Dry cleaning isn’t just for red carpet gowns, tuxedos, and other luxury items, as opposed to what many people assume. You might be surprised to learn that some of your casual tops, work pants, or that sweater you throw on every weekend actually should be dry cleaned if you want them to last longer, look sharper, and hold their original texture and shape.
From delicate silks to structured wools, clothing items in your everyday wardrobe can stretch out, shrink up, or fall apart entirely because they weren’t meant for the washer in the first place.
Again, you don’t need a closet full of couture to benefit from professional care. Let’s go over the items you should always set aside for professional dry cleaning.
01) Silk
Silk is soft, smooth, and elegant, but one wrong wash and it’s ruined. This natural fiber reacts poorly to water, which can leave permanent water stains, cause color bleeding, or strip the fabric’s natural sheen. Even hand washing silk can be risky if not done with absolute precision.
Silk blouses, dresses, and scarves also tend to lose their shape when exposed to moisture. Because it’s a protein-based fiber, it breaks down faster with alkaline detergents or harsh cleaners found in most household products.
Why dry clean it?
Dry cleaning preserves the texture, color, and drape of silk. Professional cleaners use environmentally friendly solvents and gentle handling techniques that water-based methods just can’t match. For anything labeled 100% silk, dry cleaning is the safest route – no exceptions.
02) Wool
Although wool is a tough, breathable, and odor-resistant fabric, it’s definitely not washer friendly. When exposed to water, wool fibers swell unevenly, leading to shrinkage or “felting,” where the fabric becomes stiff, dense, and misshapen.
This is especially true for garments like wool coats, trousers, or suits, which also contain linings and interfacing that should never be soaked. Even the delicate spin cycle can stretch the structure or warp the garment’s original tailoring.
Why dry clean it?
Dry cleaning protects the texture and form of wool. It prevents shrinkage, preserves the natural oils in the fiber, and ensures your wool pieces look just as good next winter as they did this season.
03) Rayon
Rayon, also known as viscose, is technically a semi-synthetic fabric, but it behaves like the most temperamental of naturals. It weakens significantly when wet and tends to lose its shape, structure, and even color in the washing machine.
Rayon’s silky drape and smooth finish are what make it so popular for dresses and blouses, but that same softness makes it extremely vulnerable to agitation, wringing, and twisting. Home washing can leave rayon garments puckered, faded, or permanently wrinkled.
Why dry clean it?
Dry cleaning helps rayon fabric retain its color and structure. It also reduces the risk of shrinkage and stress tears. Even if the label says “hand wash,” your rayon garments will last much longer with dry cleaning, especially if they’re tailored or fitted.
04) Cashmere
Cashmere is basically the gold standard of sweaters – soft, warm, lightweight, and luxurious. But that luxury comes at a price, and one improper wash can destroy it. Cashmere pills easily, shrinks in hot water, and loses its plush feel when exposed to harsh soaps or fast spins.
This delicate fiber, made from the undercoat of goats, doesn’t do well with temperature changes or pressure. Washing cashmere at home, even by han,d can lead to sagging, rough textures, and loss of shape.
Why dry clean it?
Dry cleaning helps maintain cashmere’s softness and prevents it from losing its structure. Professional cleaners also use special pressing and packaging techniques that prevent stretching. If you invest in high-end cashmere, give it the expert care it deserves.
05) Linen
Linen is known for its breathability and crisp appearance, but it’s surprisingly high maintenance. It wrinkles easily, shrinks in the wash, and can stiffen or yellow when exposed to harsh detergents or hard water.
While some pre-washed linen blends may be labeled machine washable, most structured or lightweight linen garments, such as suits, skirts, and summer dresses, can lose their appeal quickly when washed at home.
Why dry clean it?
Dry cleaning preserves linen’s shape and prevents excessive wrinkling or shrinkage. Plus, it delivers a professionally pressed finish you simply won’t get with an at-home iron. If you love linen for its polished look, dry cleaning is the only way to keep it that way.
06) Embellished or Beaded Fabrics
Clothes with embellishments, such as beads, sequins, embroidery, or metallic threads, should never be put into a washing machine. These delicate additions are usually attached with lightweight thread or glue that can come undone easily with moisture or motion.
Even gentle hand washing can result in damage. Sequins can warp, beads can loosen or break, and embroidery threads can bleed or unravel. For formalwear, evening gowns, or holiday pieces, that means a lot of potential for expensive damage.
Why dry clean it?
Dry cleaners know how to properly handle embellished garments. Many use mesh garment bags, gentle solvents, and spot treatment techniques that keep embellishments intact and fabrics clean without compromise.
07) Structured Garments (Suits, Blazers, Coats)
Anything with a structured form, such as a suit, blazer, or coat, should always be dry cleaned. These pieces have multiple layers, internal linings, shoulder pads, and interfacing that don’t respond well to moisture.
Washing these garments can cause the materials inside to shift or lose their stiffness, which ruins the silhouette and professional appearance of the garment. Even if it’s made of machine-washable fabric, the structure of the garment needs to be preserved.
Why dry clean it?
Dry cleaning keeps your structured garments crisp, clean, and well fitted. It helps maintain sharp seams, lapels, and shoulder lines. For professional or formalwear, dry cleaning is the standard.
Don’t Let the Washer Ruin Another Garment – Dry Clean with Confidence at Jan’s Professional Dry Cleaners!
The wrong wash can ruin your best outfit – shrinking, fading, or misshaping it beyond repair. Don’t take the risk with your favorite blouse, suit, or even that fancy gown, especially when there’s a safer, smarter alternative just around the corner. At Jan’s Professional Dry Cleaners, we offer eco-friendly dry cleaning that’s tough on stains but gentle on your clothes, your skin, and the environment.
At Jan’s Professional Dry Cleaners, we use Sensene, a groundbreaking biodegradable solvent that delivers a superior clean without the damage. It’s safe for every fabric, keeps colors rich, whites crisp, and helps your clothes last longer with fewer wrinkles and no chemical smell.
Visit Jan’s Professional Dry Cleaners today or request a dry cleaning pickup and delivery, anywhere you are in Clio and Frankenmuth, Michigan, and the surrounding areas.
Clio
📍 130 Griffes St., Clio, MI, 48420
📞 810-687-7590
Frankenmuth
📍 154 S. Main St., #3, Frankenmuth, MI, 48734
📞 989-652-2153
Reach out to our customer service team – we’ll respond within 24 hours or stop by anytime!