But there is one thing we should not be trying on our own and that’s dry cleaning. Dry cleaning is an important process to clean and preserve the state of your clothing that needs to be done by a professional. With a lot of social media tips and tricks out there, many people resort to DIY ideas to tackle their clothes cleaning problems without going to the dry cleaners.
DIY dry cleaning kits have been landing on store shelves for a little while now. They generally consist of a wet sheet and a hanging bag to steam your clothes. It seems simple enough, but the specific needs of fabrics vary widely and unless you know what you’re doing, you might risk damaging an expensive garment.
Here are just a few reasons why you should leave your dry cleaning services in Vancouver to the pros.
Fabrics that are labeled as dry clean only are labeled as such because they generally can’t stand up to the harsh chemicals that are in regular laundry detergent. Although not all dry clean fabrics are equally as sensitive, or durable. Even the cleaning solution in these DIY dry cleaning kits may be too harsh for certain materials like cashmere or silk thereby leaving them frayed, stained, or the colors to fade.
Most dry cleaning service centers have excellent ventilation and air filtration systems set up so that the people who work there aren’t breathing in harsh chemicals all day. Most homes are not set up the filter out chemicals as even just one use of a DIY dry cleaning kit can leave a lingering chemical scent in the air. Not only is it unpleasant and can cause headaches and/or nausea, the chemicals can also potentially be damaging to your lungs.
Some stains are can be lifted with the use of a DIY dry cleaning kit, but not all. Oil-based stains such as that from makeup or food need tougher chemicals and spot treatments to lift which DIY dry cleaning kits just aren’t equipped to handle. If the stain is still there, you haven’t saved time or money.
Unless you hang the garment (which leaves it susceptible to stretching and warping) using your dryer on a low setting is necessary for finishing the job. DIY dry cleaning kits come with a bag that you can place the garment inside of to prevent tangling and stretching but they generally fall apart after just a short dryer cycle thereby wasting the bag and damaging the garment. Dry cleaning services are a safer option.
For dry cleaning services in Vancouver, look no further than Easy Care Cleaners.