It is always a good practice to read your clothes’ fabric care labels. However, even when the label indicates dry cleaning for a garment, professional services are not always necessary. With do-it-yourself dry cleaning, home expenses can be reduced, since you no longer have to go to a professional cleaner every time you need your clothes to be dry-cleaned.
Warning
It is very important to keep in mind that dry cleaning at home is only for garments that are moderately soiled. Also, luxuriant fabrics such as velvet, suede, and leather should always be handled by a professional. When you’re uncertain whether it’s safe to dry clean a fabric, don’t hesitate to call your local dry cleaning company.
Washing Fabrics
Different types of fabric require different cleaning methods. Delicate fabrics like cashmere, wool, and some types of silks (shantung, pure silk, etc.) can be cleaned simply by hand washing them with cold water and just a small quantity of detergent. You can also use commercial shampoos that are specifically meant for washing cashmere or wool.
After washing, rinse the fabric and make sure to lay it flat on a clean surface to dry, except for silk fabrics, which must be hanged to dry. Nylon and polyester garments are also hand washable. If washing rayon clothes, avoid scrubbing too hard so as not to weaken the rayon fibers and create fuzz.
As for cotton fabrics, they can be a little difficult to wash by hand because they are very absorbent and can become very heavy. They also shrink and stretch fairly easily, particularly if you wring the clothes hard or they dry at a certain temperature. Prevent cotton fabrics from losing shape as much as possible by laying them down flat to dry.
Dry Cleaning Kits
Dry cleaning at home is made easy with a home dry cleaning kit, which includes a stain-removing product, a dryer activated cloth, and a reusable dryer bag. This kit can be bought online or at retail stores.
When using a dry cleaning kit, you’ll be able to clean stains off a garment by using a cleaning wipe included in the kit to pre-treat stains. Then, you simply throw in a few pieces of clothes in the special bag together with the dryer activated cloth, seal the bag, and put inside the dryer for how many minutes indicated on the kit.
Afterwards, your garments would come out clean and stain-free. While these kits make dry cleaning at home possible, they can only remove small stains and will not work on any oil-based stain.
Do You Need Professional Help with Your Clothes?
Whether you need regular laundering, dry cleaning, or even tailoring services for your clothes, Seva Call can help you locate the right professionals to do the job. Contact us and we’ll connect you directly with local service professionals in just a few minutes.
