How True is “Dry Clean Only”?
The care labels on the inside of your clothing can tell you a lot of information about the product and how it was made. The main purpose of the care label is the care instructions, which will tell you if your garment is machine washable or is better off being dry cleaned. Many clothes today will have a “dry clean only” instruction, but how true is this?
When You Should Definitely Dry Clean
- Silk, wool, velvet, taffeta, leather and suede must all be dry cleaned
- Special finish such as beading, embroidery or lace
- If the garment has structure such as a suit jacket
- If the garment is lined-Each fabric will have a different shrinkage rate
- Does the color run when it is wet? Test a wet cotton swab on the fabric
- Is the garment expensive? You may want to play it safe and have it dry cleaned
- The fabric is made of acetate, triacetate or rayon- these fabrics can be carefully hand washed but would be better of dry cleaned as they easily shrink and get misshapen in water
When You Can Wash “Dry Clean Only”
- Use cold water and a gentle detergent
- Wash the garment alone so it does not mix with others
- If you decide to machine wash, use the gentle cycle
- Never put the garment in the dryer, hang to dry or lay it flat if it is a knit garment
How Can Vick’s Cleaners Help?
Vick’s Cleaners is your go-to for your professional dry cleaning and laundry services. We offer free pick up and delivery so you never have to worry! We have three convenient dry cleaning services in the Kinston area, as well as two laundromat locations with wash and fold service. We understand how important your clothing is to you, so we want to ensure that you can trust our services. To get started you can visit us online to schedule your free pickup, or drop off at one of our locations today!
