How Often Should You Dry Clean a Suit?

How often should you dry clean a suit? Taking proper care of your clothing can help extend the life of the garment so make sure you follow this guide to know when it’s the right time to bring your suit to the dry cleaners.

When at work, you want to look your best and feel great. This helps you feel prepared for anything that comes your way. Even if your day isn’t going as smoothly as planned, you know you look great.

To keep your suit looking polished, you want to have to clean often enough. But how often should you dry clean a suit?

Learn more about the best practices for keeping your work outfits ready to go and looking good without having them overcleaned.

Choose Suits in the Right Colors

Because everyone has a different skin tone, it’s important to find the right color suit that complements you. You’ll feel your best and enjoy wearing something that highlights the way you look.

Many people choose dark colored suits for the business world. They often believe these colors allow them to get taken seriously. Suits made with darker fabric don’t show dirt as easily, making them ideal for professionals on the go.

Figure out what your skin tone is, and choose suits accordingly to what matches best. When possible, opt for suits that are dark in color to avoid having them dry cleaned too often.

Invest in Accessories to Change up Your Suit

Accessories can make it seem as though you’re wearing a totally different suit, even when you’ve worn it a couple of days in a row. You don’t need to wear lots of accessories to make your outfit seem different.

If you aren’t sure how to change the overall look of an outfit, here are a few ideas on what types of accessories to invest in:

• Shoes
• Tie
• Watch
• Different colored or patterned button-down shirts

Having a variety of options to pick from that go with several of your suits makes it easy to pick and choose on a whim. You’ll have various options when finding the creating the type of look you need for the day.

Even if you’re not able to dry clean your suit often or feel that it isn’t dirty enough to warrant cleaning, changing it up with various items makes it look different. You’ll get more for your money with additional accessories than you would if you buy a brand-new suit.

Understand What You Can Wash at Home

Many people try to figure out if they can wash their suit at home, rather than go to a dry cleaner. But what happens if you wash dry clean only suits at home, even if it’s by hand?

There are various ways to tell if you should take your clothing to a dry cleaner or try your luck washing it at home. One of the first steps involves reading the label and checking fabric.

Types of fabrics that should be considered dry-clean only are:

• Stains you’re unsure of how to treat
• The label says dry clean only
• A finish on the fabric to make it stiff
• It’s made of leather or suede
• It’s an expensive piece that you wouldn’t want to accidentally ruin

If you come across any of these with your clothing, play it safe and take it to a dry cleaner. Water can ruin certain types of fabrics and suits, making them irreparable.

When you take your items to a dry cleaner, you can feel confident that your clothing looks good. Plus, you won’t encounter any unexpected surprises.

If you need your suit cleaned for a special occasion, having a professional do it for you is safer and causes less worry.

In case you have items that don’t have the dry clean only label but you’re used to dry cleaning them, only launder at home once in awhile. Consider the type of fabric, and wash on a gentle setting to ensure you’re not treating it roughly.

Paying attention to the labels and materials helps them last longer and look better. It will prevent any potential problems, such as tears or excessive fading in certain areas.

Know How Often Should You Dry Clean a Suit So It Lasts Longer

While it’s important to keep your clothing clean and pressed, dry cleaning suits too often can cause excessive wear. There are ways to keep clothes clean in-between dry cleaning sessions.

Once you get home, hang up your dry-cleaned clothes right away after wearing them. This prevents them from developing wrinkles and other problems that occur when they get tossed on the floor.

Keep your clothing out of direct sunlight to prevent fading. Once an item starts fading, there’s little that can be done to correct the problem.

Make sure everything is dry before hanging it up in a closet. This keeps mildew from growing, which requires a trip to the cleaners to get rid of.

If you do accidentally stain something, make sure to blot it right away (don’t rub as this can damage the fabric). Blotting soaks up as much of the fluid as possible, making it easier for the dry cleaner to get everything out.

Finally, don’t feel that you must wear something once and then have it professionally cleaned.

As a rule of thumb, maintain your clothes by hanging them up and avoid using fragrance in excess. With proper care, you can get a couple wears out of the suit before it needs to go back in.

Keep Your Suits in Top Shape

Knowing the answer to how often should you dry clean a suit can keep your outfits lasting longer and save you money in the process. You’ll be able to manage and wear your suits in-between cleanings without ruining them or overspending.

If you’re not sure on how to find the best dry cleaner, check out our blog on choosing a reliable dry cleaner!

In the Metro-Detroit area, choose Janet Davis Dry Cleaners for the best care of your garments!