Dry cleaning can be expensive. Real estate broker Ellie Lambert got tired of her big dry cleaning bills.

"I am so frustrated with the cost of it," she told us. "It's ridiculous."

But do you really have to take clothes to the cleaners when the tag on them says so? The answer is "sometimes." It just depends on the garment.

To save money, Lambert started washing some items at home. Lo and behold ...

"Gentle cycle, hang it up, no issues at all," Lambert said.

To dry clean or not to dry clean

The first thing to check is just what exactly does the label on the garment say regarding care instructions. If it says "dry clean only," then you have to be more careful to avoid damage.

But if it just says "dry clean," that means it's only a recommendation and not the only way to clean the item.

To do it yourself, use a gentle detergent and either wash by hand or on the gentle cycle. Then lay out the garment flat or hang it to dry.

At home dry cleaning kits are another relatively inexpensive option that are easy to use. Just put your items in the fabric protection bag, add the cleaning cloth and tumble dry on medium heat.

"It's like I had just picked them up at the dry cleaners," Lambert said of the results. 

Minimizing trips to the cleaners

If you do have to dry clean an item, minimize how often you have to do it with a few simple tricks.

After you wear the item, spray it with a little Febreeze and hang it up to air out for several hours before you hang it back up in a cramped closet.