You’re wearing that amazing custom-fit suit. After a couple of events, it has got dirty and now you’re wondering how to clean a suit jacket? Well, look no further we have your needs covered.

You’ve bought that amazing suit, that’s great but taking care of it is another part of it. Most of the men buy custom suits and treat them like their tee-shirts they buy at Nordstrom, tossing it, folding it and crumpling it. Some of them even put their suits in the washing machine destroying the fabric completely. So how to clean a suit jacket?

Give it for dry cleaning? Well, that’s not the most favourable solution to clean a suit jacket.

Let me tell you why. The chemicals used while dry cleaning will degrade and breakdown the fibres of the suit. A suit is an investment that can last long if taken care of well.

However, the downside is if you don’t maintain it, your custom suit will get damaged faster than you would guess.



Introduction

Well, a good suit is like a child. Just getting home won’t cut it. You need to take care of it from time to time. Although cleaning a suit jacket is not expensive if you do it right away.

An average man spends around $150- $1500 per month on dry cleaning. Just by knowing how to clean a suit jacket at home, you can not only save money but keep your suit fresh and new.

What you need to differentiate is whether the suit jacket is heavily stained that requires to be entirely cleaned or its just certain patches that are dirty. Once you are aware of how to clean a suit jacket, it will be easy for you to do it.

Let’s look at How to clean a suit jacket at home without spending much.

Quick Clean

This method will be suitable if your suit is not stained heavily. If the suit is wrinkled or crumpled, begin brushing the suit. There are some good suit brushes available.

Brushing the suit will remove the surface dust, food particles and soon that will go off just by brushing them.

Brushing your suit regularly will ensure that the condition of your suit jacket is top-notch. After doing this you will know if the suit jacket needs to be cleaned further or no. The quality of a suit fabric degrades as dust dirt food particles and so on build upon it.

By brushing it regularly, you will reduce the wear and tear of the suit jacket.

Once you have done this, if you notice surface dirt on particular areas of your suit, use a suit cleaner and clean those areas.

Unless your suit is completed stained this method will work just fine. Dissolve the spot cleaner in a spray bottle with a moderate amount of water.

Spray the spot cleaner on the stained areas and clean those areas with a cloth by applying the water. By doing this you can clean your suit jacket. After you have finished doing this it is time to dry the suit jacket.

Dry the suit jacket with a blow-dryer and let it dry. Avoid drying it in the sun as it could dull the fabric.

After the cleaning and drying the process, it is necessary to store the suit jacket the right way as well. It is preferable to use a suit hanger so that the shoulder doesn’t develop creases.

This ensures the shape of the suit remains maintained. Keep the suit in a suit bag which will protect your suit jacked from any dust or moss.

This way, just by spending 10 to 20 minutes regularly can save you money and the suit will last you a long way.

However, if the suit is still not clean then the next process should solve your problem.

Deep Cleaning your suit jacket

If your suit jacket is completed dirty or stained then this method should help you clean your suit jacket. Turn your jacket inside out and begin folding it from below. While folding it, ensure that the suit is folded tight.

After doing this, put the folded suit jacket in a mesh bag. In case the mesh bag is loose, pin it up to keep it tight.

The reason we are folding the jacket by turning it inside out is to avoid any damage or felting to the front layer of the suit. Now put the mesh bag in the washing machine will a suit cleaning powder. Let the suit get washed properly in the washing machine.

Once the process is completed, unfold the suit and place it on a flat surface. If you want to speed up the process, place the suit jacket on a towel and roll the suit in the towel from below tightly.

Doing this will reduce the wetness of the suit jacket. Once this is completed, let it dry on a flat surface. Avoid drying it in sunlight or near heat exposing areas as this could cause yellowing or shrinking.

Do not hang the suit immediately in a hanger as the gravity could disrupt the shape of the jacket. After the suit jacket has been kept for drying and it’s damp, simply spread out the jacket ensuring the shape of the suit jacket remains intact.

In case you want to add new creases, maybe for your trousers then you can iron the trousers. Otherwise, the best way is to let it dry naturally on a hanger once it’s damp. To remove any creases use a steamer gently around the creased areas.

Some Handy Tips on how to clean a suit jacket

Whenever your suit gets stained, try cleaning it with water. Water does not cause discolouration and is generally safe to use.

Brush your suit jacket with a suit brush after every wear to ensure that it remains clean from time to time. Avoid very coarse bristles brushes as they can damage the fabric of the suit jacket. While brushing the suit, begin by brushing from top to down. You can use a lint roller after brushing to ensure everything is kept intact.

Invest in a quality suit hanger, preferably wooden one. Avoid using wire hangers, they will damage the shape of the suit jacket. A good suit hanger will be broad enough to hold the shoulders of your suit jacket well. By storing it the right way, you will ensure the fit of the suit jacket remains the same when initially purchased

If you often travel, use a garment bag to store your suits properly. Ensuring the suit is stored properly will keep the shape and design of the suit jacket intact.

The best way to remove stains is to remove them the moment they come. Pour water and brush it off with your hands. The earlier you treat it, chances are it will easily come off. However, if you let the stain dry that’s when it gets difficult cleaning them.

In case the stains don’t go off with water. Use lemon or vinegar to treat the stains on your suit jacket. The citrus acid or the acidic nature of these substances will help in removing the stains of the suit jacket.

Avoid wearing the same suit every day as this will reduce the quality of the suit. Just as your body needs to rest, its time you let it rest. Although if you plan to wear the same suit every day, then it is advisable to brush them after each wear.

Use cold water while washing your suit jacket as cold water reduces felting of the fabric. Read the label Before you put the suit jacket in the washing machine. This way you can set the settings of the washing machine accordingly to avoid any damage.

Use a garment steamer to get rid of any odour or smell from the suit jacket. Apart from your suit, you can also use it on your clothes to remove any wrinkles or creases. Use a steam iron in case you don’t have a garment steamer.

Avoid filing many things in your suit pockets as they can damage the suit jacket. The pockets of the suit jacket will tear since the fabric is not made to hold much weight.

If you are travelling and do not have a steamer, let the shower run and hang the suit in the bathroom away from the water. The steam from the shower will remove the creases wrinkles of your suit.

Conclusion

This was an in-depth post on how to clean a suit jacket. By cleaning your suit jacket with the steps mentioned above, you will ensure that your suit remains fresh and free of wrinkles.

This will reduce the wear and tear of the suit. If you want to dry clean your suit, it is recommended to do it once or twice a year.

Cleaning your suit jacket is inexpensive and you don’t need many tools as well.

However, if you follow the steps mentioned, you won’t need to dry clean your suit jacket. Let me know your views about on how to clean a suit jacket in the comment section.

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