow so it depends on how well presented you want to be.

[ShakeShakeTheMuffin]

Thanks for your responses. :) Might try a cold hand wash.

[shockofthepops]

I use the gentle 'hand wash' cycle on.mt washing machine for all dry clean only garments. It's all been fine, including silk tops. Dry clean is a bit of a scam I think!

[millifiori]

I wash everything. Dry cleaning fluids are far more aggressive than the 15 min quick handwash cycle with delicates fabric wash. Just don't spin (or put inside a pillowcase for the spin and do it on a slow setting) and don't tumble dry or tumble on coolest setting.

[flobella]

I think stuff gets labelled as dry clean only as the manufacturers know deep down that this means things won't get cleaned as often and therefore the garment will appear to be more durable/better quality to the consumer. Washing cloth using any process naturally causes it to degrade over time so the less you wash things the more longevity you will get out of them (although you'd go through a lot of Febreze!).

I wouldn't wash something that was very expensive but unless I can see a particular reason why it couldn't go in the machine, I tend to choose a hand wash or cool wash on my machine and cross my fingers and hope for the best. I once ruined a pure wool Ralph Lauren jumper because apparently very cold water has the same effect on wool as very hot water (it shrinks) but apart from that everything has lived to tell the tale.

My sofa covers go in the wash despite all the labels saying that it will be catastrophic if you do this and the world will end tomorrow - they come out of the wash looking great and although it is a bit of a faff getting them back onto the cushions, they are not harmed in the process. I can't imagine why I would want to pay for specialist cleaning.