I have found that many dry clean items can be machine washed on gentle then hung to dry. But like Angie said, it really depends on the item! If you are anything like me, going forward, just make sure everything you buy is machine washable/dryable! I even try to avoid hand washable items because I just don't have the time for that. Same goes for ironing...
Sometimes I buy something that requires dry cleaning or handwashing...promising myself that I will take care of it. But in the end, I either avoid wearing the item because I want to avoid the care-taking or it sits in a pile waiting for me to take care of it. Either way, I don't get enough wear out of the item to justify buying high-maintenance clothing for my everyday wardrobe.
