Can I wash this??

coffeegrl

Registered Guest
Hi, I found this FAB! 60's (I'm pretty sure it's 60's it has a metal zipper and it's a nice textured fabric)...only it has a stain can I wash it - or do I need to get it dry cleaned?
Here it is.

Mini dress
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Zipper and close up of material
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Stain
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Thanks!
 
Looks like wool with an acrylic backing and acetate facing. In which case you should not wash it. Probably should have it dry cleaned, but if that's the only soil on it, you could try spot cleaning, but only if the backing is solid. If it's starting to flake or pull away from the wool, I wouldn't do even that. If you spot clean, use a dry-cleaning type fluid, or the stuff that comes with Dryel, or a cloth dampened (not wet!) with woolite and cold water and very, very lightly dab at the stain.

Does it show through to the front? If not, honestly, the only thing I personally would do with it is try to lighten that stain a bit--futzing with it too much could cause more of a problem than the stain does... If you can succeed in minimizing it, I wouldn't even try to get it up all the way....

After recently nearly ruining a gown trying to remove soil on the inside of it that didn't show on the outside, I say, less is often more.... I'd bet most of us have indeed ruined or made worse a garment from trying "too hard" to make it "perfect."
 
It does show through, I will give it a gentle dab with a plain old dampened cloth then and see, the dry cleaners freaked me out when they asked me to sign a waiver...thank you for responding! That's very good advice :) Perfectionist tendancies here, I think I've doen that with other things before lol -actually it's why I don't paint, I always wreck it trying to make it perfect.
Take care, thanks again!
 
The dry cleaners is probably concerned that the bonded backing
will be damaged in the cleaning or pressing process.

It's really hard to know how it will react ~ you might ask them if they steam or press clothes - commercial pressing/ironing is very hard on vintage.

My dry cleaner steams only and everything has come out beautifully.

If you have a home steamer you might want to test to see if the backing can take it.
 
Marty, while there were acrylics that were meant to mimic wool, like yours (would love to see them!), this appears very much to be real wool with acrylic backing bonded to it. At a glance, they could look similar--the acrylic wool-look fabric with the backing vs. a real wool with separate-but-bonded acrylic backing. But, it's usually not too difficult to tell the difference. Although, without touching it and seeing it in person, I could be wrong. As with many fabrics, you really are far better off handling in person than looking at photos... The weave in this piece seems to be much tighter and finer than many acrylics were, both top & bottom, but especially looking at the tan/brown heathered areas in the skirt.
 
Wow you folks are amazing - I love that you can tell so much with just a look. I'm not sure what it is, it feels more like wool to me (but I really don't know - it has that itchy wool feel to it). I sponged it and most of the stain came off, there's still a bit but taking in some advice, I decided not to worry about it - it's called twiggy style ? lol I would never have have known that! lol thanks so muc for everyones help...I'm still all confused with this, but sure am having fun though :)
 
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