Dry Clean Only?

defaced · #1 (**permalink**) 06-01-2006, 10:56 PM

So I've got this wool coat and as one would expect it says dry clean only. It's got polyester fill and a nylon inside. I would really like to be able to wash this thing before I put it away for the season and if at all possible not take it to a dry cleaner. Do I risk runing the coat if I do a cold wash and cold rinse and let it air dry?

#2 (**permalink**) 06-01-2006, 11:35 PM

wool = dry cleaner or diy dry cleaning kit

defaced · #3 (**permalink**) 06-02-2006, 12:45 AM

I guess a better question to ask would be what would happen if I washed it in water?

Catfur · #4 (**permalink**) 06-02-2006, 01:53 AM

You would have a toddler sized article of clothing.

Cody · #5 (**permalink**) 06-02-2006, 03:08 AM

The motto I live by:

"This shirt is dry clean only. Which means its dirty"
- Mitch Hedberg

#6 (**permalink**) 06-02-2006, 06:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by defaced

I guess a better question to ask would be what would happen if I washed it in water?

it may shrink cold water and hang dry should bee good

MJ · #7 (**permalink**) 06-02-2006, 07:27 AM

Go to a super market and get a box of dryell (sp?) it works alright but isnt as good as a dry cleaners.

Blort · #8 (**permalink**) 06-05-2006, 03:35 AM

I've always thought that dry clean only for wool was kind of funny. Dry cleaning is 160 years old +/- and wool has obviously been around for a while. I'm not a huge fan of dry cleaning myself here are some articles about dry cleaning and alternatives:

http://science.howstuffworks.com/dry-cleaning.htm
http://www.fuzzygalore.biz/articles/wash_sweater.shtml
http://www.greenbiz.com/news/columns_th ... wsID=28417
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/home ... /index.htm

I've hand washed a couple of dry clean only things and they did just fine; however, your mileage may vary.

A technique dating back to ancient Greece involves using urine, though this probably isn't the "solution" for which you are looking:

http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/R ... Fullo.html
^^^ need to cut and paste URL, DB can't parse * for some reason

I think that to this day the fuller concept is used and some Scottish woolen products are still treated with urine.

Marcos

Catfur · #9 (**permalink**) 06-05-2006, 04:24 AM

If wool is pre shrunk (boiled) you don't need to dry clean it. I suspect that before the advent of dry cleaning, this is what everybody did with wool. However, pre shrunk wool tends to be rougher than many current wool fabrics, and is a lot "hotter."

defaced · #10 (**permalink**) 06-05-2006, 07:28 AM

Awesome, thanks for all of the help. I'll give those links a look Marcos. I'll see if I can find out how the mfg handles their wool before selling the garments.