Do You Ever Tumble Dry Clothes You Really, Really Shouldn't
By Janey1966
@Janey1966 (24170)
Carlisle, England
November 12, 2010 6:58pm CST
I'm guilty of this. Sometimes I get away with it; sometimes I don't.
At the moment I have a black, baggy jumper (which is supposed to be baggy, fortunately) tumbling away in the machine, along with my leggings. I'm not supposed to tumble the jumper but needs must as I want to wear it in a few hours' time!
It's only slightly damp too as it's already been hanging on the clothes maiden for a while..and that's the key to it I think, therefore the tumbling will only last 50 minutes maximum.
No such luck with a posh skirt I tumbled a few months ago. "Dry clean only" it said on the label. Did I take any notice? Nope!
I've ended up giving it away to charity as it IS wearable but it was like wearing cardboard once I'd tumbled it..not the same.
So are you guilty of tumbling clothes that have "dry clean only" on the label?
It's only slightly damp too as it's already been hanging on the clothes maiden for a while..and that's the key to it I think, therefore the tumbling will only last 50 minutes maximum.
No such luck with a posh skirt I tumbled a few months ago. "Dry clean only" it said on the label. Did I take any notice? Nope!
I've ended up giving it away to charity as it IS wearable but it was like wearing cardboard once I'd tumbled it..not the same.
So are you guilty of tumbling clothes that have "dry clean only" on the label?2 people like this
10 responses
@GardenGerty (157546)
• United States
13 Nov 10
I try to not buy things that cannot o in the washer and dryer. I am pretty good about not ruining things if they need to be air dried. My husband, on the other hand is awful, he will decide to "help" and wash and dry everything, whether I want him to or not. I got a bit angry about that this week. Too many of my clothes are knits that are supposed to be able to dry, but I try to just put them on hangers. I am a little on the large side and I certainly do not need them to shrink.
1 person likes this
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
13 Nov 10
Men tend to overfill washers as well..but that's probably another discussion!
@hardworkinggurl (37063)
• United States
13 Nov 10
As usual janey I am full of information and what I have done is buy dryel. It is a home dry cleaning starter kit, which cost me about 8 bucks but what it contain is a special bag and a stain removal kit.
So I tried it with my blazer, which is labeled dry clean only. So I rubbed the stain removal kit as it did not have stains. It is a towel with the dry cleaning solutions so I freshened it. Then I put the blazer in the bag and I tumble dried it like it says on the box.
I cannot begin to tell you how fresh and dry clean it really was. The kit comes equipped for many applications so I saved quite a bit after I use it all and ot have to send anything to dry clean. In fact my blazer looks better then if I had sent to the dry cleaner as sometimes when I get the clothing back they really do not do a really good job.
Hope this helps.. Oh I bought it at target but believe Walmart and many retailers sell it.
1 person likes this
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
13 Nov 10
Wow, I have learned something new (yet again) here on MyLot and I will try to remember the product if I ever buy anything new that is "dry clean only."
Thanks so much for the info!
Thanks so much for the info!
@sacmom (14192)
• United States
18 Nov 10
I don't think I'm guilty of doing that, but I am guilty of drying clothes that aren't meant to be dried...like bras and certain panties. LOL Not only do I not bother to look at the labels, but I just plain forget that these items are in the wash at the time. Whoopsie!
@sacmom (14192)
• United States
22 Nov 10
Oh how I hate to hand wash. Luckily I don't wear those type pf bras, but even if I did I'd probably throw them in the wash anyway!
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
18 Nov 10
I have always washed (and sometimes dried) my bras in the washing-machine but we're not supposed to because a wire could come out and clog it. Thankfully, it's only happened once but I'm certainly not going to put my bras in the sink to hand-wash. What a b*ll-ache that would be lol.
1 person likes this
@scarlet_woman (23465)
• United States
15 Nov 10
yup.9 times out of ten,if it's on air they're just fine.
the tenth time..oh well,i didn't really need it lol
@dawnald (85135)
• Shingle Springs, California
15 Nov 10
I generally don't BUY clothing that's dry clean only. Too much trouble!!!
@dawnald (85135)
• Shingle Springs, California
16 Nov 10
I know you can wash some "dry clean only" items, but it's risky. I do most of my stuff in cold though, and that seems to save me when I mess up.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
18 Nov 10
Mum's washing-machine has an Eco setting (cold) for 30mins. This is ideal if she doesn't have loads to wash and she tends to hang all her washing outside anyway. She does tumble-dry in her other ace machine but not for 2 hours, more like 20mins max lol.
When my brother comes round with his dirty laundry (from working outside) it's a different matter. He does pay her though.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
16 Nov 10
The thing with me is I don't always check the label and I swear some stores have these labels in as a matter of course, to protect THEM. You know, if people went back with the garment and said "it's shrunk" or "it's gone bigger" then they wouldn't have a leg to stand on if said garment should've been dry cleaned lol.
I'm getting cynical in my old age!
1 person likes this
@RawBill1 (8531)
• Gold Coast, Australia
18 Nov 10
No, I use the good old fashioned air temperature and wind to dry all of our washing. No electricity usage and environmentally friendly plus no damage to the clothes. That is the way to go! 
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
13 Nov 10
I have got away with air-drying dry cleaning garments then finish them off in the dryer, but the skirt in question was just too damp to go back in the dryer..which was my fault.
I won't be doing that again as it was a really nice skirt.
1 person likes this
@shaggin (71663)
• United States
13 Nov 10
Yes I do this all the time. I never read labels I just know certain fabrics I have to hang up to dry. Most clothes I can tumble dry on low and they are fine. One material that I cannot do that with is jeans that have the 2% spandex in them. The spandex in the jeans makes the jeans wear out and then the material bunches up. I got a really awesome pair of jeans from a girl. They were from aeropostle. They looked so amazing on me. I wore them one time and accidently dried them in the dryer and ruined them. I was heart broken. I have never found a pair of pants yet that fit me that well since I cant afford to shop at aeropostle.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
13 Nov 10
That's a shame and I do sympathise. I felt the same when I ruined my skirt. Us girls don't half get attached to our clothes, don't we?
I hope you manage to find similar jeans to the ones you ruined, I reckon you will see some when you least expect it.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
13 Nov 10
I only have the odd "dry clean only" garment, thankfully. Sometimes, I can't even understand why the label is on it in the first place...but there you go!
