Imagine this: It’s New Year’s Eve and you’re wearing your best suit to a party.
You look great and feel good, but your suit will definitely need a good wash when the night is over. Even if no one spills anything on you, elegant fabrics need to be refreshed often.
Do you know how to dry clean a suit? If you don’t, this guide is for you! Keep reading to learn five essential steps.
5 ways to properly dry clean your favorite suit
1. Brushing
Knowing how to dry clean a suit after New Year’s celebrations can be useful for life. You can start by brushing for 30 seconds with a natural bristle brush.
This trade trick removes dirt before it has a chance to settle between the fabric threads.
Hang your jacket using suit hangers and then brush slowly from top to bottom, or follow the direction of the fabric threads. Straighten your pants and do the same with them.
Do this every day after wearing your suit for best results.
2. Washing
Brushing is great for removing dirt follicles, but it won’t have an effect on bacteria, stains, and viruses. Washing your suit in a washing machine to get rid of these is not the best option. Instead, take your suit to a reliable dry cleaner.
Dry cleaning involves using corrosive chemicals, so you shouldn’t do it more than once every two months. Clean your suit jackets and pants at the same time to prevent mismatched fading.
There are three washing methods you can use to wash your suit. Always check the suit label for washing instructions and water temperature recommendations.
While dry cleaning is the best option, hand washing and machine washing are two possible methods you can use.
When Hand Washing:
When you absolutely cannot go to a professional dry cleaner, you can hand wash your suit at home. Follow the instructions on your suit label and use natural products, such as:
- Vinegar
- Lemon
- Baking soda
It is not recommended to do this regularly because these ingredients are not suitable for all fabrics. In the long run, this may damage your suit.
When Machine Washing:
Machine washing at home is probably the worst way to clean your suit after any occasion. Dry cleaning services are specialists who know exactly how to dry clean a suit without damaging it.
Even if you don’t run the spin cycle in your washing machine, machine washing can still alter the fabric thread, including the shape of your suit.
When Dry Cleaning:
Dry cleaning is a complete cleaning. Instead of using washing machines, dry cleaning companies will use a chemical solvent to clean and disinfect the suit.
Remember that chemicals are used that may harm your suit in the long run if it is specially designed. Dry cleaning is the best cleaning method ever but in moderation.
To keep your suit fresh for longer without taking it to the dry cleaner, don’t wear it more than twice a week. The fabric threads in the suit must breathe.
Simply hanging your suit on suit hangers and leaving space to breathe for both sides is beneficial. And within 24 hours, your suit will look new and you can wear it again.
3. Sanitization
You probably won’t be able to sanitize or disinfect your suit yourself. However, it’s important for suit owners to understand every process.
Sanitization involves getting rid of light germs and bacteria. Disinfection gets rid of organisms. Disinfection can only be done with the correct equipment and machines.
If you need to sanitize your suit because you were near a person with an illness, contact professionals who can treat your clothes with UV light.
There are tricks you can use to disinfect and eliminate viruses yourself, but it’s best to leave this step to professionals. This is what dry cleaning companies will do for you.
4. Steaming and Ironing
Ironing a suit is very different from ironing other clothes. A vertical steamer is the best way to iron a suit. Steam is also a great sanitizer at a certain temperature.
Any viruses or bacteria that survive high-temperature washing can be killed with steam. Buying a vertical steamer is a small investment that guarantees you the best ironing and deodorizing process whenever you need it.
A traditional iron is a popular choice, but suits tend to be more sensitive than other clothes. If you must use an iron, place a thin cloth between it and your suit’s fabric.
Doing so prevents the unrefined shiny look and protects the fabric from the iron’s high temperature.
5. Hanging
Only a few suit owners think of hanging their suits as part of the cleaning process. However, as we briefly mentioned before, hanging a suit correctly can help it regain its shape.
When not wearing a suit, don’t leave it wrinkled on a chair. Suit hangers exist to hang suits. Wooden hangers are the best option because they maintain your suit’s shape, prevent moths, and absorb moisture.
When you travel, a garment bag is the best solution. You can even use a garment bag when you are at home. Garment bags protect your clothes from moths, mold, and dust mites.
How to Dry Clean a Suit: Explained
New Year’s celebrations are just around the corner. If you’re wearing your best suit to celebrate, you will definitely need to clean it the next day.
Learning how to dry clean a suit is fairly simple. The best thing you can do for your suit is to take it to a professional dry cleaner, but you can keep it fresh by brushing, steaming, and hanging it.
No matter what method you choose to clean your suit, you’ll need suit hangers. Shop all hangers now from Butler Luxury to find the best fit for your needs.