Cleaning clothes in a professional dry cleaner can be quite expensive, especially if you have a lot of clothes that need special handling. Most clothes that are labeled "dry clean only" can actually be cleaned with a dry cleaning process at home with a dry clean kit. Learn how to determine which garments can be dry cleaned at home, perform a dry clean process with the device, and finish them until they look like they've been dry cleaned professionally.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Preparing to Dry Clean Your Clothes
Step 1. Know which items are safe to dry clean at home
Start by checking the mark on the item. Clothes made from wool, rayon and silk are often marked "dry clean only," and you should have no trouble cleaning them yourself.
- Clothing that is technically machine washable, but you prefer to be handled gently, is a good candidate for dry cleaning at home. Try dry cleaning on delicate linens and cottons, and garments with intricate embroidery and other embellishments. Dry cleaning will make these delicate items last and look new longer than normal washing.
- Clothing made from leather, suede and fur should not be dry cleaned at home. These items require special techniques to clean and are best done by a professional cleaner.
Step 2. Check how dirty the item in question is
Dry cleaning at home is perfect for clothes that are not too dirty. One or two stains can be treated, but if the item is covered in mud or other, it is better to have it cleaned by a professional.
Step 3. Use a stain remover to remove the stain
Dry cleaning kits consist of small bottles or pens filled with stain remover. Treat oil or water-based stains with a stain remover to prepare clothes for dry cleaning. Instructions on the dry cleaning kit for the stain remover provider. The instructions also include details on preventing stains from spreading and how to prevent circular stains from showing up after cleaning.
- Test the stain remover on an inconspicuous spot on the cleaned cloth before using it on the actual stain. Make sure it doesn't cause any damage or discoloration before proceeding.
- Since you will be working with a delicate fabric, don't rub the fabric too hard, as you could damage the fabric.
- Use stain remover only on stains. If you wear it all over your clothes, it can damage the shape and fiber.
- Do not use stain remover on suede, leather, or fur. Such material cannot be dry cleaned at home, so it is not described in the instructions.
Part 2 of 3: Starting the Dry Cleaning Process
Step 1. Put your clothes in a dry cleaning bag
Each device is equipped with a pocket that can fit three or four pieces of clothing. Make sure they're the same color, to avoid smudging the dye from ruining all of your clothes. When you fill the bag, also pay attention to the weight and number of items. The bag should not be more than half full. The key is that each item must have room to spin around in the bag. When you clean a blanket, for example, you don't put another three items in the bag.
Don't fill the pockets. When you clean dresses, put only two dresses in a large bag. You should be able to fit four tops in a large dry cleaning bag. again, only fill the pouch half full to allow enough room for the garment to rotate in the pouch
Step 2. Unfold the dry cleaning sheet and put it in the dry cleaning bag
Close the zipper pocket.
- Dry cleaning sheets contain a small amount of water, an emulsifying agent to keep them dispersed, and perfume to scent your clothes.
- When a dryer heats up dry cleaning sheets, it will produce steam that puts perfume on clothes and straightens wrinkles.
Step 3. Put the dry cleaning bag in the dryer
Make sure the engine filter cloth is clean. Set the dryer on medium or medium heat for 30 minutes. Use a setting with a time, not an automatic one. If the dryer doesn't have a medium setting, just in case, just use low heat. If you are using a laundromat dryer, make sure the heat setting is adjusted and use a low heat. As soon as the timer goes off, remove the clothes from the dryer.
The longer you leave the clothes in the dryer, the more wrinkled the clothes will be when they are taken out of the bag
Step 4. Remove the clothes from the dry cleaning bag
Hang it on a hanger and let the creases lessen. If the clothes look clean to you, store them in the closet or wear them right away.
Part 3 of 3: Adding a Professional Touch and Saving Clothes
Step 1. Check for stains on clothes
It is possible that the stain remover was not successful before the dry clean process. If you can still see traces or traces of stains, use the stain remover again.
Step 2. Iron the clothes
Clothes will not look stiff and pressed like if they were processed by a professional dry cleaner. Professionals use chemicals that make clothes look stiff, but at home, ironing clothes is enough.
- Make sure the iron is set to the appropriate heat for the item you are ironing.
- Do not spray clothes with water, and use steam sparingly.
Step 3. Use a clothes vaporizer
A clothes steamer may be expensive, but if you have a lot of delicate clothes it may be worth buying. Professionals use steam rather than direct heat from the iron to keep clothes from creasing. The end result is crease-free and professional.
Step 4. Store items processed by dry cleaning separately
Store with a hanger in a special place in the cupboard, make sure there is sufficient air circulation. That way your clothes will stay fresh longer, and you won't have to dry clean too often.
Tips
- While dry cleaning kits do a great job of keeping fragile clothes from losing their color and shape, you can take your clothes to a professional dry cleaner a few times a year, as most dry cleaning kits won't get rid of hard-to-clean stains like oil or blood.
- You can use a dry cleaning kit on dark clothes, such as jeans, to prevent the color from fading or staining other clothes when you wash them in the washing machine.
- Check clothes before putting them in the dryer bag. If clothes are stained and not removed properly before putting them in the dryer, the heat from the dryer will harden the stain and make the stain even more difficult to remove.
