I throw a sealed Ivory Soap bar in each container of clean, dry clothing I store so that the clothes keep smelling good. Some people say that throwing in an unwrapped bar of deodorant soap will prevent mildew.

When I just need items refreshed rather than really cleaned - I use Dryel:

http://www.dryel.com/

No! No! No! I need to ask you to re-think this whole idea! Most garments can be hand-washed. Hand-washing is better for the environment (no petrochemicals going who-knows-where -- including onto your skin when you wear the garment!), is cheaper, and may be better for the garment. Some fibers -- especially natural ones -- benefit from getting wet.

Yes, it takes a little time and patience, but you can do it! Think of the money you'll save. And lest you think it's too time consuming, I'll wager I can wash three or four sweaters and lay them out to dry in the time it takes you to drop them off and pick them up.

It's definitely better to hand wash wool and cashmere sweaters than take them to the dry cleaners. The chemicals used in dry cleaning actually can break down the wool fibers.

If only I could figure out how to handle my husband's suits without dry cleaning.

Anyone know if you can hand wash a silk & acetate blend? I've got one little sweater that I rarely wear because it costs too much to dry clean, and yet I really want to wear it.

Sweaters can and should be hand washed. If you stop at a knitting store they'll sell you a "wool wash" that can be used on pretty much any fiber of sweater AND doesn't have to be rinsed out. It smells lovely and is much better for the fiber than dry cleaning chemicals.

I searched the site for a bit and can't find any info on cleaning rayons or cottons whose colors run like melting ice. I hand wash already, but there are a few things (a cool thrift store silk velvet coat, a handpainted silk scarf and a hand dyed patchwork cotton jacket) that I'm afraid I'll ruin if I handwash.

Anyone have suggestions? Even tho I go to a dry cleaner that doesn't use perc but the cost of dry cleaning is, well, ouch.

Whatever you do, don't use gasoline for home dry cleaning! Here's a great, vintage public-service film in case you need convincing: http://www.archive.org/details/more_dangerous_then_dynamite

Or go to a dry cleaner, like Vamco, that doesn't use stinky stuff.

Here is a web site that provides a list of dry cleaners using more environmentally friendly methods:

http://departments.oxy.edu/uepi/ppc/cleaner_near_you.htm

The list is maintained by the Urban and Environmental Policy Institute at Occidental College (President Obama attended), and they would like your suggestions on places they don't have listed in the database.

Hand washing or washing on the delicate setting with cold or lukewarm water (depending on garment), combined with air drying will work for almost everything. We only dry clean when there is no alternative: suits and evening wear. Washing on cold/delicate never ruined anything for me. Drying did shrink a couple of things, but that was just my haste or laziness.
Before air drying, it helps to wring out excess water by rolling up the garment in a towel.

I handwash all my sweaters, including cashmere ones. I also washed a silk dress once with no problems. You have to make sure the dye doesn't bleed with certain fabrics - do a patch test first.

You also don't have to buy special sweater detergent either - I just use a gentle shampoo like the ones for colored hair or baby shampoo.

I avoid buying buy clothes that need dry cleaning. For the few items I have that do need it (wool coat, for example), they're dark, so don't show dirt, and need cleaning rarely.

For odors, just let the item air out. It's amazing what that can do.

Using a lint tape roller can be an easy, inexpensive way to make clothes look better between cleanings.