Hiya
I have hand washed many beaded tops bought in india, the only problem I've had was the dye running out each wash, it's amazing where it all comes from.I use slightly warm water and liquid wool wash, very lightly wring out and dry flat. Your main problem might be ironing if they are very heavily beaded, but mine never seem to need it.
ps- I've bought many clothes in the USA, that stated dry clean ,and hand-washed them, don't think the americans like hand-washing !
x lassi

I've hand washed lots of beaded and sequened clothes made in India as well. I use 'Woolite' cold water wash and they come out fine. I have found they don't usually need ironing either. I use this method for washing most of my clothes that say 'dry clean'. I haven't had any disasters yet. With clothes actually bought in Goa I find a lot of colour does come out but they are ok after a few washes, just keep them away from everything else whilst they are drying! I have had problems with that one!

Girls thingy I know ! But try soaking them first in a salt solution (dishwasher salts are fine - about 70p per 2kilo bag) then hand wash in cold water.
They will still bleed slightly 1st wash but colours will fix to cloth better and not fade as fast after each wash.
P.S I tie-dye a lot of t-shirts.

How much salt Spike?

The other danger if they are cotton is that they might shrink - the usual reason why cotton, linen or rayon clothes might have a dry clean only label on them. If they are roomy enough to allow for up 5% shrinkage (approx equivalent to turning out one dress size smaller) then I would take the chance. If not, then I would think twice about washing them even by hand.

SM

Thanks for all the replies. I have hand washed dry clean only things in the past, but had a disaster with a pair of cream trousers that shrunk by several inches!

I think I will attempt the cold hand wash with one of them so see how it goes.

Thanks again.

luci

Brenliz - at least 6 table spoons per gallon of water.
Another decent product is this one found here.
http://www.creativegrids.com/acatalog/info_N0351.html

Have bought a heavily beaded top here that says dry-clean, and for how much I wear it (and how much the scrap needs cleaning), I'll dry clean it. I like it, and don't want to ruin it. I guess if I felt the same about a top bought elsewhere, I'd do the same if i didn't want to risk it.

Thanks Spike. I agree Phoebe, if I really like something and don't want to risk spoiling it I would have it dry cleaned as well. As we don't wear really glitzy things too often they don't really need cleaning that often either.

I bought a heavily beaded top and asked HOW I should wash it. It was the same guy who had made it. He indicated two buckets....and 'mimed' dunking it up and down first in one....and then the other! ..and assured me it would be 'ok'!