Suits can be a tricky subject. Should you dry-clean suits? What if you wear them every day? That could become pretty expensive, not to mention time-consuming. Can you wash them on delicate?
Photo by Gez Xavier Mansfield on Unsplash
There are several options when trying to decide how to properly launder a suit. If the jacket has a little spill on it, blotting the spill should help. There is also a brush you can purchase to assist with keeping the jacket lint and dirt free.
Suit pants will become dirty much faster than the jacket, so they will require laundering far more often.
There are techniques to wash a suit in the washer, if you dare. To do so, you will need a few extra products:
1. Separate mesh bags for jacket and pants
2. Gentle detergent designed for wool if washing a wool suit
3. A clothing brush to use once suit is dry
Once you have these items, it’s time to prepare your suit for the wash. First, turn your pants and jacket inside out. Zip and button the pants to ensure no damage occurs. Fold the pants in half lengthwise then roll tightly. Once rolled, place in a mesh garment bag and roll it tight as well. Repeat these steps with the jacket in its own mesh bag.
Once the bags are tightly rolled, place them in the washer. Add the gentle detergent to the machine and run on delicate to ensure that the agitation doesn’t damage the fibers of your suit. Use cold or warm water settings, not hot. Hot water will cause the suit to shrink, so avoid that.
After the washer is finished, remove the bags immediately. Straighten out the suit and lay it flat to dry. It may take a few hours so be patient. Once dry, use the clothing brush to remove any lint or other debris from the suit. Use a gentle but firm pressure, though not too hard as it can pull the fibers and soon you would have an ill fitted suit (this is particularly apparent in jackets that are still damp).
If you want to dry-clean suits it is a great option if the suit isn’t worn every day. Since the dry-cleaning process uses harsh chemicals, it will cause the fibers of the suit to wear out prematurely. Avoid going to the dry-cleaner until absolutely necessary, or just wash at home as described before.