If you're new to living on your own, it can be overwhelming to have to deal with all of the things that your parents used to deal--unbeknownst to you. This is especially true when it comes to the question of washing your clothing and other cloth items. It's important to wash these items correctly so that you don't have to constantly re-buy your stuff—but is dry cleaning really necessary?

In a word, yes; some items of clothing, whether you like it or not, should always be dry cleaned in order to help them last a long time and look good for years to come (not to mention to protect your washing machine). So if you're curious about what items should always be dry cleaned, then here's what you need to know.

Suits

You'll probably need a few suits for work (or job interviews or university presentations), but suits are expensive--especially if you have to have them tailored to actually fit you properly. Suits should always be dry cleaned not only to ensure that they actually get clean (and not just smell clean—there is a difference) but also to extend their life.

Since you're probably done growing if you've moved out of your parents' house, that means that your suit should fit you for a while, barring any drastic weight changes. Thus, your suits should always be dry cleaned in order to make sure they last through as many presentations, interviews, or days at the office as possible.

Comforters

You probably wash your sheets often enough (or at least you should, both to be hygienic and to kill any bugs that might worm their way into the fabric), but when was the last time your comforter was washed? Your washer and dryer just plain aren't equipped for this job; not only are they likely not big enough, but they're not high-powered enough to be really thorough in washing, rinsing, or drying your comforter.

In order to ensure a cleaner comforter (and thus a better night's sleep), you should take your comforter to the dry cleaner's about once every four months (or roughly three times a year).

Formal Dresses

Nothing will wreck a dress—wedding, funeral, dance, or any other type of dress—faster than running it through your utilitarian washer and dryer. These items are expensive, if rarely used, and are usually worn at parties and such, which are filled with opportunities to get drink, food, or makeup on your dress without even noticing until you get home.

If your formal dress gets dirty, make sure to take it to the dry cleaners right away. Even if you don't see any visible marks, if you've worn a fancy dress more than a couple of times without washing it, you should probably drop it off for some much-needed TLC.

Don't forget, your dry cleaning can also be done through a delivery service. This takes a lot of the hassle out of dry cleaning. All you need to do is place your order, and the delivery dry cleaners will come to you. If you need any of your suits, comforters, or dresses dry cleaned, look for a local delivery service to come pick them up for a quick dry clean. 

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