IMO, you'd probably be okay in a wash bag in cold water and short cycle, but
I wouldn't risk it directly in the machine. Rayon gets much more fragile
when it's wet and can shrink. Watch out for those colours, sometimes they
run badly on "dry-clean-only" items, especially the cheaper ones. You can
usually find out how bad it is by rubbing a damp light-coloured towel on the
inside of a hem - if your towel turns the colour of the fabric... well you
get the idea :-)
I chuck most everything in the machine, even when it says dry clean only,
except when it's something structured, lined and/or interfaced like a suit
or a coat (even then, most modern sports coats can't be dry cleaned, you
have to wash them in a front-loader). But I do put the fragile items in a
wash bag and wash in cold water on a short, delicate cycle.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Cozit / Liz" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <h-costume@mail.indra.com>
Sent: Friday, February 08, 2008 9:34 PM
Subject: [h-cost] OT: quick fabric washing question
I'm one of those folks who often washes things by hand that tell you to
dry clean - when they're 100% polyester, linen, and usually rayon and silk
(depends on how daring I feel with that one, as it varies a lot).
I just bought a "nice dress" that is 75% rayon, 25% polyester. It says
"dry clean only, short cycle" but also says "light steam, light press".
I'm guessing that I could probably get away with washing this also (hey,
I've got "allergy skin" - the fewer chemicals up against it the better)...
but wanted to ask this group if anyone's tried washing that combination
with decent results before... as I'm feeling nervous about the combo. My
*guess* is that the polyester is mostly in the design of the fabric, not
in the general weave... it's jacquard-ish "leaf " patterned slightly
shinier than the matte black of the rest of the material.
Anyone out there able to say either "probably ok" or "definitely don't"?
It was under $100, but more than I'd really like to throw out by totally
messing it up before wearing.
Fingers crossed!
-Liz (hey, I never run into this when doing costuming - I wash the heck
of the material before I sew it - but no time to manage to make something
before I need it in March)
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