Not so long ago we overheard a man complaining about the stain on his suit jacket and how he’ll never be able to get rid of it unless he visits the dry cleaners. There is a time when you can or have to take your
suit to the dry cleaners but here we are going to explain to you
how to clean a suit jacket all by yourself quickly and easily. A suit, especially a high quality
custom mens suit is an investment and should be treated as such. This means that you should always try to take care of your suit regardless of how often you wear it. It doesn’t matter if you wear your suit daily or yearly. In order to maintain the perfect look of your suit and prevent damage to the fabric, you’ll need to clean it regularly. Can you wash a suit that says “dry clean only”? Contrary to the popular belief your suit doesn’t have to be cleaned at the dry cleaners only. In fact, taking your suit to the dry cleaners often can damage the fabric due to the chemical process that’s involved. According to a recent study by industry experts the average businessman spends between $500 and $1500 on dry cleaning services. So, it’s no wonder that you would like to learn how to clean a suit jacket at home. By using only a few basic items you can maintain or revitalize the appearance of your suit. So without further ado let’s go over the steps of cleaning your suit.
The Basics of Maintaining Your Suit
It’s one thing to have an expensive and good looking suit and a whole other to keep it looking good. There are a few things every gentleman should consider and know about maintaining the picture-perfect appearance of their beloved suit. Your everyday clothing care is much simpler than taking care of your suit. The process of maintaining regular clothes is pretty simple. You just throw it into your washing machine, iron it and that’s that. The question of how to clean a suit jacket is much different. Taking care of your suit requires a little more than that. You’ll need to invest in a few items and will have to regularly clean it and take care of it. But taking care of it will be rewarded with it staying perfect for a long time.
But how do you get stains out of a suit jacket?
You have a stain on your favorite tweed jacket or suit blazer? No problem! You can get stains out of a suit jacket by taking it to the dry cleaners and you should save this trip only for major emergencies. If you don’t have time for that check the care label and try blotting the stain with water while using light pressure. If the care label allows, try using vinegar or lemon juice as well. And that should do the trick.
How to Clean a Suit Jacket at Home?
How do you clean a suit jacket at home? There are several ways you can clean your suit jacket at home. You can start by regularly brushing it in order to remove dust, hair and other unseen particles. When it comes to removing stains you can use a wet cloth with mild detergent and leave your suit to air dry.
When it comes to the question of how to clean a suit, we mentioned that you are going to need a few items that are going to help you clean and maintain your suit. It’s nothing much and none of these items are too expensive, but when it comes to maintaining a high-quality suit no item can be too expensive. You are going to need:
- A suit brush
- Quality suit hangers
- Cloth suit bag
- A steamer
Get a Suit Brush
Brushing your suit regularly every time after you’ve worn it somewhere is the best way to ensure that your suit stays in top shape. The fabric of your suit can lose its form over time and not only that but over time dirt and unseen particles can build up. Not to mention that it can also remove dust, dead skin, hair, food particles, etc. Brushing your suit regularly will help you to prolong the suit’s life. You can find a suit brush that is made from either synthetic hair or animal hair. You use it by brushing the fabric in a downward motion. After you’ve brushed out your suit, you can also use a lint roller that will make your suit absolutely spotless.
Find Quality Suit Hangers
Suit hangers won’t actually help you with the cleaning of your suit, but it can certainly help when it comes to maintaining it. You should completely forget about wire hangers for start. Second, quality suit hangers can and will help with maintenance. The right quality suit hangers will extend the length of your suits life and will keep your suit smooth and without any wrinkles that occur during the wear. If you have an office job a hanger is an absolute must. When you are feeling hot or something similar it’s much wiser to hand your suit jacket on a high-quality wooden hanger that will keep your suit looking fine and smooth. Much better than just tossing it over your chair.
Find a Cloth Suit Bag
Although your suit will most likely come with a plastic bag you should aim to find a good cloth suit bag. Cloth suit bags have greater airflow and allow your suit to breathe. Keeping your suit in a cloth bag is very important as it will keep it protected from moths. You can even add lavender or basil into your cloth bag which will keep your suit always smelling fresh and will additionally keep moths away. Furthermore, cloth bags will keep your suit smooth and it won’t wrinkle.
Steamer
A steamer is a great item that you can use on all of your clothes, not just your suits. You can steam your suits before hanging them up to air dry. This is a fantastic way to quickly refresh your suit and it will reduce any odors and will eliminate any wrinkles.
Can you wash a suit jacket in the washer?
The short answer is -- yes. But you need to follow these instructions. You should turn your suit jacket or even your sports coat inside out and put it in a mesh bag. Depending on your washing machine you should find the gentlest washing option and make sure that the temperature is set on cold.
These are the steps that will make sure your suit doesn’t get damaged. After you’ve washed it, you can hang it on a wooden hanger and let it air dry.
Can you wash a suit that says dry clean only?
Depending on the material. It’s best advised that woolen suits are washed by hands. You can do this by dipping it in and out of a bowl with ice-cold water and find a detergent that’s meant for wool. Rinse it properly with cold water and leave it to air dry naturally.
Bonus Tips
Hang your suit correctly!
We said that you should invest in a quality suit hanger but haven’t said why. Make sure to buy a wooden suit hanger that has the shape of your jacket because that way your suit jacket won’t get wrinkled and wood will absorb moisture from the fabric.
Pack your suit correctly!
If you are serious about keeping your suits always looking fresh, even when traveling, then you should consider finding a good garment bag. If a garment bag is not convenient for you then make sure to learn how to fold your suit correctly and bring with you your steamer.
Protect your suit!
The best way you can protect your suit is by having multiple suits. How? Well, if you wear the same suit every day it will inevitably get literally worn out. And no matter how much you take care of it you wear the same suit every day it will start to deteriorate. So switch them up because that will not only help with the length of your suits life but it will also make you feel fashionable and stylish.
Conclusion
We reached the end of our blog post and have come to the conclusion that you can effectively clean your suit jacket and your suits at home. The question of how to clean a suit jacket at home has been successfully answered we think. So to wrap things up it is possible to wash and clean your suits at home as long as you are careful with your washer. The maintenance of your suit is pretty simple and you only need a few inexpensive items that will provide them with longevity. No matter the fabric of your suit always remember to read the label of your suit before you wash it but the safest bet when it comes to removing stains is to wash in cold water and with a mild detergent. If you have any more questions or would like to know more about our suits at StudioSuits contact us and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
