Sudsies Cleans Everything in Your Closet.
From undergarments to dresses to ski coats to dance costumes, we’ve cared for it all. Plus, we clean what’s not in your closet as well, including items like tablecloths, towels, and bed sheets. We love taking care of our guests’ wardrobes; delivering neatly pressed and packaged clothing is a very satisfying and rewarding part of what we do.
Although we can clean it all, we often get asked: What should I be sending to get dry cleaned regularly? To answer, we put together a list of items that absolutely shouldn’t go in the washing machine, plus a few that you might not know Sudsies can clean for you:
Sequined dresses and anything else with embellishments: These items are extremely delicate and are often hand-stitched. Putting them through a regular wash cycle could ruin the entire item by pulling apart that stitching. Most embellishments also cannot withstand high heat, so it’s possible they could melt in a regular wash/dry cycle. Sudsies regularly treats sequined, beaded, and jeweled items and knows how important it is to handle them with care.
Dark silk scarves and anything else that could bleed: One way to test this is to use a light-colored towel to blot a wet spot on the scarf. You’ll know pretty quickly if the colors might run, which could ruin both your scarf and the other items cleaned with it. However, it’s easier and safer to have light-colored silks cleaned at the dry cleaner as well (so you don’t have to spend the time hand washing and you can avoid any mistakes).
Leather jackets and other leather and suede items: Leather can easily dry out and crack if it is not cared for properly. It can also be easily discolored by water or other items, and there is a risk of shrinkage as well. It is definitely an item you would never want to put through a regular wash/dry cycle. Sudsies sees leather items on a regular basis and has the expertise to remove stains while preserving the integrity of the garment.
Suits, dress coats, business attire: If you want your best attire looking sharp, don’t clean it yourself. These items have a special shape to them, and throwing them in your washing machine could be detrimental. Dry cleaning preserves the integrity of the fabric and form, and it leaves it crisply pressed for your next use. Plus, dry cleaning adds longevity and keeps your favorites around for years to come.
Anything with pleats, folds, lapels, lining: Whether you have a suit or a dress or a jacket that includes one of these, it’s important to know just how much a regular wash cycle can damage it. Pleats, folds, and lapels can become misshapen and might never return to their original form and size. Lining can bleed or shrink or even break apart, pulling away from the layer it is attached to. If you want your clothing to retain form and function, it’s important to get it dry cleaned.
Anything with a “Dry Clean Only” tag. While this may seem more obvious, some people take the risk and ignore the tag. If you see a tag like this, it’s important to dry clean your item. And even if you don’t see the tag, if you know your item is more delicate and high-quality, it’s important to dry clean it.
Fur coats and other items containing fur: The skin under the fur can quickly shrink when exposed to water, so fur coats should never be hand washed at home. These items are extremely delicate and should be handled by a professional at Sudsies.
Winter outerwear: Many outerwear garments like coats, pants, gloves, and hats, are made with special material to repel cold and wet conditions. This material can start to break down over time if washed in a regular washing machine, but dry cleaning can extend its life, help maintain its functionality, and keep it looking like new.
Children’s clothing: Children’s items can be just as delicate as adult clothing. Things like suits, christening dresses, and other special items should certainly be dry cleaned. But don’t forget about those super soft clothes that your child loves wearing – over time, if washed regularly, they will start to lose their soft feel. Dry cleaning can extend the life of these items and even keep them around long enough to be handed down several times.
Sports clothes: Have a favorite golf shirt that you want looking crisp for your next outing? Ride horses and need your coat and breeches cleaned and pressed before the next competition? Want your favorite team jersey looking its best before the big game? These are all items we regularly clean at Sudsies.
