But, if the tag of your garment says otherwise, follow those directions. Sometimes fabrics have special glues and adhesives to hold liners in place without using stitches and you may not be able to see them. Sometimes there are two types of fabrics that require different types of care, and therefore dry cleaning is absolutely necessary. Dry cleaning may also be recommended if fabrics do not have waterproof dyes, or for a long list of other reasons. It is important to follow the manufacturer’s directions whenever possible and only use this tutorial as a guide.

Wool: Wool does not need to be cleaned very often. You can use a fabric brush or a damp cloth to refresh it after you wear it. If you get it stained, blot up liquids and then take it immediately to a dry cleaner. Heat sets stains on wool, so do not put hot water or iron a stained area.

Cashmere: Cashmere can be taken care of much in the same way as wool. Occasional brushings will keep pilling from occurring. If cashmere loses its softness over time, either from environmental pollutants or dry cleaning chemicals, you may be able to hand wash it. The biggest problem with hand washing cashmere is that the dyes can run more easily than on other fabrics. Hand wash cashmere alone and only if it is a solid color.

Silk: Silk care is a bit tricky. There are many different kinds of silk. Some are best hand washed, while others must be dry cleaned. Some will shrink badly, bunch up around the seams, or lose their sheen and softness. Some garments are not pre-shrunk and should never be hand washed or put into a machine. Silk should just about always be dry cleaned.

Rayon: Rayon garments are usually rayon blends. Anything blended with a synthetic fiber, such as nylon, acrylic or polyester, should be washed in cold and dried on low, or dry cleaned. Synthetic fibers will melt at fairly low temperatures. Pure rayon comes in different forms. Polynosic or modulus rayon will usually machine wash and dry just fine, while other types will shrink badly if they get wet. If your garment simply says “rayon” then you are best off having it dry cleaned.

When caring for fine fabrics and garments, it is always best to be careful. Hang items that are to be steamed or dried on clothing racks where they have plenty of air to dry. Don’t put dry clean only fabrics in the sun. If you don’t have a garment rack, you can hang your fabrics to dry in a closet. Just leave the door open and push other clothing away from it so that it has plenty of room to breathe. Do not cover the garment or close the closet until it is completely dry.

About the Author: John Garvey is on the staff of Only Garment Racks, a leading online source of garment racks including clothing racks Find a high quality garment rack or clothing rack at http://www.onlygarmentracks.com.

Vinegar can be your best friend in the laundry room. White vinegar works great on brightening colors, preventing yellowing of fine lace or silk, and removing many stains. Vinegar can even help remove gum, mildew and grass stains. Keeping a spray bottle filled halfway with white vinegar and the other half water can be helpful for pre-treating stains. Add a half cup of vinegar just before the rinse cycle to help remove detergent residues from your clothing. It acts like a natural fabric softener, making clothes fluffy and static free.

Nothing is worse than opening to dryer only to discover that your beautiful new red shirt has stained everything pink. To avoid the dreaded color run, wash red items with dark clothing. Wash them in cold water and use a laundry detergent that says something like, “safe for colors”, “color care”, or “inhibits dye transfer” on the label. Some detergents are even made for dark fabrics and help the dye set in. Use the delicate cycle the first time so that red or dark items are not squeezed tightly against other fabrics.

If a tag says to dry clean only, then you probably should follow that advice. But, if the fabric is safe to steam, you may be able to avoid dry cleaning until the end of the season when you are ready to store the garment. Put some vodka in a spritz bottle and spray areas that might start to smell. Your body can leave bacteria on your clothing and vodka safely kills the germs that cause the odor. You can let the garment air dry or use a clothes steamer to further freshen up the clothing. Steaming causes less damage than ironing and can be used on many fine fabrics.

Use a lint brush to get lint and pet hair off of suits, jackets and shirts. Use an adhesive lint roller if the fabric is more delicate. A lint brush can sometimes make a fabric appear fuzzy, which is great for certain things, like flannel, but you may want to use a lint roller for more delicate items.

Synthetic materials can actually melt at high temperatures. You should put your dryer on a “normal” setting or even low to avoid shrinkage and permanent wrinkling. Garment racksin the laundry room are great for hanging synthetics to dry. If you accidentally shrink a sweater made of wool and/or cotton based yarn, you can get it back to its normal size by soaking it in warm water mixed with shampoo. The shampoo loosens and softens yarns, allowing you to gently pull the sweater back to its original shape and size.

About the Author: John Garvey is on the staff of Only Garment Racks, a leading online source of garment racks including clothing racks Find a high quality garment rack or clothing rack at http://www.onlygarmentracks.com.