Sueded Silk: Wash or Dry Clean?
Joyce S. Keeler
I have (or rather had) a lovely sueded silk two piece outfit that is now
looking worn after only several dry cleanings. What did I do wrong?
Joyce in Vermont
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| Joyce Keeler (802) 656-1441 |
| 405 Waterman jke...@moose.uvm.edu |
| University of Vermont |
| Burlington, VT 05405 |
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Christina Cary
Keeler) writes:
|>
|> I have (or rather had) a lovely sueded silk two piece outfit that is now
|> |> looking worn after only several dry cleanings. What did I do wrong?
|>
|> Joyce in Vermont
Hi Joyce,
The problem could be the "several" dry cleanings. Dry cleaning is very
harsh on garments. The cleaning fluid is very drying to the fibers, and the
garment is tumbled around with other garments in a big machine similar to a
washing machine. Then the garment is pressed at high heat on large
professional presses. Many dry cleaners ought to be more gentle with
clothes, but they don't know how, so they give the same treatment to
everything.
If possible, don't dry clean this garment every time you wear it. Clean it
as little as possible. If the silk is "washed," you could even try washing
it yourself. Test for color-fastness etc. If the garment is very tailored
or complex, you probably won't be able to wash it.
Good luck!
Christina
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Christina M. Cary
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Alice
: I have (or rather had) a lovely sueded silk two piece outfit that is now
If the cleaning instructions said to dry clean and it looks that bad I
would return it to the store you purchased it from. If the instructions
said to hand wash it, then you might try doing that and seeing how it
works out.
Is the dry cleaner you went to the one usually go to? If so, have you
had similar problems with other garments you've had dry cleaned. I'm on
my third dry cleaner this year. I went to one for a long time who did
what I thought was a good job but I found I was loosing too many buttons,
my shoulder pads were getting mutillated, and I noticed pin holes in a
pleated skirt. At that point I decided he was too harsh on my clothes.
The next place I went to did a good job, but every garment had a musty
smell afterwards. I don't know if the chemicals were old or what, but I
switched to a third one and they seemed goo, no smell. We'll see how
they do w/the shoulder pads and pleated skirts over the next few months.
I'm of the mind that dry cleaning should be a last resort. It's simply
not cost effective unless your garment is expensive. When I make a silk
or rayon skirt for $20 or so and spend $4 every time I dry clean it I'm
pained.
-Alice/who may have gotten carried away here
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Lynne BryantEwing
I have heard many horror stories about drycleaners, and how
very often they ruin things.
My advice to you:
Stay away from the discount, or chain variety of drycleaner.
Not every independent is wonderful either, but some do take
greater pride in their work that others.
When checking out a drycleaner, be sure that even the back room
is clean. If there is a lot of lint, or if you can smell that
sweetish odor of percoethelene (sp?) don't go there. You are
also entitled to ask how frequently they change and or clean
their cleaning fluids. I should be with great regularity and
care.
You can also try something that I have to talk my cleaners into
doing and I get away with it. That is to have what mine calls
"steam and clean" which is as the name suggests. It is similar
to drycleaning but they don't press the items, only hang or
fold them as you request. Unlined garments and sweaters work
well this way, but you may have to talk hard and fast.
You might also call your local Better Business Bureau. Many
people have these sorts of problems and since the cleaners
don't always settle these matters the way WE would like them
to, people get angry and set about getting even by calling the
BBB.
Good luck, I wish you weren't going to need it.
Lynne BRyant EWing
Michelle A. Berteig
Alice <mud...@chinook.halcyon.com> wrote:
>Joyce S. Keeler (jke...@moose.uvm.edu) wrote:
>: I have (or rather had) a lovely sueded silk two piece outfit that is now
>: looking worn after only several dry cleanings. What did I do wrong?
>
>If the cleaning instructions said to dry clean and it looks that bad I
>would return it to the store you purchased it from. If the instructions
>said to hand wash it, then you might try doing that and seeing how it
>works out.
>
>I'm of the mind that dry cleaning should be a last resort. It's simply
>not cost effective unless your garment is expensive. When I make a silk
>or rayon skirt for $20 or so and spend $4 every time I dry clean it I'm
>pained.
>
Just thought I'd add a comment here. The thing is, when you *make*
something out of silk or rayon, you have the advantage that you can
wash the fabric first, before you cut it out. Then, the finished
garment will not shrink and you can wash and dry it at home. I
always wash all lengths of fabric as soon as I get them home.
Rayons and silks get washed cold water delicate and dried on low.
I've never had a problem, and it sure beats taking stuff to the
cleaners!
-Michelle
Robin Storesund
longer wearable you have nothing to lose by washing it. I have reclaimed
several items that way. Also, silk has been around for thousands of
years and dry cleaning has only been since this century, so you figure
it should be washable, eh? Unless the color is very vivid and/or there
are lots of pleats or whatever, why not try washing it?
MARY WILSON
MN>I'm of the mind that dry cleaning should be a last resort. It's simply
>not cost effective unless your garment is expensive. When I make a silk
>or rayon skirt for $20 or so and spend $4 every time I dry clean it I'm
>pained.
I believe *so much* that dry cleaning should be a last resort that I
never (so far) make clothes that will need to be dry cleaned. Sure, I
make some clothes of silk, but I wash and dry all fabrics by machine
before making them into garments because this is how I want to clean the
finished garments. I have never had any problem with this. A friend of
mine "created" a completely different fabric by washing some yardage, so
she chalked it up to experience (and experiment) and ended up using that
fabric to make something other than what was originally planned. I would
rather spend the money on a "created" fabric than spend it on dry
cleaning. You can tell I don't use much wool, though.
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Cydny Eisner
That's all; true, but you have to be careful of the dye used on the
silk. Some dyes are intolerant of water & leave large unsightly water
marks on the fabric.
MARY WILSON
I think it's supposed to revitalize the silk fibers.
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