The average American household does between eight to ten loads of laundry every week (per The Spruce). However, there are some fabrics that you should never toss in your washer. Although some people think that dry cleaning is only for fancy suits and dresses, in fact, there are many common fabrics that you should always trust to a dry cleaner.

1. Silk

Natural silk fabrics are strong but don't completely absorb the colors used to dye them. When you throw a silk garment into your washer you can cause it to lose its color more quickly, as well as become distorted and potentially shrunken. If you have any garments that are made from silk, dry cleaning is the best way to ensure that you can preserve them and keep them in good condition for as long as possible.

2. Wool

Wool is a durable material and it is often used for its ability to provide warmth and insulation. However, wool should never be washed as this can cause it to shrink and become unwearable. Dry cleaning helps prevent this so that you can continue wearing your favorite winter wool garments without worrying about them being unwashed or shrunken.

3. Suede

Suede is typically made from cow, goat, and lambskin, and true suede can be fairly expensive. However, it can be difficult to maintain if you've never had a suede garment before. Suede is sensitive to light, moisture, and most water-based or chemical cleaners. Because of this, it can be hard work trying to keep your suede in good condition. Thankfully, suede can be dry cleaned to ensure that it lasts longer and stays in good condition.

4. Linen

True linen is derived from flax, and it can be very strong and absorbent when compared to other materials such as cotton. However, if you toss linen into your washer, it can lose its crispness and can deteriorate in quality quite quickly. Dry cleaning is ideal for this fabric to ensure that it can last for as long as possible.

5. Denim

This may come as a surprise to anyone who has washed their denim jeans and tossed them in the dryer. Most jeans benefit from being washed inside out and hung to dry, as other methods can cause them to wear out, shrink, or bleed color more quickly. Ideally, high-quality denim should be dry cleaned to prevent wear.

Caring for your clothes properly goes much further than tossing them in the wash and folding them neatly when they are done. If you are ever unsure about what items of clothing you should have dry cleaned, call your local dry cleaners for more information. This way you can have peace of mind that your clothes will last and you won't have to worry about one day pulling out your favorite sweater only to find out it has shrunken three sizes too small.