Clothing Care
Knowing how to care for your new civilian wardrobe can save you money.
by Rita P. Gworek
What does it really mean when a clothing tag says “wash and wear” or “dry clean”? First and foremost the clothing manufacturer wants you to be happy with your purchase and one way for them to accomplish this is to give you help in caring for the clothing.
You will see a lot of clothing that states dry clean only. Washing clothing with this tag may ruin the item by stretching it out, shrinking it or making the dye run. There are times you will find a dry clean tag on clothing that could be washed, but you should not do so unless you are sure the fabric will not be affected. If the tag says dry clean and you wash it, then you have no recourse against the manufacturer. There are a few stores that stand by the motto “the customer is always right” and you might be able to get a refund from the store, but not the manufacturer.
These days, dry cleaning can be done at home using your washing machine. And while it would be fine to use the new products on inexpensive items that you would not miss if they were ruined, you should not try them on clothing such as men’s and women’s business suits. Any expensive clothing should be taken to a reputable dry cleaning establishment. If you do not know where to go ask your friends and neighbors to give you names of places that they trust.
“Wash and wear” tags are seen on a lot more clothing today because of developments like advancement in fabric technology. Many more manufacturers are producing cloth that is wrinkle resistant, stain resistant, and stretchable — truly wash and wear. New technology has taken synthetics and made them even better and men’s shirts and women’s blouses can have a crisp pressed look coming out of the dryer.
Fabrics that resist staining will help you save on your cleaning bills. The stain resistant properties are engineered into the fabric so that you can wash them over and over without losing the stain resistance. In the past, protective products were coated over the fabric and, over time, they washed out of the fabric.
JCPenny has taken all these advancements in technology and produced a man’s polyester/wool/spandex blend suit that can be washed at home. “Consumer Reports” magazine (May 2005) tested it out. Three staff members wore the suit and machine washed it five times and hung it to dry. It was then tested for shrinkage, puckering of seams, and pilling of fabric. The pants seemed to do the best - even holding their crease. The jacket appeared a little wrinkled and some creases that set in during wearing or washing did not hang out. The magazine suggested that consumers wash the suit at home and then send the jacket to the dry cleaner to be “pressed only”.
So should you purchase clothing that is wash and wear or dry clean only? Read the clothing tag and follow the care instructions and you should end up a happy consumer either way.