Once fabric is washed, it has a different "hand". I would avoid washing an all-wool kilt, even by hand. Also, if you wash it, you'll have to be _very_ careful pressing it to get the pleats right. I wouldn't dream of pressing it without basting the pleats.

What I _would_ consider is spot washing with a decent enzyme detergent (e.g., Era). Dilute the detergent, lay a towel under the affected area of the kilt and wet it, take a cloth such as a dish drying cloth (something white or light-colored!!), soak it in the Era solution and _blot_ (don't rub, or you'll make the tartan fuzzy) until the stain comes out. Letting the Era solution sit on the tartan for a few minutes helps. Rinse by taking another cloth, soaking it in clear water, and blotting to rinse until the tartan isn't soapy any more. Let the kilt dry, and steam press any wrinkles out. I've gotten everything from catsup to blood to clown make-up (don't ask...) out of the white part of a dress tartan kilt this way. Works great.

If you consider dry cleaning (and I would dry clean before I would wash a trad kilt in Woolite), be sure to ask the cleaner _not_ to press the kilt. As mentioned above, if the pleats are pressed wrong, it's tough to fix. Take the time to baste the pleats yourself and press the cleaned kilt with a damp press cloth between the kilt and the iron.

Cheers,

Barb