If you’ve invested money into quality clothing, then you’ll want to protect those items as much as possible. When clothing is well cared for, it can last for decades! One of the most important things you need to do to care for your clothes is to pay attention to the care instructions on the tags. Usually, these tags will give you all the information you need to ensure your clothing stays in great shape. Many clothing items require special care and dry cleaning. Let’s look at five items that you should always send to a dry cleaner instead of machine washing at home.

1. Embellished Clothing

Clothing that has been embellished with sequins, beads, metal, or other items will need special care. These types of embellishments are often hand-sewn and will require delicate treatment. A dry cleaning specialist will be able to provide a deep clean on these items without damaging embellishments. Clothing items are dry-cleaned at 140-160 degrees Fahrenheit, according to The Fact Shop, a leading online fact database. You’ll know your items are clean and fresh after this service.

2. Dark Colored Silks

Some types of silks can handle a gentle hand wash, but dark-colored silks are a different story. These fabrics tend to bleed and can stain other clothing or even surfaces. To be safe, it’s a good idea to take dark silks to your local dry cleaning expert. Here, they’ll get the care they need and a thorough, gentle cleaning.

3. Suits and Formal Menswear

Suits are rarely machine washable, so they’ll need a trip to the cleaners. This is especially important for wool suits. Having your suits serviced at the cleaners will ensure they are clean and crisp for your next formal event. Suits that are cared for in this way also tend to have a longer lifespan, making the money you’ve invested in your suits stretch farther.

4. Items With Pleating

Pieces of clothing that have pleating often do better with dry cleaning. This service will preserve the folds, pleats, and creases. In addition, some dry cleaners have a pleating machine. Your items are placed in the machine and pleats are given a fresh, crisp edge.

5. Heavily Stained Clothing

If you have items that are heavily stained and you’d like to salvage them, the dry cleaner can help. These professionals will have products and methods for stain removal that you just can’t achieve at home. What may seem like an impossible stain can often be easily removed by professionals.

These are just a few examples of items that shouldn't be machine-washed at home. If you’re looking for a reliable dry cleaning specialist in your area, please contact our team at Belmont Laundry & Custom Dry Cleaners today.