How to avoid dry cleaning expenditures?

 I am a geek, I know nothing about clothing.

For the office I wear typical button down collared shirts and slacks.

My clothes usually look horrible and I am looking to change that.  I
would like to do that without spending money I do not have to.

My clothes look horrible because I do not iron them when I wash them
and I don't think I am taking care of them properly.

This is costing me money.

Some colored shirts I have lost some of their color on the edge of the
collars and the edge of the sleeves.  These were expensive shirts.

I bought some new shirts and have been taking them in for dry cleaning
to keep them looking good.

I would like to do away with this expense.

I bought some new, 100% cotton,  "no iron" shirts to avoid ironing.
There are no cleaning instructions on the shirts ( colored ).    I was
thinking that I can make them last.....without dry cleaning by washing
them in cold water, using very little detergent, using the "delicate"
setting on the dryer and taking them out of the dryer as soon as they
dry.

Is there anything else I can try?

What do dry cleaners do that people at home can't?   Better yet, what
do dry cleaners do that people at home can reasonably do for
themselves?

Thanks in advance for any info

 
I worked in my father's dry cleaning store for many years. So I know a
bit about this.

The 2 main things a good dry cleaner does to avoid wear on fabrics is
to 1. never crowd the load, and 2. wash finer/lighter fabrics
separately from tougher/rougher fabrics.

You can do the same thing at home. Wash your dress shirts separately,
and there should be plenty of free space in the tub for the shirts to
move around freely. The other thing you can do that will extend the
life of shirts is ho hang dry them, not dry them in the dryer.

 

Cool.  About ironing.   No matter how careful I am to make sure the
reverse side of what I am ironing is layed flat, there is always a
crease that gets intensified by my ironing on the top side.

This paritcularly true pants and at its worst around the top of a pair
of pants.  It seems next to impossible to iron one side without
creasing the other.

Any tips you care to share?

Thanks :)

Steve

 
Thats why you use the narrow end of the ironing board, and insert that into
the top of the pants, so there isnt anything underneath what you are ironing.

 
What about shirt sleeves and pant legs?