A tuxedo is not the kind of garment that we wear on a regular basis (unless our job requires it), so most of us rarely need to have one cleaned, if ever. But, sometimes, we have no choice, because our tux is either looking less-than-fresh, or it’s starting to smell. If you’re in need of cleaning your tuxedo, there are some things that you absolutely need to know before you attempt to wash it at home.
How Often Should You Wash a Tux?
You’re probably wondering which nontoxic cleaning products are most effective at cleaning a tuxedo, and we’ll get to all that in a little bit. First, let’s talk about how often you should wash a tux in the first place. Basically, you should wash a tux before each time you’re going to wear it, ideally. If you have to wear a tux daily for work, that may not be as simple, in which case you should wash it on an as-needed basis.
Can You Wash Your Tux at Home?
Your tux ultimately should not be washed at home, ever. A tuxedo is too complex of a garment in terms of its construction, materials and fit for it to be safely washed. This doesn’t just mean that you can’t wash it in the washing machine or dryer, even with using gentle products like natural laundry pods and eco friendly dryer sheets. It means that even handwashing is a no-no, because the delicate stitching can become undone, and the fit can become warped if left in water. You shouldn’t attempt to iron a tux either – that, along with cleaning it, should be strictly left up to drycleaners, who use equipment we don’t have access to in order to do the job properly while keeping the tuxedo looking its best.
Does the Material of Your Tuxedo Make a Difference?
Tuxes can be made from all kinds of materials nowadays, including wool, polyester, rayon and so on. But, regardless of the material, you shouldn’t wash it at home. Even if the material itself is considered washable, like we said before, the construction and the fit are quite vulnerable to getting harmed or distorted if washed using more traditional methods.
If You Stained Your Tux
Let’s say you’re getting ready to go to a wedding, and you drop some hummus on your tux. While it’s ideal to wait for a drycleaner to handle the stain, if you absolutely must address it urgently, stick to gentle and natural cleaning products that are the least likely to do damage. We recommend Grab Green Liquid Dish Soap, which is a non toxic dish soap that’s very mild. Just dip a clean, white cloth (not a tissue or paper towel) into cold water and dab a couple drops of the soap onto the cloth, before dabbing the stain as much as you can. Then, when you go to have it dry-cleaned, mention the stain as they have the tools to remove it.
