How to properly care for suits, slacks, and shirts
So I started buying some clothes for my SA stint and was wondering how to properly clean and care for my clothes specifically my suits, shirts, and slacks.
I've read you're only suppose to dry clean your suits and pants a couple times a year so how would I got about caring for my slacks since I wear them more often than my suit. Is it okay to bring them to a dry cleaner and get them "washed and pressed" or will that ruin them?
Typically for suits I just want them to look clean and crisp. They aren't dirty but could have a wrinkle here and there. Suggestions?
For shirts most of mine are non iron so I just wash and dry them at home.
You can get the slacks laundered as long as the don't say "Dry Clean Only", its the dry cleaning solvents that you have to worry about. I personally buy 2 slacks for each suit jacked to help with this issue.
I do the same with shirts, but get them dry cleaned every other or 3rd time they get washed depending on my capacity to do laundry on the weekends.
art of manliness .com will help you here...
I am in the same situation. Get slacks that allow for regular washing. Dry clean your suits every 2 months. I would also wash and dry my shirts at home. Make sure you polish your shoes because they can get nasty if you don't. Are your suits wool or polyester blend? That might change the way you have to care for them.
They're wool suits.
I try to care for all my stuff but I can get lazy and is usually the last thing on my mind after work.
--Shoes - I have 4 pairs that I rotate (2 black lace up oxfords, 1 black loafer, 1 brown oxford). I never wear them two days in a row and always use shoe trees when not in use. Get them shined every few weeks or so.
--Shirts - I try to by iron/wrinkle free though not all are. I will dry clean them every now and then to get the crisp look. Inbetween dry cleanings or washings I will steam the shirts to keep them wrinkle free and fresh.
--Suits - I get dry cleaned very rarely. Maybe twice a year unless there is a noticable stain/blemish etc. After each wear I will air out the suits and use the steamer on them. Clear out any wrinkles and freshen them up.
This does remind me, I have a pile of shirts on my floor that needs to be dry cleaned
That infrequently? The rest I agree with, but to keep my suits looking sharp, I usually do every 2-3 months (depending on how often I wear each obviously)
Yep. Maybe a little more but steaming does wonders in my opinion. Also, Usually wear each suit once a week
Shirts - dry clean (launder) after every 2-3 times wearing them (depends on the fabric, how wrinkly it gets, and how much you sweat).
Slacks (suit pants) - dry clean (launder) ever 3 or 4 wears (again, depends on the fabric and shape of pants)
Suit jackets - dry clean maybe every few months or so, or if they get really wrinkly from use
Shoes - buy 3-4 pairs and rotate. If you buy very nice, expensive shoes, I suggest buying some $25 shoe trees on Amazon (same ones that Allen Edmonds use for their shoes)
Socks/Boxers - buy a shit ton of these, that way you'll avoid doing laundry so often
Buy quality hangers for your suit jackets so the shoulders don't lose shape; they are worth it if you have nice tailored wso/">suits.
Have your suits dry cleaned every two months. It will get rid of any smell, and will keep the suits looking fresher for longer. Also invest in a steamer. it will make your life easier to iron your suits.
For shoes you can get some baking powder (cheapest solution). put it in your shoe and let it air dry. It will get rid of the smell and any mold/bacteria developing.
Hand washing a suit (100% wool) in luke warm water (Originally Posted: 08/13/2014)
Has anyone tried?
My problem stems from the fact that after 5-10 wears, the jacket smells. I've hand washed dress pants before with no trouble, likewise with sweaters/jerseys and other "dry clean only" garments. Do it well and it is never a problem. I don't like the thought of dry cleaning - you wouldn't clean anything else without water, why a suit.
That said, I don't like the idea of washing $500 away in the laundry tub if the shape/structure changes.
there's a reason it says dry clean only, just don't do it.
you must be doing something wrong if your jacket smells after only 5-10 wears. plenty of articles online about how to take care of suits (assuming 100% worsted wool), but if you want to be real anal, here's what you do:
never drape pants over a hanger, use one like this
brush your jacket & pants with something like this, it will get crumbs out, get the fibers to get raised up and should help release odor.
lay your jacket & pants over the arm of a chair, couch, or over your bed before hanging. perhaps drape them there when you get off work and hang them up before you go to bed/when you wake up next morning
cedar hangers for your jacket, will absorb moisture and give a good smell
all of this assumes that the problem is how you care for your clothes or that the smell is from your environment, versus something with you. I'm hoping it's not you, but having your jacket smell after 5-10 wears means there's something going on. it's been my observation that foul body odor is the result of poor diet & hygiene moreso than it is the clothes you wear. I'm not a doctor or dietician, so you'll have to go elsewhere for advice there.
I do this all the time. It's pretty easy:
1) Fill your tub with luke warm water 2) Add one half cup of Tide and stir through the water for a few minutes 3) Lightly scrub suit for about 15 minutes using a fine shammy (similar to waxing a sports car) 4) Remove suit from tub, drain water, and rinse in hot to very hot water from the shower until all soap is gone 5) Suit can be hung to dry in a room with low humidity or outside if weather permits
Finished. No need to waste money on dry cleaning.
Do not wash a wool suit!! Hang it on a wooden hanger, let it air dry, even out of the closet, for 8-12 hours in between wearings. The wood will absorb moisture and the smell needs to air out. If you're sweating more than average and it's staining or causing serious BO, then dry clean it. They have organic/eco dry cleaning these days, if traditional chemicals irritate your skin.
Its good to hand wash suits but see to that it retains the same color, size and shape and never fade away early.
Caring for a suit (Originally Posted: 12/09/2008)
Someone told me not to wear my suit jacket while driving. Any truth to this? How do you get around it during the winter when you are wearing a heavy coat?
I have not heard that driving with a suit jacket on will hurt it. I have driven loads of times with my jacket on and haven't had a problem.
i guess they're referring to it wrinkling?
We're about to enter a Great Depression. Don't you want a president who's already dressed for it?
Ring around the collar (Originally Posted: 11/03/2006)
What is the best way to get out a stain in dress shirts -- like the yellow ring around the collar stain specifically?
Thanks
If it's a white shirt, just take it to the cleaners...nothing bleach can't handle.
If the cleaners can't get it out, ditch the shirt.
what if it's a striped shirt? can't really use bleach...i guess i'm going to have to throw about a bunch of my shirts if I can't get this shit out which sucks.
I think Marth Stewart just released a 50 lb. book on her best household tips, which I'm sure includes proper shirt management. :-)
What causes this ring around the collar? Sweat?
Sweat and sometimes a not so good chain if you wear a necklace of some sort. I remember my shirts got BRUTALISED this summer in HK when my chain started staining the shirt everytime i sweat.
An easy way to get the thing out and for cheap is lemon juice mixed with a bit of salt. Flip up the collar, put paper towels underneath it. Than apply lemon juice with two fingers till the thing is saturated.
Don't let the juice dry up though. Just keep doing it for 10 minutes. In other words keep dabbing it. I did it for 8 shirts so I had them laid out and just did a rotation. To see if its working, take a paper towel to dab the stained areas. Usually if u got dark stains, the paper towel dab takes out some so you know its working. If its a faint stain, going to have to wait till the whole process is done.
After 10 minutes, stuff the shirts into the wash as you normally would and the stains should be gone completely if not faded significantly. I wish I had before and after pics of my shirts. I was CERTAIN they were ruined.
Good tip if it works.
rubbing some white chalk on the ring should do the trick.
Caused by oils on your neck mixing with persperation.
That lemon juice trick seems like a good idea though.
Dress shirts self-care (Originally Posted: 06/23/2009)
I have several shirts that are non iron, so I washed them myself, hung them up right afterwards etc.
However, I noticed the dark ring around the neck from wearing the shirt remains after a standard wash/dry cycle. Will dry cleaning remove this, or in the future is there some way I can make sure that a regular wash will remove it?
I hope the kid in the cubicle next to yours is looking at a fat bonus, sweathog.
The WSO Guide to Understanding TARP
If you get some shout or another stain remover and you spray it onto the neck of your shirt before you put them into the wash it will help, also you can use shampoo and scrub it in before you put it into the wash.
The stain is from the oils of your body, so shampoo removes oil, and will work, or shout. That is what I usually do.
It's not just oil -- it's a combination of dirt, dead skin, and oil. If you have any Asian friends (particularly Korean ones), ask around about an exfoliating cloth. Scrub with it once or twice a week when showering before your soap routine. It basically achieves the same effect of rubbing dirty palms together.
Necessitatibus dicta vel aspernatur corrupti autem qui quia magni. Voluptatem id rem fugit sequi iure eius rerum. Aut minima enim est repudiandae.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...
Laborum est in repudiandae quasi cumque et. Veritatis ducimus delectus omnis doloremque numquam dolores placeat fugiat. Laboriosam qui ut porro. Iure iste sed provident sit.
Et voluptatum impedit consequuntur esse ut. Doloremque facilis accusantium voluptas. Ut repudiandae ab a. Ut nisi sint id quis enim. Placeat accusantium consequatur molestiae autem ducimus voluptas.
Non sunt ea et porro architecto dicta laboriosam. Aliquam totam eius ipsa. Esse accusamus deserunt voluptas dolor rerum numquam quidem. Sit aut odio unde quia rem aut molestias. Tenetur saepe laborum ea ut quia.
Quisquam voluptas itaque sed a. Qui corporis voluptas perspiciatis non consequuntur. Natus et labore ab non earum odio provident. Laborum veritatis iusto eos facilis.