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Approach the laundry room with confidence! Here is a basic rundown of several fabrics and what to watch out for during the laundering process. These are generalizations. Variations in fiber size, weave, chemical treatments and blends make a difference in a fabric’s ability to undergo exposure to water, detergent or heat, or to bounce back from a wrinkle. So read clothing labels and believe what they say.
| Fabric | Source | Laundering | Drying | Resiliency | Ironing |
| Silk | Animal fiber | Dry clean | Dry clean | Resists wrinkles somewhat | Iron wrong side with intervening cloth |
| Wool | Animal fiber | Dry clean | Dry clean | Resists wrinkles | Iron wrong side, medium heat |
| Linen | Plant fiber | Gentle cycle | Drip dry | Wrinkles | Iron on hot |
| Cotton | Plant fiber | Machine washable | Tumble dry | Wrinkles | Iron on hot |
| Polyester | Manmade | Machine washable | Tumble dry permanent press | Resists wrinkles | Iron on low to medium heat |
| Spandex | Manmade | Machine washable | Tumble dry low/drip dry | Resists wrinkles | Iron on low |
| Nylon | Manmade | Gentle cycle | Tumble dry low | Wrinkles | Iron on low to medium heat |
| Rayon | Manmade from cellulose | Dry clean | Dry clean | Wrinkles | Iron on low to medium heat |
| Acetate | Manmade from cellulose | Dry clean | Dry clean | Resists wrinkles somewhat | Iron wrong side on low to medium heat |
Reference: Cheryl Mendelson’s Home Comforts: The Art and Science of Keeping House
Fabric Fundamentals: Created on October 4th, 2005. Last Modified on October 4th, 2005
