Dry Cleaning and Laundry Tips

As effective as dry-cleaning is in purging clothes of dirt, grime, and whatnot, it’s important to keep in mind that the process is not for every piece of clothing. The chemicals used in dry cleaning can easily discolor or even deteriorate some clothing materials.

Understanding the dry-cleaning process more and knowing whether a clothing item can benefit from it are necessary if you want to avoid ruining your fabrics.

This article will give you an idea of which materials are excellent for dry-cleaning and which ones will get damaged. For additional info or for professional services, you can always call our Indianapolis dry cleaners.

Materials to Dry Clean

Generally, clothes that are too fragile, or too large, or clothes that have a lining inside them are candidates for dry-cleaning. These are clothes that can either be damaged through washing or are too problematic to even fit into a traditional washer.

Apart from those categories, the following are materials that are better off dry-cleaned than washed.

Linen – Although some linen fabrics do not require dry-cleaning, embellished ones are a different story. These are clothes or fabrics that wrinkle easily. Dry-cleaning them can maintain the fabric for longer.

Wool – Woolen clothes can easily shrink if they are washed the wrong way. Dry-cleaning them once in a while is the best way to go about it if you want to maintain the original size and quality.

Silk – If you want to keep the softness, smoothness, and silkiness of this naturally delicate fabric, dry-cleaning is your best bet. And you have to do it after every use.

Leather – Leather clothes are never really out of style. That’s why we’re confident you have one, two, or maybe more pieces of leather clothing in your closet. So you probably also know how difficult it is to keep clean. Leather is prone to stains, fades, and scratches.

Having these clothes dry cleaned will take care of all that.

Rayon – Most of the items on this list have been naturally occurring fabrics. While rayon is semi-synthetic, it does require dry-cleaning. If you wash your rayon clothes traditionally at home, you will get a shrunken, misaligned, discolored, and damaged piece that won’t even be that clean.

Materials NOT to Dry Clean

Some materials, on the other hand, are best washed using water and detergent. These clothes make up the bulk of most people’s clothes.

Cotton – This material needs no introduction because it is the most common fabric used for clothing. It’s comfortable, fairly cheap, and very easy to maintain. But just because they don’t require dry-cleaning doesn’t mean cotton clothes don’t need care.

Make sure to always check washing instructions. One piece of cotton clothing may require different water temperature and washing procedures compared to another.

Denim – Denim is tough to beat when it comes to durability and accessibility. This means you can wash them without worrying about damaging the material. They can also be washed alongside your regular laundry.

Synthetics – Polyester, nylon, spandex, and other synthetic fabrics are better washed using the water and detergent combo we know and love. However, keep in mind that they still need to be treated delicately. This means keeping them out of the dryer.

Take Away

Dry-cleaning may have its benefits but it’s not for all your clothes. Keep this list handy when deciding which ones go to the cleaners and which ones head to the laundry room at home.

If you want your clothes in top shape – whether washed or dry-cleaned – your friendly, neighborhood professionals at Starcrest Cleaners are always ready to lend a hand. Give us a call at (317) 593-9401 or visit our contact page.