Blog

“Dry Clean Only” – It’s the little inconvenient writing on probably 50% of our labels that has us contemplating whether to rush to the dry cleaner or risk damaging our precious clothing in our own machine.

There’s no denying that dry cleaning does wonders for our garments, and investing in professional garment care undoubtedly fills you with a sense of pride for actually being an adult and following the instructions. However, after forking out for that professional clean, you’re often left asking yourself, “Was that really necessary?”

Truth is, not every garment that demands “Dry Clean Only” actually needs to be dry cleaned. (Although for those that do, you’d hope it’s in a Girbau washer.) 

So let’s dive into the world of dry cleaning and see if we can clear things up.

Dry cleaning facts

Contrary to the name, there’s not much ‘dry’ involved in the process of dry cleaning. 

The clothes or garments are actually soaked in solvent, most commonly Perchloroethylene, or ‘Perc,’ if you’re in the industrial laundry business. The solvent magically extracts stain-causing compounds, and without these solvents, the fabrics would need to be washed at higher temperatures, potentially damaging the garment.

The solvent is removed in a gentle spin cycle, with the remainder evaporated in the dry (there it is!) cycle that follows. 

Here’s what you should get dry cleaned:

• Acetate
• Brightly coloured silk
• Damask
• Fur and feather
• Leather
• Silk velvet
• Taffeta
• Wedding dresses
• Wool suits

Dry cleaning fiction

The truth is that most clothing manufacturers put ‘dry clean only’ when a normal wash at home would be just fine. This isn’t because they want to inconvenience us, but rather to minimise the returns and refunds due to customers not taking proper care of their clothes. 

Did you know that clothing companies can request ‘evidence’ that your clothing was washed under proper conditions, and refund according to the quality of the garment, not the customers washing skills?

Unfortunately, the ‘dry clean only’ labels have and can put many consumers in an expensive situation. So, let’s break free of that (spin) cycle.  

Here’s what you don’t have to have dry cleaned:

• Acrylic
• Cashmere
• Cotton
• Nylon
• Polyester
• Most wool

Don’t get us wrong, you still need to take care of these fabrics, but probably don’t need to splash the extra cash on a dry clean.

These materials can be washed at home with a delicate detergent, by hand-washing and in cold water. Rinse these garments in cold water and then dry flat. 

Your Dependable Laundry Solutions

Now that we’ve cleared up the “Dry Clean Only” debate, you may be tempted to break up with your dry-cleaner for good. But some of the time, you need an industrial clean. 

And for the best industrial washing machine money can buy, you can’t go past a Girbau Washer. In fact, your local dry cleaner is probably already using a Girbau washer.

These high-performing washers will provide the very best care for your garments.

Like to learn more about our industrial washers? Contact Dependable Laundry Solutions today.