New cardi - can I really only dry clean it?

[pootlingalonginthesun]

I bought a lovely cardigan in the January sales. It's a mix of wool, alpaca and polyester. The care label says Dry Clean Only.

Is it the only way? Or could I get away with a cheaper more convenient way of keeping it clean??

I would put that through the wool cycle without a second thought. Dry it on a rack, or on a towel in front of a radiator. Don’t peg it out or it might stretch (maybe just me in that the wool cycle on our machine doesn’t do a vigorous spin).

Put it in a laundry bag or a knotted closed pillow case to avoid it getting out of shape.

I would probably wash it by hand the first time with Woolite, then lay it flat on a towel, tweak it into shape and put another towel on top (first get most of the wet out by blotting between 2 towels).

If that worked fine I might try the wool programme next, still always drying flat on a towel.

Get a bottle of Eucalun wool wash and hand wash it. It's brilliant stuff and you don't have to rinse ,just soak. I use it for cashmere jumpers. In the 1960s my mother had a recipe for a wool wash which was a mixture of eucalyptus, methylated spirits and Lux soap flakes. I think Eucalan must be based on it.

Should have said I normally give them a short spin after wahing in Eucalan and dry flat.

I put all my wool and cashmere and anything wool mix on the wool cycle of the machine using a wool wash. Reshape while damp - no problems at all and last years

*Wool wash detergent

I don't even look at the label. I always just use a 30 degree wool cycle.

Thanks all. I'll wash it on a wool cycle with the liquid recommended and dry flat. Fingers crossed it survives!
I have another beautiful wool cardigan that was handmade and that has survived the wool cycle a couple of times, so hopefully this will too

Brands often include this message on clothing as a means of side stepping any responsibility for shrinkage or items not surviving general laundry processes! I machine wash all my cashmere & merino wool so I wouldn't hesitate to machine wash a mixed-blend cardi. It will be fine OP. Just bung it on the wool cycle. BTW, I recently learned that wool really needs a good fast spin to help prevent stretching during the drying process. I guess excess water leads to excess weight, thereby pulling the knit out of shape?

Agree handwash or wool cycle. If you hand wash, as Pp said, fold inside a big towel then roll up to squeeze 90% of the water out, then dry on an airer.

Alpaca wool has no memory so if it stretches, it will remain stretched. It won't spring back when dry so be careful. Having said that, I'm a knitter and I hand wash all my wool, including alpaca