Should I Wash or Dry Clean It?

Check the care label first: a washtub symbol means it can be washed in water, a circle means professional dry cleaning, and a crossed-out washtub means do not wash. As a rule, silk, zari, wool, velvet, leather and structured garments like blazers should be dry cleaned, while cotton, linen, denim and most synthetics can be washed.

Last updated: 2026-11-04 · By the Mr & Mrs Laundry team, Mumbai

What do the care label symbols mean?

• Washtub: machine washable. Dots inside show the maximum temperature (one dot is cool, more dots are warmer); a hand in the tub means hand wash only.
• Washtub with a cross: do not wash in water.
• Triangle: bleach is allowed; a crossed-out triangle means no bleach.
• Square: drying instructions. A circle inside a square means tumble dry; a crossed-out version means do not tumble dry.
• Iron: dots show the heat setting; a crossed-out iron means do not iron.
• Circle: professional dry cleaning. A letter (P or F) inside tells the cleaner which method to use; a crossed-out circle means do not dry clean.

Which fabrics need dry cleaning?

Dry cleaning avoids soaking fabric in water, which protects fibres that shrink, lose their sheen, bleed colour or change shape when wet.

• Silk and silk blends — water can leave marks and dull the sheen.
• Zari, zardozi and metallic embroidery — water and detergent can tarnish metallic threads.
• Wool, cashmere and pashmina — prone to shrinking and felting.
• Velvet and velour — the pile can crush and mark.
• Blazers, suits and sherwanis — inner canvas and lining can pucker.
• Leather and suede — should never be soaked.

What can safely be washed?

Cotton, linen, denim, polyester, nylon and most everyday blends are made to be washed. Wash darks and new coloured clothes separately the first few times, turn printed T-shirts inside out, and use a laundry bag for innerwear and anything with hooks.

Mumbai humidity: what is different here

Between June and September, clothes washed at home can take a day or more to dry indoors, and fabric that stays damp develops a musty smell and mildew spots. Dark corners of cupboards are especially prone to this.

• Never store clothes even slightly damp — mildew stains are hard to remove.
• Keep silica gel packets or a moisture absorber in wardrobes during the monsoon.
• Air out stored woolens and ethnic wear after the rains end.
• If clothes will not dry at home, a laundry service with proper drying avoids the damp smell entirely.

When in doubt

If a garment has no label, is expensive, or has embellishment, dry cleaning is the safer choice — a shrunk or bled garment cannot be undone. At Mr & Mrs Laundry, you can send a photo on WhatsApp to +91 91522 33822 and we will tell you which service it needs before pickup.