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Quote: Originally posted by jaiash on 08/6/2011

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not in the van - but we had some settee covers dry cleaned - as per instructions form Manufacturer and they shrank to an extent that they wouldn't go back on at all!!

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What are they made of ? Any idications on labels (if there are any) of the materials used ?

I've washed lots of things that weren't supposed to be washed & aprt from one or two tradgedies (mainly back in the 80s with clothes made of viscose from Wallis  ) usually they come up just fine.  If it's something quite new or that I like very much & am dubious about the material shrinking I tend to hand wash - then normally farther down the line  machine wash on the most delicate programme.

Ah ... you see, whilst rationally I know both of you are right with the idea of handwashing, it's one of those things (like dry cleaning) that I never seem to quite bring myself to do ... hence the reduction of a couple of my daughter's jumpers to dolls clothes in recent months

On this occasion, though, I suspect you are probably right

The benefit with viscose & 80s was that most of the clothes were so darned baggy, you could still fit into them once they'd shrunk!

Quote: Originally posted by 664DaveS on 08/6/2011

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The car upholstery foam cleaner you can get in palces like Halfords is good. Try on inconspicuos part first! Autoglym is a good make.

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Quote: Originally posted by murano on 08/6/2011

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Mmmm nice!!! Viscose and 80's

I think a hand wash is the way to go first, and see how they go, if you let them dry slow and keep stretching and shaping I think you would be ok.

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Don't diss my viscose !  

 I vividly remember the horror of seeing my new black silky catsuit sort of thing with white overtunic (I know I know ) which had cost me a whole weeks wages, come out of the handbasin in dolls clothing size   God it was horrible, but I loved it back then

It ironed back to normal size eventually but never did look quite the same again  

Quote: Originally posted by White Rose on 08/6/2011

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Ah ... you see, whilst rationally I know both of you are right with the idea of handwashing, it's one of those things (like dry cleaning) that I never seem to quite bring myself to do ... hence the reduction of a couple of my daughter's jumpers to dolls clothes in recent months

On this occasion, though, I suspect you are probably right

The benefit with viscose & 80s was that most of the clothes were so darned baggy, you could still fit into them once they'd shrunk!

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I seem to permanently have a bag of stuff for handwashing at the bottom of my laundry basket too .  Pales into insignificance compared to the ironing bag though  Who can be bothered ?!

Yep the shrinking  viscose of the 80s wasn't such a bad thing back then .... I loved  Wallis clothes but at the time I think they were making them for giraffes & I was tiny - but I just hand washed them to fit !  Oh the 80s