Would you machine wash a dry clean only coat?

[lucysmam]

I'm just curious really. I've done it in the past with no problems, but my friend looked a bit earlier when I said I was going to put my new (to me) coat through the machine 🤷‍♀️

So, I just wondered...would you, or not?

No I wouldn’t be brave enough.

I wash everything. Dry clean or not. But I don't have every expensive clothes unless they were from a charity shop

What material is it?

I used to work in a dry cleaners years ago and know my care labels! I also know some firms had 'form' for not testing their clothes before the cleaning process (Karen Millen I'm looking at you) M&S on the other hand were very thorough so everything came out ok usually.

I wouldn't put a dry clean only item in the wash but that's just me.. what material is it? Where is it from?

There are items that are labelled Dry Clean Only that I would do in the machine ( delicate, low temp at least for the first time.) but I’d be more cautious about a coat - though coat covers a wide range of materials and fit etc.

Having said that, there was a fire at my DDs school, which affected the lockers area. Her blazer was finally retrieved - a sorry looking sooty rag, soggy from the water from the firemen’s hoses.

Before writing it off I put it in the machine and it came up like new - better than when it had been dry cleaned !

I have old wool coats and have put them through on a cold wash, then hung them up wet. I then steam press while still damp. They’ve been fine.
I’m not sure I would if the coat fibres were mixed and looked more pressed together than woven.

It would depend what it's made of. Anything tailored and with that satiny sort of lining I would be cautious. Anything wool i would be very cautious (but it might survive a very gentle handwash cycle. I've machine washed down jackets and outdoor/hiking-type jackets regularly but I'm careful with the washing liquid and only use soap flakes or specialist outdoor clothing detergent for those

It depends. My "£1 from the charity shop" dry clean only coat- yes, and it was fine.

Something expensive that I'd bought new? Probably not.

I machine wash anything and everything. from dry clean only clothes to my Hoover hose.... Nothing/nobody has died yet

I done one last week and it came out fine. Admittedly it’s a coat I’m not bothered about though, if it went wrong!

I wrecked my favourite coat by stupidly putting it in the washing machine thinking it would be fine! It looked a state.
I still think about that coat and wish I'd just got it dry cleaned !

No, it's asking for trouble. Just not worth the risk.

I put an M&S coat (dry clean only) in the machine last week and it came out incredibly bobbly. I've had to buy a gadget to de-bobble it and it does look better.

I throw everything in the wash (apart from silk or wool) - this is the first time I've had a problem!

Depends how much it cost and how much I love it (should something go hideously wrong). Long coats don't do well in washing machines generally as they get crumpled and wool can be a nightmare if it gets wet.

Yes....I wash all my coats.....Uniqlo downy puffer, teddy bear coat, fake fur jacket, Hobbs wool coat......put it on a quick 30 wash then hang to dry.....all come out fine

I have ruined clothes doing this. So, no, I wouldn't.

Really depends on coat and only on the delicate/hand wash setting.

Expensive shearling coat which is a nightmare just to get dry cleaned, no.

Wool coat with little reshaping required, probably.

School blazer, definitely. Silly bastards thinking I’m going to pay to dry clean something that survives being a football goalpost on a regular basis!

Depends if it really needs it or not. I once put an ankle length suede and faux fur coat through the machine (it was new in the 00s, and very fashionable then, don't judge! ) and it was absolutely fine.

But the only other alternative was binning it, so I thought 'what the hell'. Dry cleaning would not have sorted it.

I wouldn't if I could avoid it, with a coat.

I might hand wash something less dense though.

Usually I am an advocate of machine washing anything - after all there wool and delicate cycles. However I destroyed a much loved coat by machine washing it. It was about 20 years ago and I still remember how lovely it was!

I just did it with a Banana Republic Mac I got in a charity shop for £2.

Washed it on a fast 30 degrees, 30 mins) and it came up like new.

I do wash quite a few dry clean things only on this setting and they've always been fine.

Depends on the material and your appetite for risk.