Luxury clothing is an investment. Whatever it is – a tailored suit, designer dress, cashmere jumper, silk shirt, wool coat, or a leather item, taking good care of your garments will extend their lifespan considerably.
Professional garment care is one of the essential components of the care of your garments, but what you do between professional cleaning is crucial too.
Here is a list of 9 effective expert tips on how to take care of luxury garments properly between professional cleanings.
1. Read Garments’ Labels
Before washing, steam cleaning, ironing or any other treatment of garments, make sure to read the information on garment labels.
Various types of fabrics require a different approach to care and different types of materials react in different ways to heat, water, and different cleaning products.
Reading a garment label will let you know if it needs:
- To be dry cleaned
- Washed by hand
- Washed in machine
- Air dried
- Ironed at a certain temperature
- To be protected from certain cleaning products
Whenever you are in doubt which cleaning method to choose, you should turn to professional cleaners as this might be a more reliable choice for delicate and expensive garments.
2. Not All Garments Need Cleaning After Each Use
It is a very common misunderstanding that all garments need professional cleaning after each use.
However, there are many quality garments which can be worn few times without the need for cleaning if they have not been stained, dirtied or used in such way that odors have accumulated.
Once a garment is worn, it should be left to air out before being put into a wardrobe to allow releasing any odor or moisture.
Garments which are stained, smell strongly or have been sweat heavily should be cleaned properly.
3. There Should Be Enough Space in the Wardrobe for Clothes
Luxury garments need space.
Putting too many items in a wardrobe will result in:
- Wrinkles
- Creasing
- Loss of shape
- Friction between fabrics
- Troubles with retrieving garments
- Odor accumulation
It is recommended to use special hangers for structured items like jackets and coats and to store heavy knitwear, like cashmere or woolen sweaters, folded.
Do not use thin metal hangers for expensive clothes as this will deform shoulders.
4. Act Fast If There Is A Stain
As time passes, a fresh stain becomes much harder to treat.
In case of accidental spillage onto an expensive piece of clothing, resist the urge to rub the stain.
Instead:
- Gently blot the stained area.
- Carefully remove any loose pieces.
- Avoid using any available cleaning products at home randomly.
- Refer to care instructions.
- Organise professional treatment when necessary.
- Rubbing can embed the stain in the fabric and even damage it.
Professional stain removal can be a better choice for valuable garments compared to applying several home remedies.
5. Limit Heating
Too much heat can do a lot of harm to delicate clothes.
It can cause certain pieces to:
- Shrink
- Change their form
- Create shiny spots
- Damage the fibres
- Alter the colour
- Distort the finish
Especially pay attention to clothes made of silk, wool, cashmere and garments which have special trims or embellishments.
If a garment needs refreshing in between professional treatments, use the right steaming technique instead of placing a hot iron directly onto delicate fabric.
6. Proper Storage Of Seasonal Garments
Do not simply store winter coats or summer dresses in one box at the change of seasons.
Before storing, examine them for stains, food stains, body oil and odours.
The small marks which appear not harmful now can become hard to treat after months of storage.
For seasonal garments:
- Clean them before long-term storage when needed.
- Ensure that they are dry.
- Keep them in a cool dry place.
- Ensure that they are not in too much moisture.
- Avoid overcrowding.
- Consider breathable garment storage if applicable.
Correct storage can be very helpful when taking your wardrobe out for the following season.
7. Be Careful With Perfume And Deodorant
Perfume and deodorant are parts of daily routine, but applying too much of them to your clothes can contribute to marks, odours and deterioration of fabric.
Wherever possible, apply the perfume to the skin and let it dry before wearing delicate garments.
This is especially important for silk, satin and other delicate fabrics.
If you spot any discolouration or staining around collars, cuffs and underarms, professional garment evaluation can be a preferred way compared to home treatment.
8. Knowing When Your Garments Require Professional Cleaning
All problems with garments cannot be solved by yourself.
Consider professional cleaning when there is:
- Persistent staining
- Odours
- Oil/grease staining
- Damage to delicate fabrics
- Heavy soiling
- Wrinkles which cannot be ironed out without risk to the garment
- Changes in the form of the garment
- Marks on collars/cuffs
- Stains/damage to expensive/designer clothing
A professional cleaner will have the ability to identify the fabric and choose a suitable washing and finishing technique rather than treat all the garments in the same manner.
9. Don’t Neglect Alterations and Repairs
Garment care goes beyond just the washing.
Even a perfectly washed garment may look old if its fit is wrong, if there are missing buttons, a broken zip or loose stitching.
Professional alterations and repairs can extend the lifetime of your favorite garments.
Minor repairs like button replacement, zip repair, trouser shortening or alteration of the garment may give a new lease of life to the old garment.
Instead of throwing away a favorite garment, consider professional alterations or repairs.
How Often Should Luxury Garments Be Professionally Cleaned?
There is no single frequency for all garments.
Cleaning frequency is determined by:
- Fabric type
- How often the garment is worn
- Its usage intensit
- The presence of stains
- Its exposure to sweat/odours
- Manufacturer’s cleaning recommendations
- Type of the garment
A rarely worn suit might be cleaned less frequently than a frequently worn garment.
It is better to avoid unnecessary cleaning, but not let the stains and body oils accumulate for too long.
Professional Garment Care in London
Caring for luxury clothing is more than just putting the garment in the washing machine.
At Dry Cleaning Junction, garments are treated depending on the fabric and its care requirements, with professional cleaning and finishing as well as collection and delivery options across London.
No matter what kind of garment, the proper choice of cleaning technique can save it from damage and deterioration.
Final Thoughts
Luxury clothes need special care both at home and at the dry cleaner.
Checking care labels, proper storage, quick stain treatment, avoiding excess heat and repairs can extend the lifetime of your wardrobe.
What is most important – do not experiment with your expensive or delicate clothes when you are not sure how to clean them.
At times, the most prudent approach to keeping a valuable piece safe might be by letting professionals handle it.
Want to get professional garment care in London? Get a pick up done from Dry Cleaning Junction.
