Have you ever looked at your clothes and wondered if they need a regular wash or a dry cleaning service? Machine washing or hand washing can damage some fabrics. When washing clothes at home, some stains can be challenging to remove. What do you opt for: dry cleaning or washing? Although no matter what you opt for, nothing can beat the hygiene and cleanliness of professionals. Here, in this article, you’ll know everything you need to know about whether your clothes require dry cleaning, machine washing or hand washing and how professionals like CleanHive can resolve all your doubts about dry cleaning and hand washing.

What is dry cleaning?

Unlike the name, dry cleaning isn’t actually “dry”; instead of water and detergent, dry cleaning uses a water-free liquid solvent to clean clothes, which are immersed in the solution, removing stains and dirt. Perchloroethylene (known in the industry as perc) is the most commonly used solvent. Delicate fabrics, such as silk and rayon, benefit from dry cleaning services to prevent damage and preserve their texture, strength, and shape.

Pros of dry cleaning

  • Ideal for delicate fabrics: Delicate fabrics like silk, velvet, and more require gentle cleaning
  • Maintains garment shape: no shrinkage and stretching from dry cleaning
  • Effective stain removal: Oil and grease-based stains can be easily cleaned by dry cleaning without damaging the fabric.

Cons of dry cleaning

  • Costly: Dry cleaning is more expensive than regular wash. Also, you can’t do it at home; you need to hire a dry cleaning service to get it done.
  • Not suitable for all garments: Some garments are better off with a gentle wash rather than dry cleaning.

What is Hand washing?

Washing clothes at home, also known as laundry, is the process of cleaning them, typically using water and detergent or soap. It involves immersing garments in water, applying a cleaning agent, and then scrubbing the fabric to remove dirt or stains. The garment is then rinsed in clean water to remove remaining dirt and detergent or soap residue.

Pros of Hand washing

  • Budget-friendly: washing is less costly than dry cleaning, and it can be done at home.
  • Water-based cleaning: effective for removing dirt, sweat, and most stains.
  • Suitable for daily wear: washing is ideal for fabrics such as cotton, linen, synthetics, and other everyday materials.

Cons of Hand washing

  • Risk of shrinkage and stretching: washing can cause shrinkage and stretching due to exposure to high temperatures and harsh chemicals.
  • Fading of colour: Imperfect water temperature or harsh chemicals in detergent can cause colour bleeding in fabrics while washing clothes at home, and fade the colour of garments.
  • Can damage delicate fabrics: Washing can cause damage to delicate fabrics, such as silk, rayon, and other similar materials.

– Hand washing delicate items is effective, but pairing it with these professional strategies—from load sorting to drying techniques—takes results up a notch. Discover more in our laundry tips for professionals.

How can professionals like CleanHive provide the best dry cleaning service?

If you are worried about your dirty clothes and want to get them cleaned as soon as possible, then forget about hand washing or machine washing; instead, connect with CleanHive to get the best dry cleaning services but also shoe cleaning services, and let them follow the best cleaning procedures. 

  • Sorting & Tagging: Our professionals will sort your clothes and tag them according to their fabric type and treatment needs to prevent any mix-ups.
  • Inspection: We inspect clothes for stains, tears, and potential colour bleeds. We also check your pockets to make sure they’re empty.
    Cuff & Collar Cleaning: We offer professional cuff and collar treatment to remove dirt, sweat, and stains from your laundry.
  • Soak: clothes are soaked in special solutions before washing.
  • Washing: Clothes are washed as per load, and a softener is added for freshness.
  • Ironing: High-pressure steam iron removes the wrinkles and makes your clothes crisp and sharp.
  • Packaging: Clean and ironed clothes are then packed for delivery

Conclusion

Choosing between washing and dry cleaning depends on the fabric material, type of stain, and budget. Delicate fabrics, such as chiffon and silk, as well as materials like leather, require dry cleaning to maintain their cleanliness. Washing them can damage their texture, shape, and appearance. Taking help from experts like CleanHive can clean all your clothes in one go without any physical effort. Try us now!

FAQs

Q1. Which one is better, machine washing or hand washing?
Ans. Machine washing is more efficient than hand washing because it saves a significant amount of time and effort; however, it also consumes more water than hand washing. Additionally, hand washing is often more cost-efficient than machine washing.

Q2. What kind of detergent should I use for my clothes?
Ans. You must use a mild detergent, which is free from harsh chemicals that can damage the fabric of your garments.

Q3. Which one is better for dry cleaning or washing?
Ans. To choose between dry cleaning and washing, you must ensure the fabric type of your garment and read the care label for any special instructions.