Home Cleaning Laundry How to Dry Clean Clothes at Home, According to a Laundry Expert Save money and skip the trip to the cleaner. By Caylin Harris Caylin Harris Caylin Harris is a freelance writer, stylist, and crafter with over a decade of experience in the media industry. She is a regular contributor to magazines like Real Simple, Better Homes & Gardens, Family Circle, Rachael Ray Every Day, Good Housekeeping, and Parents. Served as craft producer for season three of the Emmy award-winning TV show, Naturally, Danny Seo. Whether she's working for editorial or brand clients, she loves helping people learn new and exciting information about all aspects of their homes and lives. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on January 11, 2024 In This Article View All In This Article Considerations How to Dry Clean Clothes at Home With Gentle Detergent How to Refresh Clothes at Home in the Dryer Treating Stains Technically, dry cleaning at home isn't quite the same thing as dropping your clothes off at the cleaner. Not only are you using different methods to clean and refresh garments, but you also have to put in a little more effort. Ultimately, though, it's worth it. Not only is doing it yourself easier on your wallet, but learning how to care for your clothes properly will keep beloved pieces looking and feeling their best for years to come. Ahead, a laundry expert explains how you can reduce your trips to the cleaner with this DIY dry cleaning technique. Patric Richardson is a laundry expert and author of the book Laundry Love. Considerations Before You Get Started Lots of clothes and fabrics can be dry cleaned at home as long as you have the time and tools needed to do it properly. In general, you can dry clean jeans and denim, blouses, trousers, clothing made of rayon, silk, wool, or cashmere, and unstructured outerwear. However, there are a few things to consider before you attempt to dry clean your clothes at home. Read the Label to Determine the Fabric In the U.S., clothing labels are much vaguer than in Europe. Apparel companies put "dry clean only" on clothes to protect them from our lack of laundry experience. "They want to protect their image, and by ensuring you won't improperly wash and dry it, it's also protecting the clothes. When you buy an expensive piece of clothing, you want it to last," says Patric Richardson, a laundry expert and author of Laundry Love. But reading labels allows you to glean what a piece of clothing is made of. And that's step one for figuring out how to wash and dry it. When to Go to a Professional If you don't feel comfortable washing a piece of clothing or don't have the time to clean certain pieces properly, you can take them to a professional dry cleaner. "I think you don't have to take anything to the dry cleaner," says Richardson. "But if you don't have a steamer to steam or an iron to press, it might be smart to take it in." If in doubt, take these fabrics to a professional dry cleaner: Natural FurLeather and suedeDelicate laceWedding dress or any sentimental or antique clothingStructured outwear, such as suit jackets with shoulder padsVelvetClothing with lots of sequins, beads, or gemsGarments with lots of embroideryPleated skirts and shirts What You'll Need Materials DIY Dry Cleaning Gentle detergent Towel or drying rack Hanger Steamer Clothing Refresher Washcloth Essential oil Wool dryer balls Lint brush Vodka Stain Treatment Stain remover like Amodex Horsehair brush or toothbrush White vinegar or dish soap Oxygen bleach Instructions How to Dry Clean Clothes at Home With Gentle Detergent Despite the name, dry cleaning isn't actually dry. It uses liquid solvents. At home, you'll have to replace the chemical solvents with water and mild detergent. The usual candidates for dry cleaning are wool, cashmere, silk, rayon, and any other cocktail fabrics. Beyond clothing, this also applies to items like "dry clean recommended" cooling blankets. Fill Basin With Water and Detergent Place clothing in a clean kitchen sink or a plastic basin filled with cool water and a tiny bit of delicate detergent—a teaspoon is enough. Move Clothing Around and Let Sit Swish the pieces around the basin, making sure they are fully submersed. Then, let them sit for about 20 minutes. Drain Basin and Press Clothes to Remove Extra Water Drain the sink or basin. Gently press the pieces of clothing against the side of the sink or basin to remove any additional water. Drain the excess water. Refill Basin to Rinse, Then Drain Refill the sink or basin with clean, cool water. Swish the clothes gently to rinse and then drain the sink again. Remove Excess Water By Pressing Clothes Again, press garments to the side of the sink or basin to remove excess water. If you feel that the clothes are still not fully rinsed, you can repeat steps four and five until detergent-free. Dry Clothing Dry the pieces flat on a towel or flat on a drying rack. If you're washing silk, hang it on a plastic (not wood) hanger to help prevent wrinkles. Steam to Remove Wrinkles Once the clothing is dry, you can steam the pieces to remove wrinkles. Richardson's go-to steamer is from Laurastar. How to Refresh Clothes at Home in the Dryer "An at-home dry cleaning kit is essentially a stain treatment, a Mylar bag, and a wet sheet that has fragrance," says Richardson. "It creates steam that refreshes the clothes. You can get a similar refresh following these steps." Toss Clothes in the Dryer With a Wet Washcloth Wet a washcloth, then wring it out. Toss it in the dryer with your clothes for five to 10 minutes. Add Essential Oils for Fragrance For a subtle fragrance, add a few drops of essential oil to the washcloth or wool dryer balls. A lemongrass essential oil will impart that dried-outside-on-the-line sunniness. Hang clothes immediately after wearing, rather than letting them accumulate on a chair in the corner of your bedroom all week, Richardson recommends. "It lets the fabric breathe. Just brush it with a lint brush, and you're good to go," he said. For any persistent musty odors, spritz with vodka. It will take it right out. Treating Stains at Home Tricky stains are usually the main reason clothes go to the cleaner, but Richardson says you can usually get them out yourself. Apply Stain Remover Apply stain remover to the stain—just enough to lightly coat the splotch. "My go-to is this natural product called Amodex; it even removes Sharpie," says Richardson. Brush Stain Remover into Stain and Let Sit Very gently brush stain remover into the fibers with a toothbrush or horsehair brush, which Richardson recommends because the bristles are softer. Let it sit for at least an hour, but ideally a few hours or even overnight to let the stain remover do its job. Dab With Vinegar To remove a tricky oil stain, Richardson recommends dabbing it with white vinegar and water to break it up but says you can graduate to dish soap or even a product like Shout. One thing to remember with an oil stain is that water alone won't help break it up. Add Oxygen Bleach to Brighten To brighten clothing, add oxygen bleach to the washing phase we detailed earlier. (Follow dosage amounts on the packaging.) Use warmer water though to fully activate the product. Some dry cleaners use a carcinogenic chemical called perchloroethylene to help remove stains. If you don't want your clothes exposed to this solvent, there are green dry cleaners that use liquid carbon dioxide instead. Before you drop off your clothes, ask your cleaner what method they use to make sure you're comfortable with it. How Does Dry Cleaning Actually Work? Laundry Experts Explain the Process