Sometimes clothing needs to be dry cleaned, but that isn’t always the case. Fact checked by Isaac Winter If a care tag says "dry clean only," you should usually follow it and only dry clean the item; ...

Key Points Pretreat stains and wash dress shirts on a gentle or permanent-press cycle per the care label.Dry on permanent ...

Much like its name suggests, dry-cleaning is a solvent-based cleaning that does not use water. Water causes natural fibers to swell during washing and shrink once dried. The solvent, on the other hand ...

Machine washing garments labeled "dry clean only" carries significant risks, including shrinkage, dye bleeding, and color transfer, especially for lined items and delicate fabrics. Some "dry clean ...

You can hand wash some dry cleaning items that are made up of some cotton blends, silk, wool, rayon, and viscose. Hand wash these items in cold water with a gentle laundry detergent to prevent ...

New York City stylist Liz Teich says that most items commonly dry cleaned don't need to be. Getty Images/iStockphoto If you’ve gotten into the habit of lugging your wool knits, cashmere cardigans and ...

In response to a reader who has noticed more and more dry-clean-only labels on clothing, our critic explains why they are increasing and how to properly wash clothes. By Vanessa Friedman I love ...

Many pricey, delicate textiles are better off being cleaned at home in the washing machine or the sink—even if the label reads “dry-clean only.” Here are all the fabrics you don’t actually need to ...