Say goodbye to expensive dry cleaning bills and time spent having to drive to and from the dry cleaners. And, say hello to our easy guide on how to dry clean clothes at home for a fraction of the cost and time.
What is dry cleaning?
Dry cleaning is defined as a process of cleaning fabrics or clothing without the use of water but rather with the use of a chemical or solvent. Modern-day dry cleaning involves using a water-free liquid solvent to soak the clothing in to clean and remove stains. However, when it comes to how to dry clean your clothes at home, you’re going to basically hand wash your items delicately.
How to dry clean clothes at home?
Having certain items in your wardrobe dry-cleaned can rack up a large monthly bill for most households in South Africa. Many people think that if a care label of a garment says dry clean, it means that it has to be done by a professional dry-cleaning service, but that’s not always the case. The trick when reading care labels is to distinguish between dry clean only and dry clean. Dry cleaning only indicates that you probably do need to take it to a professional service. If it just says dry clean, it means it can be cleaned at home in the same way you would hand wash your delicate garments.
Most dry-clean fabrics can actually be dry-cleaned at home if you follow the right steps and use the right products.
How to dry clean at home without a kit?
First of all, let’s find out what kind of dry cleaning at home checklist you will need:
Bucket
Cold Water
Hand Washing Powder
Fabric Softener
We recommend only washing one item at a time for the most effective dry-cleaning process at home. This way you can focus on one garment at a time. For the best results follow these easy steps:
Step #1 – Fill a Bucket with Cold Water
Cold water is your best friend when it comes to cleaning delicate clothing. Hot water can make fabrics shrink and can promote colour running too. Always use cold or tepid water for this process
Step #2 – Choose A Gentle Detergent
You ideally don’t want to use a hand washing powder that is full of chemicals and harsh on your fabrics. That’s why we love OMO Hand Washing Powders because they offer a powerful clean but are gentle on fabrics and on the skin.
Step #3 – Dissolve The Powder Well
Make sure to swirl the water and the powder around together well in order to dissolve the powder in the water to avoid any clumps of powder landing on the fabric.
Step #4 – Soak & Wash
Allow the garment to soak in the water for 10 – 15 minutes before giving it a gentle hand wash. Be sure not to stretch or agitate the fabric too much, but rather focus on giving it a gentle rub.
Step #5 – Dry In Direct Sunlight
Air drying your dry clean clothes at home is key. Hang them on the line and allow them to dry naturally in direct sunlight.
Benefits of dry cleaning at home
There are several benefits to dry cleaning your clothing at home.
Saves you money.
Saves you petrol and time.
Enables you to oversee the process and be in charge of your delicate garments.
Gives you a sense of accomplishment when finished.
When to take clothes to the professional dry cleaner?
The key to doing these kinds of laundry tasks at home is also knowing when to use a professional dry-cleaning service. If the care label of a garment says dry clean only, we recommend only using a dry-cleaning service to clean it. If a garment is old or significantly important to you – like a dress your mother once wore, your wedding dress, or your grandmother's evening gown – then we recommend using a professional dry cleaner in order to preserve the garment well and avoid the heartache that could happen if it was to be washed incorrectly at home.
For more clothing care tips and tricks, visit Cleanipedia today.