More on Dry-Clean Only Cotton Shirts
I received an especially thorough message about my dry-clean only cotton shirt post,
so I thought I’d post it here in addition to adding it as a comment on
that post. Check out the part on how people used to use gasoline as a home dry-cleaning solvent!
That dry clean only label is a legal thing. Not everyone knows the
properties of fabrics or how to do laundry. If there is a “dry clean
only” label on the garment, both the manufacturer and the retailer are
protected from financial loss and nuisance lawsuits . If somebody
washes, say a rayon, garment in hot water and throws it in the dryer,
it will be ruined and she will return it to the store. More problems
for everyone. It’s easier to use a label which the dry cleaner, the
supposed expert, will understand.
I wash “dry-clean only” garments all the time, with no ill
effects…but…I know what I’m doing and I know I have no recourse
should I ruin something. I have only ruined one garment in 20 years and
it was cheap, so cheap it did not pay to dry-clean it!
I will wash some, but not all, wools I am about to sew, so that I
may wash them in the future, cashmere sweaters (gentle cycle with cold
water) with never a problem, light-colored silks (only if shrinkage is
not an issue) etc. I could go on. In the past people did dry-cleaning
in the backyard with gasoline. Old sewing books give instructions on
how to do it. A neighbor of my father’s blew up the back porch of the
house, doing this. We have safer solvents now!
I always dry-clean anything with a lining, anything tailored, dark
silks, anything made of multiple fabrics or with indeterminate trim.
In general, if you want to take a risk on washing a “dry-clean
only” garment which does not fall into the above categories, simply
wash it in cold water and hang to dry. You’re right, that shirt could
most likely be washed at home!