I machine wash my silks, cashmere, wool, etc.

F

faerie87

Member
Jul 15, 2010
41
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#1
Hey all!

So i am really lazy and i machine wash my delicate fabrics. I know i am not supposed to but i have not noticed anything wrong with them after multiple washes, but is something horrible happening to my nice clothes that i am not noticing?? Does anyone do this as well?

I use a top loading washing machine
I use environmental friendly laundry detergent, target brand.
I wash in warm water
I put each one in a ultra fine mesh bag, the holes are really small, you can pretty much only poke a needle through it.
I line dry them
I steam them to straighten out wrinkles.

I want to know what exactly is this method different than handwashing my silk? I feel that my mesh bag protects it really well and i think drying delicates is the worst culprit.

Or maybe i should start washing in cold water?

Thanks.
 
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#2
i always hand wash..and ine dry them.

the difference between machine wash and hand wash is....you don't keep washing the fabric for 15 to 30 min. and the spinning to dry the clothes. but if your clothes are fine...i see nothing wrong with that. some people only dry clean silk...but i chose to hand wash.
 
#3
In my experience, hand washing extends the lifetime of my garments. My mom has always hand washed her nice clothes, and that's why she was able to pass down some really great stuff in practically perfect condition to me and my sister.
 
#4
I dry clean a lot. I too hate hand washing so when I've had something for awhile I'll put it in the machine but I have a hand wash cycle. I only wash it with other hand washables in cold water with Woolite. Dry flat.
 
#5
Jujuma said:
I dry clean a lot. I too hate hand washing so when I've had something for awhile I'll put it in the machine but I have a hand wash cycle. I only wash it with other hand washables in cold water with Woolite. Dry flat.
Click to expand...

I put my delicates in a mesh bag like this http://s.ecrater.com/stores/200857/4e8271927ca82_200857b.jpg

So the wholes are reaaally small.

The main thing about machine washing would be the length of time it is in water and detergent?

I guess i have enough delicates that i will wash all my delicates in a delicate wash cycle! I will invest in some woolite too!
 
#7
If you are washing delicates in a mesh bag on a delicate cycle and hanging dry, that is at least as gentle as hand-washing. It is the stretching of the fabric and seams in a wash and spin cycle that does the damage, along with the fiber heating and loss in a dryer cycle, and you are avoiding both of these things by using the mesh bag and hanging dry. I don't think you have anything to worry about.
 
#9
I have a top loading washing machine as well and just put it on the handwash cycle. I find that the "delicate" clothes are fine and no different than if I were to handwash them myself. Saves time though!
 
#10
I stopped dry cleaning my stuff about ten years ago except for certain silks, rayon and wool items. I hate hand washing so like you, I use mesh bags. I wash with cold water in a front load HE machine on "Hand Wash" or "Delicate" depending on item. Then I either hang dry, or for sweaters I lay flat. The only down side is I still have to iron some of the stuff. The only item I've dry cleaned in the last five years is a wool jacket from a recent trip.
 
#12
Depending on the item, I'll sometimes gentle wash and hang dry (I don't have one of those mesh bags though--I really need one). I really love the Dryel kits, though...all my dry-clean-only items that I don't want to wash go through there and it works beautifully (and saves a lot of $).
 
#13
I use to dry clean all the time since I own a lot of theory clothing but recently I realized how much I've been spending on dry cleaning (50+ a week at least). I started hand washing a few weeks ago and no problems so far. Usually I spot cleans for stains then soak the clothes in soapy water for about 20-30 minutes, no churning or otherwise stressing the clothes. The first time I did it hung dry them but I noticed a bit of stretching on the sweaters which scared the crap out of me. I've had the best luck tumble drying them on low for 30 minutes until they're almost dry and then hanging them (no water weight stretching or heat shrinking noticed yet).

I have found some of my theory blouses take a bit of work to get them as crisp as the dry cleaners since I've been ironing on super low but I think it's worth it.

Haven't noticed any damage yet.
 
#14
I hate hand washing, and I never take the time to do that. I always use the wool or the silk program on my washing machine, either 30 or 40 degrees Celsius, depending on the garment.
 
#15
I hate hand washing but I would have a fit if my washing machine ruined a garment. I used to hand wash silk, but it inevitabiliy changes the texture and I don't always get perfume stains out. And my wools - they always shrink a wee bit and I'm really really careful. probebly not noticeable to many, but I'm super picky. Dry cleaning for me all the way!
 
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