Do without drycleaning
Here's a great tip from Laura Rowley, a personal finance expert who I interviewed last week. She says many clothes with "dry clean only" tags can actually be washed on the delicate cycle or by hand.
"Don't get scared by 'dry clean only' -- wool, cashmere, silk, rayon, polyester and spandex can all be laundered," says Lindsey Wieber, co-founder of The Laundress, a collection of specialty fabric care products. "Manufacturers will always put the label on because it protects them if for some reason you wash and shrink it."
Laura recommends you "lay wool and cashmere flat to dry; everything else, including cotton and linen, can be thrown in the dryer on a low-heat setting, then pressed. (Time starved? Send the garments out to be pressed -- it's still cheaper than dry-cleaning.)
"As for suits, hang them immediately and air out after wearing; dry clean just two to four times a season. It's actually better to spot clean stains with a lint-free cloth. "Dry cleaning can set in stains further, and does not remove odor from a suit," Wieber says. (For even greater savings, skip the dryer and use a laundry line; it saves an average of $100 a year, according to laundrylist.org.)"
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About The Bargain Hunter
Daily News staff writer Julia Scott loves to find bargains on everything from groceries to Gucci. Her tips will help keep your hard earned cash where it belongs - in your pocket.
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Many years ago I stopped buying nearly everything that said "dry clean only," and I've never been sorry. The only things I've bought in MANY years that definitely could not be even hand-washed were long beaded/sequined dresses that I had to wear as a member of a semi-pro singing group. Even those could be worn more than once, if I was careful to hang them up promptly and let them air out thoroughly before putting away in a closet. Very small spills could be promptly and carefully spot-cleaned by hand. Most problems solved.
thanks for this tip--it is one of the annoying costs I still haven't cut out, because i refuse to iron my husband's shirts!
i will add, if you are going to use a drycleaner, there is a great variety in price. that little hole in the wall place can be much cheaper. you can also bargain. i have bargained to have women's shirts be charged the same as men's. also: bring in 5 shirts and they will often do them for less. if you do wash at home, use cold water, delicate cycle, and hang dry, dry flat, or put in the delicate cycle on your dryer.