How to clean and care for rental clothing between bookings
Last updated 2 November 2026
Follow the care label, inspect and photograph every piece before it goes out and when it comes back, and leave a turnaround gap in the calendar. Dry cleaning every wear is unnecessary for some pieces and wrong for others. The label and the fabric decide.
The photos matter as much as the cleaning. They are what a damage claim stands on.
On return: inspect first
Check seams, underarms, hems, zips, hooks and lining under good light before you clean anything. Photograph any mark or damage as it arrived. If you clean first, you lose the evidence.
Cleaning by fabric
Follow the care label. Silk, beaded and embellished pieces, and anything with structure, usually need a dry cleaner who knows the fabric. Cotton and many jerseys can be washed as labelled. Steaming handles creases from postage. Spot-test any stain remover on an inside seam.
Storage
Hang heavy pieces on padded hangers and fold bias-cut silk with tissue. Store in breathable garment bags, not plastic, and keep them out of direct sun, which fades fabric. Keep a note of each piece's rentals and cleans.
Build the gap into the calendar
Allow cleaning time between bookings and postage days if you post. Ourfit's calendar blocks post and cleaning days itself, so a dress is not shown as free while it is at the dry cleaner.
Packing for posting
Steam, fold along the lines the dress already has, and pack it in a bag inside a satchel. Include what the renter needs to return it.
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Frequently asked questions
- Should I dry clean a rental dress after every booking?
- Not necessarily. Follow the care label. Some pieces need a clean after every wear, and some only need a steam.
- Why photograph a dress before and after each rental?
- On Ourfit a damage claim needs photos. Records from before and after are the clearest evidence.
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