Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 15

Thread: Dry cleaning sucks.

  1. #1
    Senior Member Ultralight's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Posts
    10,216

    Dry cleaning sucks.

    Hey, I don't like paying for dry cleaning. My work clothes have to be button up shirts or polos or khaki slacks and such.

    Do you have any suggestions for brands of polos and button ups that do not need dry cleaned to look presentable?

    I went to Joseph A. Bank's for my button ups. I have a few that need dry cleaning. One shirt though does not. I cannot tell the difference between this magic shirt and the others though.

    Same for Khaki pants. Any suggestions? I have two pair that need dry cleaned. I have one pair that can just get washed and dried normally. But I can't really tell what makes that one pair different.

    Thanks!

  2. #2
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2015
    Posts
    2,843
    If it says dry clean only, you would likely ruin them by any other method. I will say, I've not seen clothes of this description requiring dry cleaning......very strange. I rarely buy dry-clean only clothing.

  3. #3
    Senior Member rosarugosa's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    Eastern Massachusetts
    Posts
    8,140
    I would recommend LL Bean.

  4. #4
    Senior Member JaneV2.0's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Posts
    15,489
    A lot of "dry clean only" clothes can be washed--by hand or machine. The trick is determining which ones. i wash everything.
    Also, there is Dryel...

  5. #5
    Senior Member iris lilies's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    Always logged in
    Posts
    25,378
    There is NO NEED for you to dry clean these clothes.

    If you get clothing of cotton and polyester mixes, they will wash in a machine just fine. Wash in warm or cool water (not hot.) Put in dryer, and when you take them out, shake them to get wrinkles out and hang them up immediately.

    Some people would say dry them at low temperature and take them out of of dryer slightly damp, and do the shaking routine. I think that is not necessary, but YMMV.

    The dry cleaner may be ironing them as well (?) to make them look crisp. That is not necessary for your work.

    One thing you may run into is collars of polo shirt crinkling up in a wash. With no ironing, those collars can be tricky. When you take a shirt out of the dryer, stretch it into shape and pull out wrinkles.

    As for those “dry clean only” labels: some manufacturers put in those labels to cover themselves. Dry cleaning keeps the clothes looking crip longer.

    But Any cotton and poly fabric will wash just fine. Heavier fabrics, ones of more substance, do better. Yoi shoild check the thift stores for polo shirts, they are all over.

    In the last ten years of my work life I never had anything dry cleaned because they came out with suit jackets that could be washed. Those were amazing! Loved them.

  6. #6
    Senior Member catherine's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Vermont
    Posts
    14,635
    I don't know why you would need to dry clean business casual clothes. If you get 100% cotton shirts, you will have to spend time ironing, but you can definitely wash them (just not in hot water). But IL is right on her technique.

    I also try to avoid dry cleaning like the plague. I use the "3 minutes in the drier, a couple of hours on the clothesline" approach which is the best because you never have to iron and the clothes retain their body. But you can't do that in an apartment.

    It bugs me to pay a certain amount for clothes and then continue to pay for them forever through dry cleaning costs. Plus the chemicals most dry cleaners use are not environmentally friendly
    "Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it--every, every minute?" Emily Webb, Our Town
    www.silententry.wordpress.com

  7. #7
    Senior Member iris lilies's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    Always logged in
    Posts
    25,378
    You do not really have to iron 100% cotton, if you shake it out, stretch a collar, and accept slightly rumpled as your “look.”

    I never iron DH’s shirts that are cotton. He has a most beautiful Robert Grahm
    shirt that you s 100% cotton, some kind of heavy, polished cotton with a glaze finish, and
    I wash it. Never dry clean it. Looks great! His other Robert Graham shirt also 100%cotton is lightweight and is a bit more wrinkley when coming out of the dryer.

    we simply do not use dry cleaners here.

  8. #8
    Senior Member jp1's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    San Francisco
    Posts
    9,797
    LL Bean has a nice selection of wrinkle free polo shirts. I've never dry cleaned or ironed them and they always look great. As for tan pants, I wear mine semi-wrinkled, but they are definitely washable. If I cared I'd iron them. I don't think I've ever owned a pair that were dry clean only.

  9. #9
    Senior Member catherine's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Vermont
    Posts
    14,635
    As a sidebar, dry cleaning is definitely a bone of contention between me and DH. He'll go around the house and scoop up anything and then he'll say,

    "Oh, by the way, I brought your sweater to the dry cleaners."
    "Which one?"
    "That beige cable knit"
    "Oh, no! I bought that at a thrift shop for $2! Plus I don't even like it! I wear it around the house to clean! Why would you pay to dry clean it? At least ask me if I wanted it dry cleaned!"
    "Gee, I thought I was doing a good thing," he says as he mopes away.

    This is why we have developed a policy: "You handle your clothes and I'll handle mine."
    "Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it--every, every minute?" Emily Webb, Our Town
    www.silententry.wordpress.com

  10. #10
    Simpleton Alan's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    Ohio
    Posts
    9,389
    For the last dozen years my business casual look consisted of button down long sleeve shirts, dress slacks and highly polished shoes. Since my wife and I agree that iron's and their accoutrements are considered evil in our household, a weekly trip to the dry cleaners has been a constant.
    I made my last trip 2 weeks ago and my closet contains a dozen or so plastic wrapped, lightly starched, wrinkle free shirts which may never be worn again. I'm happy to say goodbye to the dry cleaners.
    "Things should be made as simple as possible, but not one bit simpler." ~ Albert Einstein

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •