Although many people choose to ignore the ‘dry-clean only‘ label stitched into their clothes, they really should take notice because it is there for good reason!
While you may think you are saving money by throwing your dry clean only clothes into your home washing machine, it really isn’t worth ruining your favourite dress or smart suit to save a few pounds.
In fact, it may cost you more money, in the long run, having to replace your favourite outfits when you see the toll that regular washing can take on your clothes.
If you are unsure, dry clean it anyway
You may have items of clothing that you are not sure how to clean. This can be because there are no washing guide labels, or the outfit was hand-made for you, or the garment has embellishments like fancy buttons, sequins, lace trimmings or jewels that may fall off or damage your garment during a washing cycle.
If you are unsure about how you should clean these clothes, then bring them into us at American Dry Cleaning and our expert team of dry cleaners will be able to tell you the best way to clean and take good care of these garments.
Prevent shrinkage
Don’t you just hate it when your favourite jumper or skirt shrinks in the wash? There are a few reasons why clothes shrink when they are washed, including some types of fabrics that are more prone to shrinkage than others.
Sometimes it can be washing your clothes on a higher temperature or how you dry them that cause the fibres of your clothes to shrink, making your clothes come out of the wash smaller than when they went in.
Using the wrong temperature or wash cycle, which can be too harsh or too long a duration for your delicate materials to handle can make cotton, linen and wool clothes shrink more and more over time.
Using a professional dry cleaner will help as they will handle and clean your clothes properly. This means a greatly reduced risk of shrinkage, a more comfortable fit and will give your clothes a longer lifespan.
Professional stain removal
Trying to use DIY stain-removing solutions more often than not fail and can sometimes lead to more problems as most commercial stain removers made for use at home are really harsh and can weaken the fibres or fade the colour from your garment.
Even home remedies such as rubbing the stain with vinegar can seem like a simple and cheap idea, but often the best way to remove the stain completely is through professional stain removal by an experienced dry cleaner who will be able to match the correct stain removal method depending on the fabric and what substance caused the stain.
Sometimes washing the stained clothing item can lead to the stain setting in the fabric instead of it coming out. If you are trying to remove a sweat stain from a white shirt, or red wine from a cashmere sweater, you will need help from our professionals.