Many clothing manufacturers label delicate fabrics as “dry clean” to keep you from ruining them in the washing machine. However, this doesn't mean you must dry clean every delicate clothing item. Clothing tags marked “dry clean” or “dry clean recommended” may wash well at home with the right care.
If the item is tagged dry clean, you can wash in the washing machine with a delicate wash cycle and the right fabric-specific detergent. You'll want to ensure the water is cold, and the spin cycle is low to avoid damage.
It's recommended to use the delicate wash cycle on your appliance when cleaning these and other items such as undergarments and delicate fabrics like lace and rayon. Use the normal wash cycle when cleaning moderately soiled cottons, linens and other mixed fabrics.
Dry cleaning uses a chemical solvent to clean clothes, which is effective in removing stains and dirt without using water. This makes it a great option for delicate fabrics, such as silk, wool, and cashmere, that may shrink or become damaged when exposed to water.
Dry Clean Only Symbol
If you see a square with a circle icon on your tag, this means the clothing is dry clean only. You may also see a circle around the X over the bucket of water. If you see either of these symbols, it's time to take it to the dry cleaner.
Clothing tags marked “dry clean” or “dry clean recommended” may wash well at home with the right care. If the label says “dry clean only,” don't put it into your washing machine. Washing dry clean only clothing can ruin the garment, so it's best to take it to a professional cleaner.
Delicate Cycle: This wash cycle symbol is a tub with water and two lines underneath. These cycles are meant for more delicate garments that could be prone to damage and uses low agitation, slow spin, and colder temperature water to wash clothes and protect fabric.
Use a clean sink or basin filled with cold water and a gentle detergent. Use the gentle cycle if you're using a washing machine. Kinds of cotton, linens and durable polyesters are stiffer fabrics that can usually be carefully washed in a machine. Above all, don't use the dryer and avoid excess heat.
Delicate cycle:
This cycle uses the lowest temperature and the lowest tumble. Since delicate items and woolens should not be put in the dryer, we often use this setting for drying synthetics, lingerie, and other heat-sensitive everyday items.
Delicates can be washed in cold or sometimes warm water, but never hot. Many washing machines have their own program for delicates that minimizes the intensity of the spin cycle and typically uses more water to wash the clothes more carefully. For more protection, you can watch delicate garments in a mesh laundry bag.
A delicate fabric is a type of material like lace, silk, or cashmere that is easily damaged or torn, often because it is thin or has a delicate weave.
Choose Your Cycle Carefully
“A good general rule of thumb is to stick to cold and delicate cycles,” says LaLonde. “Cold cycles are the way to go to prevent shrinking. Most fabrics are much more susceptible to shrinking when exposed to high heats.”
DELICATES & EMBELLISHED.
If you require the use of a washing machine, place your delicate clothing items such as lace or linen in delicates laundry bag and your embellished items in a separate laundry bag (e.g: sequinned items together and beaded items together), and put on the same cycle.
Washing dry clean only pants at home can result in shrinking, color bleeding, damage to fabric or embellishments, and loss of shape or structure. Delicate fabrics require special care and following the care instructions is crucial to avoid irreversible damage.
A delicate wash or “hand wash” cycle is the machine equivalent to handwashing!
The delicate wash in a washing machine is specifically designed to protect fragile fabrics from damage during the wash cycle. This setting uses lower agitation and gentler spin speeds, making it ideal for materials like silk, lace, wool, and thin fabrics that require extra care.
To properly wash dry clean only clothes at home, it's important to select the right wash cycle on your washing machine. The recommended option is the gentle cycle or delicate cycle. This cycle is designed to be more gentle on fabrics, helping to prevent damage or excessive wear.
A delicate wash cycle (or “delicates”) is the washing machine equivalent to handwashing. The difference between the hand wash vs delicate cycle is that this setting uses cold water with low agitation with a slow spin and is the shortest, gentlest cleaning cycle.
After washing, gently squeeze out the excess water and lay the garment flat on a white towel, roll the towel and garment into a sausage and gently twist the roll to get rid of excess water. Then lay the garment as flat as possible on the air dryer, or mesh shelf.
Wet Cleaning Is the Eco-Friendly Alternative. With no need for solvents or other toxic chemicals, wet cleaning is a much friendlier and safer way to launder “dry-clean-only” garments. Traditional dry-clean-only fabrics like delicate wool, silk, and viscose can be safely washed using the wet clean process.
Dry Clean Only: These pillows should be taken to a professional dry cleaner, and should not be washed. Submerging them in water may damage the fill or cover. The tag may also say “Do not wash.”
Dry cleaning is largely a better method of cleaning clothes than water washing. However, the process is more complicated and generally more expensive as it involves solvents and chemicals that are not readily available to the average consumer. Plus, nothing beats the convenience of a washing machine at home.
The letter P inside the dry cleaning symbol means dry cleaning can be done with PCE or petroleum-based solvents. The letter F inside the dry cleaning symbol means dry cleaning should only be done with petroleum solvents. The dry cleaning symbol with the letter W stands for professional wet cleaning only.
Delicates: Low heat, so drying time will be longer. It is best to use this setting to use for delicate fabrics. Permanent Press: Medium heat while drying and is best used for colored fabrics. Air Fluff: Not used for drying. This setting draws in room temperature air to "fluff" clothing.