What happens if you wash something that is dryclean only?

Answer 1

it comes out looking more than 30 years old
or its falls apart might shrink and look like barbie clothes that's what happened to one of my shirts..
it depends what material it is

Answer 2

I agree with the above comment about manufacturers care labels. On Oprah they had designers who said the same thing . . . they put Dry Clean on everything to avoid liability alot of time.

BUT . . . I've ruined alot of clothes! I generally find it depends on the 1) cost 2) material whether I decide to dry-clean or not.

All cotton clothing, I wash in cold water and it is fine (shirts, pants, tops etc). Warm water and sometimes it shrinks. For Linens or Linen suits though, I dry clean, because ironing them is just pain, and I have better things to do than ironing out wrinkled linen.

Actually, for all suits and dresses (except cotton summer dresses), I dry clean only, because the lining in them (moreso if they are expensive) can shrink in wash.

All wool clothing, I always hand wash/soak in wool wash or dry clean. I have a collection of Burberry and Lacoste woollen jumpers that can fit a ten year old kid after being washed in cold water gentle cycle washing machine.

All silk or delicate synthetics (rayon, velvet suits etc.) I dryclean only. I've ruined alot of silk/silk mix tops . . . by handwash and cold gentle cycle. They are dry clean only. Velour is dry clean preferable.

Even a lingerie model friend of mine washes nylon stockings and bras in the wash, and they come out okay using a delicates bag on delicates cold cycle.

Also, if it is sentimental and expensive, I dry clean only.

I think a good steam iron is also important. My shirts come out as good as from the cleaners, because I've got a Swiss Laura-Star Professional Iron System (it has air fan built into the board, that pumps air into clothes, and a super hot steam generator . . . so no creases).

Answer 3

I've done that with 2 articles of clothing before. One was a sweater and the other was a pair of pants. The sweater is now fit for a large doll or a small child and the pants slightly shrank and refuse to de-wrinkle. So sad when that happens....

Answer 4

it depends on what the material is.

many manufacturers put "dry clean only" tags in many items that don't need it to cover their own rears.

i wash everything but WOOL with no problems.

Answer 5

sometimes they wash ok, sometimes they fall apart, sometimes they wrinkle very badly or even shrivel up, sometimes they shrink like mad.