How should I wash items made of lace or that have sequins, beads, etc?
As you probably already know, these garments are especially fine and delicate and it’s often enough to simply soak them in clean, slightly-soapy cold water after having turned them inside-out. Gently swirl the items if you have any stains or need to remove dirt, for example. Do not wring these items once you’ve washed them. Instead, softly press to remove water and hang-dry them.
What steps should I take when placing delicates in the washing machine?
Besides always checking the label on your clothing and making sure that you use the gentle, hand-wash or delicates/silk cycle, you can take extra precautions to keep your fanciest, most delicate items looking like new. Place delicate fabrics in a mesh bag to keep them from getting caught on the washer’s drum machine. You can also try washing these with a special detergent that’s softer on your clothing and tailor-made for lace, silk, cashmere, chiffon, etc.