Dry Cleaning(How to dry clean delicate clothes at home)

Cardigans Dry-Cleaned at Home

Sari and Blouse After Dry-Cleaning

While staying in cantonment area campus has its own privilege there are some short fall also. The biggest being they are far away from the city, thus it becomes painful and time consuming to go to city for every small thing. The need of dry cleaning is one amongst them. I having chemistry back ground came up with this indigenous method of dry cleaning which not only saved me time and money but also earned me appreciation and gratitude from all the ladies in the campus who learned from me. Now where ever I am I do not worry about the stain on my sari or my husband suit!
 Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Dry Cleaning Time: 30-40 minutes
Cloths Dry-cleaned: 6 (1 stole,2 Saris,2 Cardigans)

Materials Required For Dry-Cleaning:

• Three buckets half filled with water
•  500  ml. of petrol
• 1 table spoon of good quality detergent
• 2 tea cups White vinegar

Directions for Preparing the Buckets:

Uncleaned Sari with Fall and lower portion dirty

• Keep all three buckets in line. (Referring the first bucket to as bucket no.1 , second bucket to as bucket no. 2, and third bucket as bucket no. 3)

• Add the following to bucket no.1 and keep aside:
• Detergent
• 1 cup petrol ( approx. 150 ml.)
• 1 cup vinegar

Petrol being Added to water

Vinegar being added To petrol water mixture

Detergent being Added to water with Petrol and Vinegar

•  To bucket no.2 add the following and mix thoroughly :
• Remaining vinegar
• 150 ml. approx. petrol

Second Bucket is being Readied for Dry-cleaning

• To bucket no. 3 add remaining petrol approx. 150- 200 ml. and mix thoroughly.

Petrol Being Added in Third Bucket

Step 1:

• Take the dress/cloth which is to be dry cleaned and put it in bucket no. 1 after mixing it's content nicely.

Sari being cleaned

Cardigan washing

• If the cloth is multicolored then wash the light color side first then the dark color side.
• Dip the cloth in the bucket and give it a gentle rub, do not scrub with brush as it may harm the delicate cloth.
• Let it be in the bucket for 5 min. 

Step 2:

• Take it out and squeeze it by pressing between palms, never wring the cloth.
• All dirt and stains will be removed and the water will become very dirty after washing 5-6 medium size/2-3 large size clothes. I washed 2 cardigans, one stole and two saris before the water in the first bucket was rendered useless.

All Dirt in Water Of Bucket No. 1

• Put it in bucket no. 2. and give the cloth nice soaking and swirling. This is to remove excess of soap and the adhering dirty water from the clothes.

After cleaning in Bucket No. 2

Dipping in Bucket No.2

• Let it be in the bucket for 5 min. 

Step 3:

• Take out squeeze and put in the bucket no. 3 .
• Take the cloth out and in continuously  in the bucket and give 2-3 swirls to ensure all dirty water and detergent if any is removed. The petrol in the last bucket ensures shine and faster drying of clothes.



All dirt and excess detergent removed and the Sari is cleaned

• Take out the cloth and squeeze it nicely.

Squeezing for removal of water

Dry-cleaned Cardigan being squeezed for removal of excess water

• Semi dry the sari by holding all ends and then folding it and drying it under shade or let the excess water drip while drying, only this will take more time.

Correct way to dry Cardigans

Saris being dried

Step 4:

• Give a mild ironing before it dries completely .
• When dry iron it and your cloth is dry cleaned.

Cloths Dry-Cleaned at Home

Sari with Jari work and Stole After Dry-cleaning

Tips:

• Use good quality detergent harsh detergents are detrimental to the delicate fabric and its color. 

• For starters,  a word of caution:  first dry clean single colored cloth. Once adept then you can try double colored and multicolored cloth.

• If the clothes are small then 8-10 clothes can be dry cleaned in the above said material only take care that light colored are to be washed before dark, and darkest are washed the last.

• If there are stains then gently scrub the stains when the cloth is in the first bucket.

• Never hang woolens in a hanger or cloth line, they will loose their shape and size permanently, dry them on ground on a clean white bed sheet.

• Once you become adept then Jari Saris, Jackets, Suit, all can be dry cleaned at home. 
• Clothes washed by above method retain their shine and shape perfectly for a long time. 
• To learn this, first try this on Old clothes before you dry wash new clothes. 
• White or light colored clothes should be cleaned first followed with darker ones. Black in the last.
• Do not let the dry-cleaned clots dry completely ironing will become comparatively difficult. The marks formed due to squeezing will require more ironing . Damp cloths get ironed fast.