Many items that say ‘dry clean only’ are in fact fine to wash at home, provided you follow a few simple rules. Follow our suggestions below.
- Select the suitable clothes to wash instead of dry clean. Items that are cotton, linen and wool can often be washed at home if you take care in selecting appropriate garments. Silk may also be ok to wash at home, but choose your garment carefully and note the following instructions to assist getting the best result.
- Avoid over filling the washing machine where garments may get tangled and mis-shaped.
- Choose the hand wash or delicate cycle setting on your machine. Front loaders are a better option for this in our opinion. Hand washing is also fine if you prefer.
- Select cold setting as hot water can shrink or damage items.
- Choose low spin (or no spin if the weather is warm enough to dry)
- Choose an appropriate product to wash with, such as the new Natural Laundry Delicate Wash from Koala Eco.
- For knits and delicate fabrics that can lose their shape, lie the items on a towel on an outdoor shady surface . After a couple of hours flip the items over ensuring the towel underneath is also flipped over or replaced.
- If items are sturdy enough you can put them straight on a hanger to dry in the breeze so that they are less likely to need an iron. Linen dresses are perfect for this!
