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I washed my suits in the bath tub

IndianBoyz

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Originally Posted by horton
I would handwash them with the cashmere soap from The Laundress. It's pricey but works great and a little goes a long way. Dry flat

Thank you.

Originally Posted by [savage]
I Then I reshape the sweater and lay it flat on a bath sheet to dry. Hanging it to dry will cause stretching.

Great tip, will do.
 

Kentishman

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^^ I wash them by hand, with the tiniest amount of liquid detergent and dry them on a flat, mesh drying rack, having squeezed excess water off, as opposed to wringing for the same effect. It's always worked fine to date.
 

dv3

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Did you ask the dry-cleaners advice before doing this? It seems like an extreme reaction.
 

Albern

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MM, I think it's really cool how you've gone to great lengths to protect your health. I've mentioned this in a few other threads (but I don't think people have listened. I use a drycleaner that uses a "green" method that doesn't contain PERC called GreanEarth Cleaning - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GreenEarth_Cleaning. * Is not a volatile organic compound (VOC) * Is safe for air, soil and water * Does not pose an adverse health risk to the public[2] * Not regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) or Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) * Listed by the EPA as a “SNAP” (Significant New Alternatives Policy) material, a good substance to use in place of ozone-depleting chemicals * Degrades to silica and trace amounts of water and CO2 * Requires no special permit (except in the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD), where a permit is required not to have a permit) * Not listed on California Proposition 65 (from Wikipedia) My experiences with this method have been great so far. Now I only rely on drycleaners that use this method.
 

PocketCircle

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I just washed my cashmere briefs by hand and there is now a big hole on the back. Damn.
 

IndianBoyz

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Originally Posted by PocketCircle
I just washed my cashmere briefs by hand and there is now a big hole on the back. Damn.

How did that happen?
 

IndianBoyz

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Yes I do. Wouldn't like that to happen to one of my precious knits..
 

emptym

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I wash knits w/ shampoo and conditioner, wring them with a towel, then set them flat to finish drying.

I've washed one coat before. It shrank. And parts shrank at different rates, producing all kinds of weird pulling. I don't think I'd try it again on a coat that didn't say it was machine washable.
 

FlaneurNYC

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Originally Posted by emptym
I wash knits w/ shampoo and conditioner, wring them with a towel, then set them flat to finish drying.

I do half of this. I hand wash them with just shampoo -- or sometimes, Woolite -- and flat dry them on a sweater drying contraption.

I'd steer clear of adding conditioner to garments as it most likely will not completely rinse out and could attract dirt and wear down fibers.

It is also not advisable to use fabric softener.

"Here is a list of just some of the chemicals found in fabric softeners and dryer sheets:

* Benzyl acetate: Linked to pancreatic cancer

* Benzyl Alcohol: Upper respiratory tract irritant

* Ethanol: On the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Hazardous Waste list and can cause central nervous system disorders

* Limonene: Known carcinogen

* A-Terpineol: Can cause respiratory problems, including fatal edema, and central nervous system damage

* Ethyl Acetate: A narcotic on the EPA's Hazardous Waste list

* Camphor: Causes central nervous system disorders

* Chloroform: Neurotoxic, anesthetic and carcinogenic

* Linalool: A narcotic that causes central nervous system disorders

* Pentane: A chemical known to be harmful if inhaled"


http://www.merchantcircle.com/blogs/...re-BAD-/291401
 

Despos

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Originally Posted by emptym
I wash knits w/ shampoo and conditioner, wring them with a towel, then set them flat to finish drying.

I've washed one coat before. It shrank. And parts shrank at different rates, producing all kinds of weird pulling. I don't think I'd try it again on a coat that didn't say it was machine washable.


That is the problem. Too many different fabrics in a garment and each responds differently. Any shaping in a garment will be undone. The layers between the cloth and lining would take forever to dry. Wadding in shoulder pads would be a mess. Etc, etc...
 

Huntsman

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Originally Posted by FlaneurNYC
It is also not advisable to use fabric softener. "Here is a list of just some of the chemicals found in fabric softeners and dryer sheets: [...] * Ethanol: On the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Hazardous Waste list and can cause central nervous system disorders [...]
My bar must qualify as a Superfund site.
 

PocketCircle

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Originally Posted by IndianBoyz
How did that happen?

That was a joke but I have a quite new LG steamwash machine. On sensitive program all types of delicate stuff can be easily cleaned.
 

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