How to Wash a Dry Clean Only Garment

Co-authored by Safir Ali

Last Updated: April 7, 2022 Approved

Manufacturers label their garments with washing and drying instructions, they are designed to help the item last as long as possible. However, if you have a closet full of clothes labeled "Dry Clean Only," you may be looking for a cleaning option that is less expensive and more convenient. Many items with this label can be successfully washed at home using one of three methods: hand washing, gentle machine washing, or using a home dry cleaning kit.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Cleaning by Hand-Washing Clothing

1
Read the garment's label. If the item is made from wool, silk, or cotton, you may gently wash it by hand.^{[1]
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- Avoid washing suede, leather, fur, feathers, and other extremely fragile fabrics by hand. These should be taken to the dry cleaner for a professional cleaning.
- You should also avoid hand-washing garments with multiple joined layers, even if the layers themselves would be safe to hand-wash separately. For example, a wool jacket with lining and interfacing can lose its structure when hand-washed.^{[2]
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2
Mix soap with cold water in a basin or bucket. Use soap flakes or a mild detergent, and agitate the water a bit so that it produces some foam.^{[3]
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- Never use hot water on items that are meant to be dry cleaned. It will damage the fibers and cause the fabric to shrink.^{[4]
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- Woolite is an acceptable detergent to use when hand washing wool.^{[5]
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3
Dip the garment in and out of the soapy water. Submerge it completely, then lift it from the water and dip it again.^{[6]
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- Rub any areas that are soiled, such as the armpits and collars, using your finger tips.
- Don't use an abrasive scrubber on the clothing, since this may damage the fibers.
Drain the basin of soapy water and fill it with fresh cold water. Dip the garment in and out of the clean water until it is no longer covered in soap.
5
Lay the garment out on a clean absorbent towel. Roll the towel up with the item inside, squeezing gently to remove water.
- Unroll the towel, move the garment to a dry spot, then roll the towel again. Repeat the process three to five times until the garment is no longer dripping.
- Do not wring the garment out, since you could damage the fragile fibers.
If it is made from a stiffer fabric that won't get misshapen by hanging, place it on a hanger and hang it up to dry.

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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Cleaning by Machine-Washing

Reserve gentle machine washing for items with stiffer fabric that won't get misshapen if agitated.^{[7]
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Expert Source

Safir Ali
Professional Dry Cleaner

Expert Interview. 15 September 2020.} Cottons, linens, and durable polyesters can usually withstand machine washing.^{[8]
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2
Set your washing machine to its gentlest cycle. The water should be cold, not warm or hot. Use a mild detergent to wash the clothing.^{[9]
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Expert Source

Safir Ali
Professional Dry Cleaner

Expert Interview. 15 September 2020.}
- Wash your dry-clean-only items on the gentle cycle.
Lay them flat or hang them to dry.

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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Dry Cleaning at Home

These kits come with a bottle of stain remover, dry cleaning sheets, and a dry cleaning bag.^{[10]
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Dry cleaning kits are useful for silks, polyesters, and other delicates that are not heavily soiled. If your garment is heavily soiled, it's best to take it to the dry cleaner instead.
3
Use the stain remover to clean stains. The stain remover that comes with dry cleaning kits is the same as stain remover that you buy separately at the store Apply it according to the instructions it came with.^{[11]
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- If you're concerned that the stain remover may leave a mark on your clothing, do a spot test in a discreet place to make sure it's safe to use.
- Don't use stain remover on large stains. If a stain is covering a large spot on your clothing, it's best to take it to a dry cleaner instead of trying to remove it at home.
Add a dry cleaning sheet to the bag. The sheet will release perfume and a little moisture to freshen the garment during the dry cleaning process.
Start the dryer's gentle cycle, making sure the dryer is set to use only low heat. When the cycle is complete, remove the bag from the dryer.
As the garment airs out, the wrinkles should "fall out," and the dry-cleaning process will be complete.

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Question

How do I get stains out of dry clean only clothes?

Safir Ali
Professional Dry Cleaner
Safir Ali is the Co-Founder and CEO of Hamper Dry Cleaning and Laundry, a startup in Houston, Texas reinventing the laundry industry. With over six years of experience launching and operating Hamper, Safir specializes in innovative ways to simplify dry cleaning using the experience from his family's business. Safir holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Management from Texas A&M University. Hamper offers 24/7 on-demand dry cleaning and laundry through delivery and kiosk services. Hamper has been featured on the Houston Rockets, Station Houston, the Houston Business Journal, BBVA, Yahoo Finance, and Innovation Map.

Safir Ali

Professional Dry Cleaner

Expert Answer

You can carefully spot treat the stains using hot water and short strokes with your fingernail or a bobby pin.

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Question

Can I wash something that's dry clean only?

Safir Ali
Professional Dry Cleaner
Safir Ali is the Co-Founder and CEO of Hamper Dry Cleaning and Laundry, a startup in Houston, Texas reinventing the laundry industry. With over six years of experience launching and operating Hamper, Safir specializes in innovative ways to simplify dry cleaning using the experience from his family's business. Safir holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Management from Texas A&M University. Hamper offers 24/7 on-demand dry cleaning and laundry through delivery and kiosk services. Hamper has been featured on the Houston Rockets, Station Houston, the Houston Business Journal, BBVA, Yahoo Finance, and Innovation Map.

Safir Ali

Professional Dry Cleaner

Expert Answer

Read the tag on the clothing to see what it recommends. If the colors bleed or the garment will shrink, stick to dry cleaning.

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Question

Is my padded jacket ruined if I accidentally hand washed it?

Community Answer

To restore it, try the following. Fill a clean sink up with warm water and wash the item through. Then pour a cup full of Woollight (basic fabric 'shampoo') and rub the now soapy water into your item. Rinse the item with clean water, then fill the sink up again with warm water. Add a cup full of clothing conditioner and mix it in with your item. Rinse, then hang to dry.

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Tips

Machine washing and drying clothing shortens the life of all garments. Dry clean any garment that is extremely important to you, no matter what washing instructions are the manufacturer provides. However, there are a few materials should never be dry cleaned. These items indicate "No Dry Cleaning" on their tags.^{[12]
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Some garments are labeled "Dry Cleaning Optional" or "Dry Cleaning Suggested." You may machine and hand wash these items, but the manufacturer believes that the quality of the merchandise warrants dry cleaning to extend the life of the garment.

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Warnings

Never machine wash dry-clean-only garments that have delicate lace or beading, or special creases, pleats or stitching.

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Material that has a finish on it, such as something to make it stiff, can only be dry cleaned.

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As a general rule, you should always dry clean and never try to wash garments made from acetate fibers, leather or suede.

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Some dry-clean-only materials, such as rayon, will shrink if you wet wash them by hand or machine. Most items will only shrink for the first washing.^{[13]
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