Photo Credit: Commonwealth Proper
A well-fitting business suit is a staple in everyone’s closet. And when you invest a lot of time and money in such a wardrobe essential, you want to know that each dollar is going a long way—and that involves taking care of your clothes to keep them looking as amazing as they day you bought them. So take a tip from us and follow these easy steps to maintaining your favorite suits!
Rotate suits
If you wear a suit every day, try to rotate between as many different suits as possible to avoid wearing one down too quickly. This can help prevent fading, tearing, and wrinkles.
Spot Clean
Spill some of your lunch on your favorite suit? Don’t sweat it! Use a damp cloth and a little bit of an enzyme-free detergent if necessary to spot clean in between washes without damaging the fabric.
At-Home Wash
When it comes to business suits, it is almost always preferred to dry clean, but in a time-crunch, follow these steps for safely washing your suit at home.
- Always check the fabric care label! If the label reads “DRY CLEAN ONLY,” skip the at-home washing and take it to a dry cleaner as soon as you can.
- Fill up your washer with cold water (hot water will result in a sad, shrunken suit), set on the gentlest cycle, and toss in a Dropps detergent pac.
- Make sure to turn your suit inside out before placing it in the water to prevent fading!
- Once the cycle is over, remove your suit, turn it right side out, and air dry (preferably with the jacket hung on a sturdy non-wire hanger to help it keep its shape).
Don’t over-dry-clean
While dry-cleaning is usually the preferred method for keeping your suits looking great over time, it definitely can be over-done! Dry-cleaning your garments, especially those made of natural materials like cotton or wool, will damage the fibers over time, causing them to weaken and fray. According to tailoring expert Jolyon Bexon, dry-cleaning your suits every six months is ideal, but can be done more frequently if there are stains.
Steam over iron
To keep your suits looking fresh and wrinkle-free, opt for a steamer instead of an iron. Using a steamer will reduce the chances of scorching those delicate fibers.
#DroppsProTip: Also, steam relaxes fibers temporarily, which not only gets rid of those pesky wrinkles, but can aid in stain removal!
Hang it up
Believe it or not, proper storage is just as important to prolonging the life of your suit as cleaning it is. Use thick, wooden or plastic hangers as opposed to flimsy, wire hangers to help your suit jacket maintain its shape.