How Can Laundry Shops Safely Wash Clothes That Are Not Suitable for Dry Cleaning Part2

In a previous article, we learned about the safe washing solutions for seven types of clothes that are not suitable for dry cleaning. In textile care, there are more types of clothes that are not suitable for dry cleaning due to their own fabric characteristics, process design, and so on. 

In this article, we will introduce another 7 types of clothes that are not suitable for dry cleaning and provide detailed safe washing methods to help laundry shops remove stains while effectively protecting the quality of clothes through scientific washing.

Garments with Prints

● Reasons why it cannot be dry-cleaned

Dry-cleaning solvents will dissolve the adhesive of printed patterns, causing the prints to fall off and color bleeding, thus damaging the pattern integrity of the clothes.

● Scientific washing methods

Hand wash on the reverse side or choose the “delicate” mode of a washing machine, and put the clothes in a laundry bag with the patterned side facing inward to reduce friction. 

Use neutral detergent, keep the water temperature ≤ 30℃, and avoid directly rubbing the printed parts. 

After washing, dry clothes in the shade naturally, avoid direct sunlight, and do not iron the printed parts.

Garments with Non-removable Decorations that are Soluble in Dry-Cleaning Solvent

● Reasons why it cannot be dry-cleaned

The decorations on the clothes cannot be removed and can be dissolved in the dry-cleaning solvent, so that the decorations will easily be damaged during dry cleaning, and the beauty of the clothes is damaged as well.

● Scientific washing methods

Hand washing should be the primary method. 

Wrap the decorations with tin foil or take isolation measures before washing → Use a neutral and mild detergent with a water temperature below 30℃ → Gently press other parts of the clothes to remove dirt and avoid direct contact of the detergent with decorations → After washing, absorb the water with a towel → Lay it flat to air dry → Check the condition of the decorations after they are completely dry.

Polypropylene Garments

● Reasons why it cannot be dry-cleaned

Polypropylene fabrics have poor resistance to organic solvents. It easily becomes stiff and loses its original texture of softness after dry cleaning.

● Scientific washing methods

Hand washing is suitable. The water temperature should be controlled between 25 and 30℃. 

Gently rub and wash with a neutral detergent, avoiding excessive force → After cleaning, rinse thoroughly with clean water → Gently wring out the water → Lay it flat in a cool place to air dry. (Do not expose it to direct sunlight or high-temperature drying.)

Garments with Rigid Plastic Components

● Reasons why it cannot be dry-cleaned

The rigid plastic products on clothes (buttons, decorative beads ) will easily become brittle, deform, or even crack after contacting the dry-cleaning solvent.

● Scientific washing methods

Remove the detachable hard plastic products before washing/If they cannot be removed, wrap them tightly with tin foil → Hand wash or machine wash on the “gentle” mode → Use a neutral detergent → Keep the water temperature below 30℃. → Avoid prolonged soaking → Air dry in the shade → Check whether the hard plastic products are intact.

Garments with Paint-based Decorations

● Reasons why it cannot be dry-cleaned

Dry cleaning solvents can erode paint-based decorations, causing paint smudging and peeling, and damaging the appearance of the decorations. ​

● Scientific washing methods

When doing hand washing, people should be especially careful to protect paint-based decorations from contact with detergent and too much water. 

Use a soft cloth dipped in a small amount of neutral detergent → Gently wipe the other parts of the clothes → Gently wipe accessories with a damp towel → After washing, quickly absorb the water with a dry towel → Lay it flat and air dry in the shade (avoid direct sunlight).

Non-woven Fabric Garments

● Reasons why it cannot be dry-cleaned

The stability of the non-woven clothes is poor. It will easily shrink in both dry cleaning and wet cleaning, which affects the size of the clothes and the wearing effect.

● Scientific washing methods

If washing is necessary, people should choose hand washing with cold water. 

Use neutral detergent → Gently press to remove dirt → Avoid rubbing and prolonged soaking → After washing, wrap them in a towel to absorb the moisture ( do not wring out the clothes) → lay them flat on the clothes rack to air dry. (Do not pull on the clothes during the drying process.)

Leather Garments

● Reasons why it cannot be dry-cleaned

Dry cleaning solvents will dissolve the grease in the leather, which makes the leather become brittle, crack, and lose its original luster and flexibility.

● Scientific washing methods

The local stains can be gently wiped with a neutral leather cleaner. The overall washing should be done by the professionals.

The water temperature should be no more than 25℃. 

Use a special leather detergent → Press gently and avoid rubbing → After washing, use a towel to absorb the moisture → Air dry → Apply a small amount of leather care oil on the leather surface to maintain its softness and luster.

General Principles for Safe Washing

Despite the specific washing methods for different clothes, laundry shops should also obey the following general principles for safe washing.

● Check before washing

- Check the label of the clothes to see whether it has tips like “no dry cleaning”, “hand washing only”.

- Test the color fading of the fabrics

Dip some water and detergent, and gently wipe the corner of the clothes to see whether the color fades.

- Check the condition of accessories

Check if the buttons, zippers, and embroidery are loose and reinforce or disassemble them in advance.

● Sorting Laundry

Sort clothes according to fabrics, colors, and types of stains. Clothes that easily snag or deform should be washed separately or put in a laundry bag.

● Selection of detergent

Choose neutral detergents first (pH value: 6-8) and avoid strongly alkaline laundry powder and chlorine bleach. Special fabrics need special detergents.

● Control physical condition

Control water temperature according to the characteristics of the fabrics. Natural fibers (silk, wool) ≤30℃, cotton and linen ≤40℃, functional fabrics ≤30℃. 

Choose the gentle mode of the machine washing, shorten the washing duration (generally 5 to 15 minutes), and reduce the spin speed during the dehydration process (≤600 rpm).

● Drying and ironing

Most clothes that are not suitable for dry cleaning should be air-dried and avoid direct sunlight and high-temperature drying. Before ironing, people should check the temperature indicated on the label.

- For fragile fabrics, place a cloth underneath and iron at a low temperature. 

- For elastic fabrics, avoid high temperatures.

Conclusion

After mastering the 14 types of safe washing methods and the general principles, the laundry shops can handle the cleaning requirements of various kinds of clothes more professionally. They can remove stains and reduce the risk of clothes damage as much as possible to provide a higher-quality laundry care service for customers. When facing clothes whose washing method is uncertain, laundry shops should communicate with the customer first to clarify the washing risks.