Reading the care label correctly
The little circle on your care label is the dry-cleaning symbol. An empty circle means dry-clean OK. A circle with a P inside means perchloroethylene-based dry clean. A circle with an F inside means petroleum-based. A circle with a W inside means wet-clean (the new symbol indicating professional water-based cleaning is acceptable). A circle with a line through it means do not dry clean. Most importantly: the words 'dry clean only' on the label are usually the manufacturer's recommendation, not a strict requirement. The actual restriction is the symbol — if the symbol shows wet-clean is acceptable (W) or there's no circle at all, water-based methods are usually fine.
Garments that strictly need solvent dry cleaning
These need solvent dry cleaning rather than water — and we handle all of them in-house: (1) Structured suits with internal canvas — water distorts the canvassed shape permanently. (2) Wool overcoats with shoulder padding and lining — water shrinks the wool and warps the lining. (3) Leather and suede — water causes stiffness and watermarks. (4) Fur — water damages the natural oils. (5) Evening gowns with beading or sequins — the threads holding embellishments contract in water and pop the decorations off. (6) Pleated trousers with sharp creases that need to hold — the heat treatment in solvent cleaning sets the pleats; water-based cleaning may relax them. (7) Vintage silk with hand-painted detail or fragile construction. All of these are part of our in-house dry-cleaning service — you don't have to go elsewhere for them.
Garments that look 'dry clean only' but aren't really
These are usually safe with professional wet cleaning despite the label: (1) Modern silk shirts and blouses without delicate construction — they wet-clean beautifully if temperature-controlled. (2) Cashmere sweaters and wool blends — wet-cleaning is gentler than the solvent treatment. (3) Linen suits and shirts — water is the natural medium for linen. (4) Modern unstructured tailoring (most contemporary fashion-brand suits are fused, not canvassed) — wet-cleanable. (5) Polyester blends labelled dry-clean-only — almost always machine-washable safely. (6) Cotton blends with rayon — wet-cleanable on gentle. The pattern: if it's modern, machine-sewn, and made of natural fibres without heavy structure or embellishment, professional wet cleaning is usually fine and gives a fresher result than solvent.
What about 'hand wash' label?
Hand-wash labels indicate the garment shouldn't be machine-washed at home but is fine in cold water with gentle detergent and minimal agitation. Professional wet cleaning at a laundry service is roughly equivalent to careful hand washing — water-based, gentle, temperature-controlled. So 'hand wash' labels are often a green light for our wet-clean service. The exception: items labelled 'cold hand wash separately' usually mean the dye is fugitive and the garment should never be combined with other items — let us know at pickup so we wash that piece on its own cycle.
When in doubt: send a photo first — we handle both in-house
Bangkok humidity and travel-grade everyday wear means many of our customers send 'dry clean only' silk and cashmere through our wet-clean service every week without issues. But for any specific garment you're unsure about — especially expensive or sentimental items — send a photo of the care label to us on WhatsApp before booking. We'll examine it and tell you honestly which method is right: our professional wet cleaning, our wash-and-fold, or our in-house solvent dry cleaning. Because we do both wet and solvent cleaning under one roof, the decision is just about getting your garment the right treatment — not about sending you somewhere else. Our /dry-cleaning-bangkok page has the full range of garments we handle in-house.
