Dry cleaning isn’t really a budget buster – but, like alterations, if you forget to plan for it, it could be.
Qualifying for dry cleaning in my wardrobe: wool coats, suits, trousers, and skirts. Typically, I am able to wear these pieces all winter long and then, long about June, take them to the cleaners. My bill from this past July, which I have yet to record on my budget page, was $30.16.
With that $30, I was able to re-purchase two wool coats, a pair of wool trousers, and a two-piece wool trouser suit.
My philosophy on dry cleaning:
- I pay for it from the regular clothing budget
- Each garment is worn the full season before being cleaned (barring some disaster)
- Nothing is put away dirty for the summer
- When it’s time to pay the bill, I ask myself, “would I pay $X to purchase this item?” If the answer is yes, it’s well worth it to clean.
Clearly, if I still wore suits to work all the time, dry cleaning would be a larger slice of the budget pie. On the other hand, if I lived in The South, I could conceivably get by without dry cleaning.
How does dry cleaning fit into your wardrobe plan?
Dry cleaning is a necessary evil, but most of my day-to-day clothing doesn’t require it. It’s pretty much done on an as-required basis.
You already know I’m weird. I would only dryclean if I were out of all options. Long ago I used to use the coin op and press things myself if needed. A frugal friend who is also fussy about her clothing found a small chain hereabouts that is very cheap. She’s a return customer so must be good.
I carefully wash everything, including coats. My only long ago disaster was a dress with a bias wool skirt. Oh, and a knit hat with a faux fur halo that apparently looked real, as strangers were stopping me to timidly ask about it. That didn’t survive washing. So, yes, I would clean that if I found a replacement.
I like your idea of asking whether you’d repurchase the items. I take a similar but opposite view. I figure I paid very little in the first place and I’m willing to risk washing it. I try to look at clothing as being replaceable, though I certainly have favorites.
I’m curious. Why would living in the South mean less dry cleaning?
Is it higher temps = less wool, more cotton?
I use Dryel in my dryer for my dress clothes and sweaters that need freshening. Works just as well as a dry cleaner for my needs.
I actually did a lot MORE dry cleaning when I lived in a hot climate. There were fewer warm woolens, of course, but because of the heat, it was far harder to wear a blazer, silk blouse, or skirt for a whole season–or even a month–before cleaning. I worked in a fairly formal office at the time, so I had silk and rayon-linen suits and separates–also tropical weight wool. The humidity was a real problem, too: it really set in the wrinkles from regular wear, even though I used a steamer for in-between pressing.
Even today, living in a cold climate with a much less formal wardrobe, I do a certain amount of dry cleaning in the summer–especially fancier dresses and skirts. But I don’t own a single silk blouse anymore!
Sheri – that’s exactly why I asked. Other than the savings on the smaller winter coat wardrobe… I’m in the southeast, and have far more drycleaning in spring, summer and early autumn northern relatives & friends, for all the reasons you listed.
I’m sure it depends on both lifestyle and idiom. If I had the life I have now but lived in the south, I guess I figured I’d get by with cotton blazers and so-forth and just clean and press them myself. Because everything I have now that I clean is wool. But I know how it was when I wore suits to work and it pretty much like Sheri said, especially in the summer.
(Because I didn’t spend much on them, I took a chance and tried washing my lined linen pants – successfully!)
If I worked in a more formal office setting, or anywhere where my career would benefit from my wearing nicer clothes, I would definitely budget for it. I’d also probably develop some kind of plan for dealing with having those garments out of my wardrobe for the time they are out being cleaned.
Beth – how does dryel work? I have never tried it.
Rebecca, I hate spending money on the drycleaners. But I do it when I’m ready to put away sweaters. Blouses I try to do myself and I otherwise don’t buy anything I can’t wash myself. It’s just not worth it to me. My hubby’s dry cleaning bill is very high because he is the boss and has to have clean suits and shirts all the time. So the rest of the family MUST have wash and wear clothing.
PS Has anyone tried the “home dry cleaning” system for the dryer? Does it work?
Karen & Rebecca, I have used the Dryel system for drycleaning my skirts, jackets, and sweaters. It works great for “freshening” although I haven’t tried it for spot removal. It works like this: you first treat any spots with a lotion they provide (I haven’t tried this), then put up to four garments in a big zippered bag that comes with it. Then toss in the pre-moistened towel, zip up the bag, and toss it in the dryer on tumble. I’m not sure how long you’re supposed to leave it in there, but I think I leave it for about 15min or so. The clothes are very very slightly damp when they come out, they smell nice, and the wrinkles are gone. You can hang up the separates, fold the sweaters, and you’re good too go. Much cheaper than dry cleaning and for what I need it works just as well.
You buy the kit first, then you can buy refills of the towels.
“the wrinkles are gone”, that answers my question.
I’m going to check it out. For me, when I buy stuff thrift, I always either wash it or freeze it, but then some of it seems as if it could use freshening but isn’t really worth paying for dry-cleaning.
I don’t dry-clean any of my sweaters. I just wash them and dry them flat on top of the dryer. When I put them away for the season, I try to store them in the freezer for as long as I have the space. One year when I didn’t get them put away soon enough, the moths found them and ate holes in one of my favorites. That was so gross! Fortunately, the holes were in an inconspicuous spot and I am able to continue wearing the sweater. In fact, I’m wearing it right now. 🙂
Thanks for the input, Beth!