To dry clean, or not to dry clean

[dougo]

Dear Lazyweb,

I have a wrinkled dress shirt and tie that I want to wear at my uncle's wedding in NJ this weekend. (Actually, I have my choice of two shirts—one is 100% cotton and the other 40% polyester, if that makes a difference.) Should I dry clean it, or just wash it in the washing machine and iron it? Actually, I'm not even sure if we have an iron, and I wouldn't really know how to properly use it anyway. Is there a place to bring it to be ironed?

If you find an answer on the web, let me know how you found it. The Wikipedia page about dry cleaning is not helpful, although at least it recognizes that it needs an expert to drop some knowledge on it. And I'm not having any luck coming up with useful Google searches.

And by the way, if you happen to be an expert on any of the Wikipedia articles needing expert attention, go and pitch in. Or even if not, check out that list, it's a fascinating list. I thought I might have something to contribute about bottom-up parsing or The Feelies, but I'm not really coming up with things to add or correct.

Comments

[emmacrew.livejournal.com]

Most cleaners also have pressing services as well as cleaning services. Dry cleaning is kinda nasty, and either one of those shirts would be fine being washed at home. 100% cotton is likely to re-wrinkle faster than the poly blend, but it's also a more comfy fabric IMO, so that's a bit of a trade-off.

[mshonle.livejournal.com]

I'll add to that that after you get out a wrinkle be sure the fabric is very flat until it dries. If you iron out a wrinkle, and then, say, fold the shirt, it could just get the wrinkle right back.

[mshonle.livejournal.com]

Dry clean it. Do it soon, cause it could take a while if they need to put on a button or two.

[dougo.livejournal.com]

I do have a garment bag.

[rawrin.livejournal.com]

We do have an iron and an ironing board and I know how to use both. But the shirt will probably wrinkle again on the way to NJ. I wouldn't get it dry cleaned, but a dry cleaner would probably be able to launder it and starch it and iron it so that if you are very careful, it won't wrinkle up again all that much. I might even have a garment bag you can use.

[signsoflife.livejournal.com]

Wow, the Wikipedia article "on" evolutionary radiation sure *does* need expert attention. Hell, *I* could do a better job -- just because the article was clearly written by someone with a specific bone to pick, and should be titled "Paleontological vs. Molecular arguments for the timing of the radiation of the mammals."

[coolkit.livejournal.com]

Wow! Now we have got to see how this shirt turned out at the wedding. Please take and post a picture of the wedding ready shirt..... hmmm.... with you in it.