Some clothing needs to be dry cleaned instead of washed at home because the washer and dryer can damage these delicate items. Use this helpful guide to learn more about which clothing types requiring dry cleaning services to keep them intact for years to come.

What Kind of Clothes Need Dry Cleaning Services?

1. Embellished Clothes

Anything with beading, sequins, or other embellishments that protrude from the fabric should not go in the washer. The agitation can cause the beads or other items to fall off if the fragile stitching breaks. Embellishments can also fade or create a pull in the garment that is difficult to repair. Embroidered clothes should also be dry cleaned because the colored embroidery may bleed in the wash.

2. Silks

Dark silk clothing bleeds when it’s put in a washing machine, staining anything else in the load. While light-colored silks won’t bleed, both they and dark silks can shrink in hot water if they are laundered for more than five minutes. The heat of the dryer will cause them to shrink further.

3. Suits

Suits made of wool fabric will shrink in warm or hot water, as can those made of polyester. Even if you have cotton suits that need cleaning, opt for dry cleaning to avoid altering their shape. Suits feature interfacings between their linings and exteriors that give them their shape, which can break down from prolonged exposure to water.

4. Painted Fabrics

Clothes decorated with puffy paint or other fabric paint need dry cleaning services to stay intact. The paint will lift when it is exposed to hot water, creating a mess in your machine. Even if the paint does survive the wash, it will melt in the dryer to make an even bigger mess.

5. Leather Items

Leather pants, jackets, vests, and other garments made of animal hide can develop watermarks when they are washed the standard way. While water stains can be removed, other washer and dryer damage such as cracks and shrinking are beyond repair. Silk lining in leather jackets is also subject to shrink-related damage.

When you need trusted cleaners to help with your delicate items, turn to Tenax Town Cleaners in Canandaigua, NY. Providing laundry and dry cleaning services to residents throughout Ontario County since 1962, this institution offers same-day laundry service for drop-offs before 8:30 AM. Call (585) 394-9885 to make a request or learn more about their services online.