Dry clean only?

[Tenorclef]

I was giving this some thought over the weekend, whilst I would never pop one of my 2 or 3 piece suits into the washing machine I did think that after doing some research I would chance placing my collection of 'dry clean only' trousers (I believe you Americans refer to them as pants) into our Dyson washing machine.

The trousers, typically 100% wool, super 100's, 120's and other mixtures were put on a 'Hand washing' setting at 20 degrees with a none spin setting using Fairy non-biological liquid. Having about a dozen trousers in rotation, I find that they don't really get dirty and that an airing is generally all that is required to freshen them up but after about 6/12 months even wool needs to be cleaned properly.

I have to say the results were good, the fabric didn't shrink or pile. As I didn't spin them they went straight onto the wash line to drip dry and then whilst still slightly damp I gently steam ironed them with just a couple of dots of lavender in the water and they came up great.

Conclusion, whilst this may or may not be a good idea for everyone it seems to have worked out for me and saved me quite a few pounds in Dry Cleaning.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

yeah, the dry clean only really only refers to not giving them a hot wash (and of course, a cunning way to prop up the dry cleaning industry). Wet washing is perfectly fine, and in many cases superior to, and less damaging than, dry/chemical cleaning.

 

[Giftmacher]

I wouldn't risk again.

 

[m0nk]

Actually, I would be against it. It's been nearly 15 years now, but I ran a dry cleaning business for a relative for about 2 years during college and learned a lot in that time.... not to mention college chemistry taught me a good deal about the destructive properties of water...

While it may be ok to do once in a while if it doesn't destroy or shrink the fabric on the first go, water, over time, will degrade any material much faster than dry cleaning. Dry cleaning chemicals were specially designed decades ago to avoid that sort of damage, as they are truly dry (meaning no presence of water). Perchlorethylene and CO2 are the common dry cleaning methods, and they're both very safe when it comes to natural fibers. More cleaning operations now are using CO2 as well as the method is safer for the environment, and has even less risk of damage to clothing than using perchlorethylene as the soaps for the latter method are a little harsher (still waterless solvents).

Hope that helps...

 

[herringbonekid]

While it may be ok to do once in a while if it doesn't destroy or shrink the fabric on the first go...

erm, i think you might need to explain how water 'destroys' fabric on the first go.

i've wet-washed cotton, linen and Palm Beach fabric jackets without any trouble (except for shrinkage if the fabric wasn't pre-shrunk) but they were all soft-tailored summer jackets.
a fully canvassed, shoulder padded, vintage wool suit jacket i haven't tried, and i'm not sure i ever want to. Baron, have you washed such a jacket and did it return to its former shape without any problems ?

 

[Seraph1227]

I would not recommend this on a regular basis. I experimented on some wool trousers that saw heavy rotation in my work wardrobe by machine washing them. After a few washings they were ruined. Washing with water is not good for the long run.