Is Dryel as good as professional dry cleaning?

[ardchoille]

I usually take my tanks to be dry cleaned, but I worry about them until I get them back. Being as that I hate to worry, and I like to do things myself, I have found a product called Dryel which is supposed to allow you to dry clean garments at home in the dryer using a sheet which contains dry cleaning chemicals - the box also had a spray for tough stains. Anyone heard of this product? How does it compare to professional dry cleaning?

[Bugbear]

*Scream! Scream! Scream!*

I wouldn't even think about trying it. I have read about it in a few old threads, but I wouldn't put a tank in a dryer to be thrown around, and around, and around in scalding heat.

Eh, you should be able to very gently wash a wool kilt in your bathtub using wool safe soap.. There are plenty of threads on how to do that.

[ardchoille]

Eh, you should be able to very gently wash a wool kilt in your bathtub using wool safe soap.. There are plenty of threads on how to do that.

Ah, yes, found them. I'm going to do this instead. Thanks Ted!

[Bugbear]

Ah, yes, found them. I'm going to do this instead. Thanks Ted!

Here's a couple of links to get you up and running:

The Wizard of BC's post in his thread "Military Kilt repairs" where he describes
washing a filthy old kilt
.

Barb T.'s tutorial on basting kilts for pressing

Hope those help get you started, or for anyone else that reads this thread.

[ardchoille]

Here's a couple of links to get you up and running:

The Wizard of BC's post in his thread "Military Kilt repairs" where he describes
washing a filthy old kilt
.

Barb T.'s tutorial on basting kilts for pressing

Hope those help get you started, or for anyone else that reads this thread.

Yeah, this is pretty much what I've been doing, but was looking for something that may have been easier/faster.

From seeing other post you've made, you are really good with links

[Bugbear]

I don't think there's much you can do to make it faster, and the humidity can slow things down a lot. A regular fan of some sort might help a little.

I don't have a clothes dryer, and my washer drains into the grey water set up. So, I have a fold out clothes drying rack to dry my clothes, or spread a kilt out over. (It's a little like a table made from grills.) I also have to time my laundry to my watering needs out in the gardens. It gets a little difficult in the two Winter months we have here.

I have files with all kinds of links that I have found in my searches on X Marks; I might as well share them when I can. Although, I've started coming up with my own additional rules on where I may and may not post to keep myself out of trouble...

[Carolina Kiltman]

I seem to have seen a clip on TV from Consumer Reports about all of these "dry cleaning substitutes" and none of them worked worth the money, if they worked at all. Also the idea of tumbling a hand-made kilt in a dryer makes me cringe too. A gentle washing (after basting the pleats) always seems like the best thing. Sometimes there ain't no "quick-n-easy" way, (just like getting a quality kilt, we wait, and wait, and wait, not always patiently

[ChattanCat]

Why don't you try it on your burned up kilt? Then post the results. I expect the wool will felt but don't know.

[Kiltedfirepiper]

I use woolite for colors and my bathtub.

cold water and about a half capfull will do the trick. I basicly lay my kilt in the waterlet it get good and soaked then gently move the kilt around to "agitate" it then I'll lift the kilt out of the water a few times.

after that empty the tub and put fresh water in put the kilt back in and do the lift and drop till you think you've got all the woolite out.

empty the tub...fill again and repeat one more time to make sure all the soap is out.

I then hang the kilt w/straps fastened and run my fingers down the pleats to get them straight again and let it dry (summers here thats in about 3 hours sometimes!)

the pleats come out as crisp as if I ironed them and using the woolite for colors makes it look like new!

WARNING!!!

don't be suprised at how much NASTINESS comes out of that kilt!! one time after an SCA event the water came out black!


KFP

[ardchoille]

Why don't you try it on your burned up kilt? Then post the results. I expect the wool will felt but don't know.

Excellent idea.. except that kilt is gone. I let friends take pieces of it as they wanted and there's not much left of it. But, I'll keep this in mind for the future.