How to Properly Care For Your Suit

Learning how to care for your suit properly can improve your daily routine. Once you understand the dos and don'ts of cleaning, storing and maintaining your suit, your clothes will look better and you can prevent fabric degradation. 

How to Clean Your Suit

Taking good care of your suit begins with the proper cleaning methods and techniques. When brushing, washing and sanitizing your suit jackets and pants, you'll want to ensure you use the right products and materials to avoid damaging the fabric.

Brushing

Brushing your suit before and after use can keep it clean for years. Invest in a reliable natural bristle brush and keep it near where you change. When brushing, hang your jacket and lay out your pants and brush the fabric from top to bottom or in line with the fabric thread directions. Repeat this process daily and you'll keep the material pristine and clean.

Washing

Washing your suit is one of the most important parts of cleaning your clothes. There are usually three options when washing a suit — handwashing, machine washing or dry cleaning.

While hand washing may not be recommended as a regular practice, it can be helpful occasionally. Ensure you follow the instructions with each suit to be sure you don't damage the natural fibers. Many like to wash their suits with natural lemon, sodium bicarbonate or vinegar, though make sure you look up how it might affect the suit's unique material.

Machine washing is usually not a good idea. However, many people don't realize that putting a suit in the washer could damage the suit, alter the fabric's threads or change the suit's shape. Make sure you stay away from machine washing as much as possible.

Dry cleaning is the most common way to clean your suit. It provides a deep cleaning using chemical solvents. While this is the best cleaning option, ensure you avoid dry cleaning your suit too often. You could end up damaging the fabric from overexposure to chemicals. 

Sanitizing and Sterilizing

In some special cases, sanitizing and sterilizing your suit may be necessary. Sanitizing helps remove germs and bacteria, while sterilization removes and kills living organisms, spores, nematodes and viruses. Sterilizing requires extra equipment or machinery to ensure the organisms die out.

You only need to sterilize a suit if it comes into contact with severe disease. In that case, call up a professional to remove any bacteria or germs, as they can run the suit through an ultraviolet light to eliminate the fungus or virus. Do your research beforehand to be sure you don't ruin your tailor-made or fine-fabric suit.

How to Store Your Suit

Storing your suit is one of the essential parts of suit maintenance. The suit could become overly wrinkled or lose shape without proper storage, damaging the natural fibers. Here are some tips and recommendations for storing your suit when it's not being used.

Quality Coat Hangers

Quality wooden coat hangers can help maintain your suits for a long time. Wood helps absorb any moisture that might be present in your closet, as well as within the canvas and lining of the suit itself. Because moisture can wear down the suit's natural fibers, it's best to stick to wooden or plastic hangers rather than wire. Wire can damage the fabric over time, especially if it becomes moist or damp. 

Wide wooden hangers help support the shoulder pads while keeping the suit fabric smooth and shaped. Many people also like to use cedar wood hangers to repel moths. You should also be sure never to hang your suit over a chair, which could alter the jacket's shape.

Good Closet Space and Garment Bags

Make sure you store your suit in a breathable and roomy space. If the closet is too cramped, it could alter or wrinkle the fabric and damage the suit. Using a garment bag to protect against moisture, dust and bacteria is also helpful. It can also prevent moths from eating away your clothes. 

A breathable garment bag is essential. You want a bag that won't trap in any moisture or gases and promotes good airflow. Consider wool flannel bags. 

Storing and bagging your suits can also help you reduce dry-cleaning trips. Good storage is also helpful for all suits, from off-season sports coats to full-body suits, jackets and dress shirts. 

Cedar Blocks and Shavings

The secret to storing your suits begins with cedar. Cedar blocks and shavings act as moth-repellent and moisture absorbers, protecting your suits from long-term damage. Cedar also has a beautiful scent that will leave your clothes smelling good long after they leave the closet. 

Moths can lay hundreds of eggs per insect, meaning preventing their presence as much as possible is essential. Moths are much less likely to show up when you use cedar blocks and shavings in your closet. Be sure to vacuum regularly and invest in cedar and moth traps.

Regular Care and Maintenance Tips

Caring for and maintaining your suit is essential to improving the fabric's longevity. Here are some tips for regular care and maintenance.

Dry Cleaning

While dry cleaning too often may damage your suit, it's good practice to dry clean twice a year. Depending on how often you wear your suit, dry cleaning may be necessary more or less often than twice a year. Be sure to do your research, as the wrong kinds of chemicals could damage the natural fibers of your suit.

Brushing

Brushing is one of the best prevention techniques. Try investing in a quality horsehair brush with soft bristles. Giving your coat and jacket a nice brushing daily can help remove lint, debris and dust.

Steaming

Steaming is a great option for wrinkle-free suits, especially in the morning before work. While steaming may be optional for special occasions or wrinkle-removal emergencies, you can also hang your suit in the bathroom while you shower for a quick steam. Steaming your suit also helps bring out particle stains and keeps it looking fresh for years.

Get Out Stains

When removing minor stains, you'll want to know how to eliminate particle or oil-based stains. Steaming can help rid your suit of particle stains, while talcum powder fights against oil stains. In most cases, it's best to let professional dry cleaners handle it. Stains from food or wine are common. However, your reaction to the stain is critical. Try dabbing the spot with a cloth or baby wipe, and avoid throwing your suit into the washing machine as much as possible.

Shop for Quality Suits at Penner's

Located in San Antonio, Texas, Penner's is a men's retail store with a selection of dress shirts, sport coats, pants and custom-tailored suits to fit your needs. With the help of our professional staff, many of whom have over 25 years of experience, we can help you find the best suit that fits your style and personal preferences. We have in-house tailors who can make alterations free of charge once you complete a purchase. 

Contact us today to learn more about our products, or call us at 210-226-2487.