Materials You Should Always Dry Clean

Plenty of us have been in a situation where we have dropped a glass of wine on our favourite blouse, or have managed to get some grease on a delicate pair of trousers, and our immediate reaction is to put them in the wash. The only problem is, sometimes a regular wash can cause the materials of our beloved clothes some mischief, and you will find them far worse off when they come out than when they went in!

This piece is going to take a look at the materials you should always dry clean to make sure you get the best results with as minimal damage as possible.

What is Dry Cleaning?

Dry cleaning is a process that is used to clean delicate materials that do not fare well in the wash. On the contrary to its name, dry cleaning does use liquids in the process to create the perfect clean. Solvents and water are used together to get hard to remove stains out of various fabrics while avoiding the damage that washing machines can cause. This could be anything from mini tears or issues such as buttons and clasps getting caught and ruining delicate fabrics.

Silk

Silk is a classic material that needs specialist treatment. Due to its delicate nature, it is seldom advised for silk clothes to not be put in the washing machine. This means those with silk blouses, trousers, or pillowcases are much better off taking them to the dry cleaners to get them cleaned safely. Not only that but using a washing machine to clean silk can dull any bright colours and could also shrink and alter the clothes’ shape.

Suede

Suede is another delicate material made from animal hides that need to be handled with care. Not only is it an expensive material but it can also be very difficult to look after. There are a few reasons for this. Moisture and light can both affect the look and structure of suede, and using cleaners that are not designed for suede can also damage the fabric. Always use a cleaner that is designed specifically for suede if you need to polish something up, such as suede shoes, but for any other items, make sure to take them to the dry cleaners. Dry cleaning can use a variety of different chemical-free cleaners so your suede can be properly cleaned and cared for without any damage.

Leather

Despite being a delicate material, leather is relatively easy to keep clean, as long as any spills are surface level only. If anything starts to stain, you will need to keep it away from a washing machine and take it to a specialist as soon as possible. Leather, while tough, needs to be treated with care when being washed. It is recommended you only take your leather to the dry cleaners if you have a serious stain that needs tackling.