h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

At college I am famed for my colourful and flamboyant ties.

Some of them are getting quite old now and have never been cleaned.

Now, at the end of term, I decided to bring them all home for cleaning. I had asked Mrs Big Al how best to do this - whether they could be washed in the washing machine. She told me that they had to be dry-cleaned.

Anyway, I brought the all home from my digs and left them in a bag in the hall, pending getting a quote from the dry-cleaners.

In the meantime, Mrs BA decides to try washing them in the w/machine anyway. Result:About one-third of them seem to be totally ruined!

Anywayu, I'll allow them to dry out and see if they look any better once they've been straightened out and ironed.

to hear that. I don't think I've ever washed any ´tie or cravat, although I think my sister does and it seems to be ok. It probably depends on the material (silk for instance does tend to crumble very badly but is fine once it's ironed), but if Mrs Big Al didn't wash them at a hot temperature, they should be ok.

Yes, it's the silk ones that have incurred the most damage. They have material interiors which have become sodden and tangled. She did wash them at a low temperature. Also, the stitching down the back has come undone.

Well, I think they should be fine once they're fixed and ironed then. Would be worse if the colours had washed out, there's be no way of rescuing them in that case.

I have no personal experience with ties, but from what I've heard, if a silk tie gets grubby, you got to chuck it out, because the cost of dry cleaning is larger than the cost of a new tie, and cleaning out home is not feasible. But if yours come out OK, do let me know.

Oh no no no No! If they're silk and have been done in the washing machine then they'l never live to see the light of day again Silk ties can only ever be dry cleaned, which luckily is alright most the time as here at least they cost so much that the dry-clenaing cost once in a blue moon isn't too much to worry about Actually it might be possible to hand wash em, but I doubt even that would work at all

Seeing as it's only ever soup or gravy on mine, I tend to suck my silk ties clean. And my shirts, come to think of it.

Bon appétit!

That is sooo... skanky.

Well, I ironed my Egyptian motif tie this morning, when I was ironing my grandson's school uniform, and it came out reasonably . Not perfect - but presentable

See, I was optimistic that it would work out.