Wearing a suit makes us feel sharp and sophisticated, until that suit becomes dirty, stained or smelly. And, during warm-season events, it’s all too common to sweat in our best suit, meaning that cleaning is necessary. If you’re wondering which all-natural cleaning products work well to clean a suit, allow us to tell you everything that you need to know to keep your suits fresh.
How Often Should You Wash Your Suit?
We’ll get to the discussion about using nontoxic cleaning products to clean your suit in just a moment, but first, let’s talk about how often you should actually wash your suit, since there’s a lot of misinformation out there. According to experts, the key is to try to have it washed before each use. Now, if that’s unrealistic because, say, you have to wear a suit to work every day, try to wash your suit as needed – in other words, when it starts looking dingy, or when you can start to smell something unpleasant from having worn it so often.
Can You Wash Your Suit at Home?
We hate to burst your bubble, but according to pretty much every expert out there, you should never wash your suit yourself. This applies to not only using a washing machine and dryer, but even trying to handwash it, as the materials just don’t take well to this method. You shouldn’t even iron a suit at home since the materials aren’t meant to handle it – if you must, have it pressed by a professional.
So, how should a suit be cleaned? The answer is taking it to a drycleaner. Drycleaners use special equipment that we don’t have at home, and then have years of experience in cleaning suits without damaging them in any way. Washing your suit at home can leave you with a ruined garment that can’t be worn to that event you’re going to the next day.
Does the Material of Your Suit Make a Difference?
In this case, no. No matter what material your suit is made from, you shouldn’t attempt to wash it yourself. Wool suits, which are very common, can get destroyed if soaked in water, as the fibers can easily get warped – the same goes for tweed and even linen. Polyester suits are deceptive, as they consist of polyester interwoven with other, non-washable fibers. Even if you’re using gentle products like natural laundry pods and eco friendly dryer sheets, your suits should not be washed at home no matter what they’re made of. Not only can the materials get damaged, but so can the shape and fit, which are extremely important. And, you won’t be able to iron them when you’re done, as getting wrinkles out is something that only a drycleaner can do.
If You Stained Your Suit
So, what if you spill something on your suit moments before having to go off to an important event? If you can’t make it to the drycleaners, then you’ll want to go with gentle, natural cleaning products that can safely remove the stain. We suggest Grab Green Liquid Dish Soap, which’s a non toxic dish soap that is extremely gentle, and yet has stain-lifting properties. Dip a clean cloth (not a paper towel) into some cold water mixed with a couple drops of soap, and then dab the stain repeatedly. Allow it to air-dry. Then, when you go to the drycleaners, tell them about the stain and they’ll take care of it using their own methods.
