Frequently Asked Questions

About the site

Is The Dry Cleaners Blog connected to a dry cleaning business?

No. This is an independent educational website. We have no commercial relationship with any dry cleaning service. Our guides are based on established textile care science.

Who writes the content?

Content is written by Margaret Holloway (textile care and fabric science) and Daniel Osei (laundry science and sustainable care). See the About page for full contributor profiles.

How do I report an error in a guide?

Use the Contact page. Include the URL of the article and what you believe is incorrect. We take accuracy seriously and respond to all verified corrections promptly.

Stain removal

I spilled something and don't know what fabric it is — what do I do?

Check the care label sewn into the garment — this is always the most reliable source. If the label is missing or worn, treat the garment as the most delicate fabric it might be. Our Stain Wizard has options for all common fabric types.

The stain has already dried. Can it still be removed?

Sometimes. Set stains are significantly harder to remove than fresh ones, but many can still be treated. Enzymatic detergent treatments applied and left to work (30–60 minutes) are often effective on dried protein or food stains. For dried grease, pre-treatment with dish soap is worth trying before washing. Dried red wine on natural fibres often needs professional treatment.

I put the garment in the dryer before the stain was fully out. Is it ruined?

Heat sets many stains permanently — particularly tannin-based stains like red wine, protein stains like blood, and grease. An enzymatic soak followed by a cool wash is worth attempting, but the success rate drops significantly once heat has been applied. A professional dry cleaner may have solvent treatments not available at home.

Fabric care

My wool garment shrank in the wash. Can I stretch it back?

Partially, if caught early. Soak the garment in cool water with a small amount of hair conditioner for 30 minutes — this relaxes the fibres slightly. Gently reshape while wet and pin flat to dry. This works better for mild shrinkage than severe felting. Severely felted wool cannot be fully restored.

Can I machine wash something labelled "dry clean only"?

The dry clean recommendation is the manufacturer's tested instruction. For structured garments with internal interfacing — tailored jackets, suits, formal wear — machine washing will damage the construction even if the outer fabric survives. For garments labelled dry clean mainly due to fabric type (some wools, silks, viscose), careful hand washing may be possible — but the risk of damage is yours to accept.

Using the tools

Does the Garment Tracker send my data anywhere?

No. The Garment Tracker uses your browser's localStorage — data is saved only on your device and is not transmitted anywhere. Clearing your browser data will delete your tracker entries.

Why does the Stain Wizard only cover four stain types currently?

We cover the most common stain types in the current version. We are expanding the database. Use the Contact page to suggest stain types you'd like added.