What Really Needs Dry Cleaning – and What Can You Wash at Home?

The rule: fibre and construction decide – not the garment type

It is a common misconception that 'dresses' or 'suits' must be dry cleaned. It is not the type of garment that decides, but two other things: which fibre the fabric is made of, and how the garment is put together. A simple cotton dress can go in the machine; a lined wool suit with canvassing cannot. Same type of garment, completely different treatment. Once you learn to read fibre and construction, you stop guessing – and you avoid both ruining something in the machine and paying for cleaning you did not need.

Check the fibre first

The fibre tells you how much water, movement and heat the garment can take. Broadly, it splits into two groups:

• Robust and washable: cotton, linen, polyester, nylon, acrylic and 'superwash'-treated wool usually take a machine wash on the right programme.
• Delicate but often hand-washable: silk, untreated wool, cashmere and viscose can shrink, felt or weaken – but many take a gentle cold hand-wash. The fibre alone rarely forces dry cleaning.
• Viscose and rayon are weakest when wet and must be supported gently, never wrung or hung heavy and wet.
• If you are unsure of the fibre, look for the fibre content on the label in the side seam – it is usually there even when the care label has washed away.

Then check the construction – this is what actually requires cleaning

This is the most important step, and the one people most often skip. Even a washable fibre should stay out of the machine if the garment is built with any of this:

• Structure and canvassing: suit jackets, blazers and structured coats have inner canvas and interfacing that wash out of shape and never fully return.
• Lining that hangs differently from the outer fabric: lining and shell shrink at different rates in water, and the garment goes crooked.
• Embellishment: beads, sequins, appliqué and rhinestones can snag, come loose or discolour.
• Set pleats and pressing are heat-set and disappear in water.
• Unstable dye: strong or multi-coloured garments that bleed, run onto themselves or onto other laundry.
• Leather or suede trim, edges and belts that cannot take water.

How to safely wash the washable ones

If the garment has a washable fibre and simple construction, you can do it at home – just gently.

1. Test the dye first: press a damp white cloth against a hidden seam. If colour transfers, the garment should not go in a normal wash.
2. Wash cold. Cold water protects both colour and shape and prevents shrinking.
3. Use a mild detergent, ideally a wool wash for delicate fibres, and skip fabric softener on technical fabrics.
4. Wash delicate garments by hand or on a wool/delicates programme, and put them in a mesh bag.
5. Do not wring. Squeeze the water out, roll the garment in a towel, and press gently.
6. Dry flat for knits and delicate fabrics, away from direct sun and heat, and reshape the garment while it is still damp.

When should you send the garment to a professional?

Send the garment in if it is structured or lined (suit, blazer, structured coat), has embellishment or beading, has a dye you do not trust, is expensive or irreplaceable – or if you are simply unsure. Then we read the care label, assess the fibre and construction, and choose the correct, gentle method for each garment instead of you gambling in the machine. If the garment also has a stain, don't rub or wash it yourself; describe it when you order, and we'll treat it for the type and fabric. You order online, and you see the price before you order.

Frequently asked questions