How Often Should You Clean Your Suit?

We are often asked that question, and unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all answer.  But in order to help you figure out whether your suit needs to be cleaned or if can be hung back in your closet for another wearing, we’ve come up with these guidelines to help you figure it out.

• If you aren’t going to wear it again for quite some time, you should probably have it cleaned – even if you don’t believe you got anything on it.  We shed 30,000 to 40,000 dead skin cells every hour, and those cells get deposited onto our clothes.  While insects aren’t interested in fabric, they are interested in feeding on the dirt and body oils left on clothes.  That feeding will cause the fibers to weaken and eventually break, leaving holes in your suit.
• If you spilled something on your suit, then you should have it cleaned before putting it away.  There are two reasons why.  First, the longer a stain sits on your garment, the more difficult it is to remove.  Second, not only do insects like to feed on dirt and body oils, they also like to feed on food and beverage spills.    
• If your suit was exposed to pollutants – such as you wore it in a big city where there was smog – you should have it cleaned before putting it away.  Ground-in dirt and contaminants can abrade garment fibers and shorten the life of a garment.  

If your suit needs to be cleaned, then take it to a professional cleaner – one with a good reputation and that is committed to excellent customer service.  When you go to pick up your suit, it should be hanging on a strut hanger with shoulder guards and placed inside a plastic poly bag. Whether you are bringing it home from the cleaners or plan to wear it again before having it cleaned, we recommend using these practices at home.

• Never put your suit away if it is damp; damp clothes in dark places could lead to mold and mildew issues.
• Always hang your suit on a good-quality suit hanger. Using the wrong hanger could cause the shoulders on your jacket to pucker or cause the shoulder pads to become misshapen.
• Remove your belt and empty the pockets to avoid stretching or creasing.
• Never store your suit long-term in one of our plastic poly bags; they are only intended to protect the garment during transport. Leaving your suit in one of our poly bags long-term could cause moisture to become trapped, leading to mildew issues.  
• Use a paper or cloth dust cover to keep dust from settling on the shoulders of the jacket.
• Clean all pieces together to ensure a uniform appearance.

For more information about caring for your business suit, call any one of our locations and speak to a member of our trained staff.