How to Get Rid of Stains – Shirts, Suits, Ties
Practical Advice on Laundering, Dry Cleaning, Cleaning a Wardrobe
Aug 30, 2009
Stains are devilish things to remove from most dress clothing, particularly deep stains such as blood, grass, wine, soda, or coffee. Each individual garment must be dealt with in a different way, so it is important to know which method will likely deliver the best results to you.
Dress Shirts, Denim Jeans, Cotton Pants
Ranging from grass stains on a new pair of jeans worn on a warm summer's day to some accidentally spilled coffee on that brand new dress shirt – stains accrued on more utilitarian garments such as jeans or cotton shirts and pants are the most treatable for stains, and the easiest stains to remove in general.
Pre-treatment of a stain is best served with dishwashing liquid (to clarify – liquid used when handwashing dishes in a sink rather than dishwashing detergent used in a mechanical dishwasher) applied to the areas in question for 30 minutes, rubbed in lightly with a damp cloth.
The sooner you can begin pre-treatment of the stain in question, the better – by applying the dish liquid to the stain you will halt the stain from setting and begin to loosen the stain for when it is run through the wash.
Handwashing the garment is also acceptable, but following pre-treatment of the stain you may also place the garments in the washing machine for a normal, cold-water cycle. There is no reason to be using hot-water wash in any case (cold-water wash is also better for the longevity and colour saturation of your garments) and hot-water can encourage the setting of the stain.
Dry Cleaning Suits, Tuxedos, Blazers, and Sportcoats
A bit of wine spilled over a glossy new suit or sportcoat can spell disaster for men who cannot afford to simply rush out and purchase a new garment; dry cleaning will be absolutely necessary in this instance if any hope of stain removal is to be entertained.
One thing that many men do not realize is that suits, tuxedos, and blazers are absolutely dry clean only garments – excepting the rare instances in which they are made of linen or cotton, which allows for more typical washing procedures.
Even then, dry cleaning of the garment is recommended in most instances, provided that one has access to a reputable and professional dry cleaning service. It is important to note that dry cleaning service varies in quality greatly from store to store, so be sure to keep a lookout for stores with the following features.
- The establishment should be neat, clean, and organized. It does not make sense to trust a fine garment to be cleaned in a business that is not clean itself.
- The cleaner should be intuitive, and ask if there are any stains or particular considerations a client might have with regard to their garments.
- It is also standard practice for a cleaner to check all garments thoroughly before taking them from the client to ensure all pieces are there and accounted for, as it does happen that clothes are lost in the wash. With both pairs of eyes and a proper receipt detailing all items of clothing left behind, one can be assured of safety with their newest suit or pair of pants.
Finally, dry cleaning should be done as soon as possible after the stain has been noticed – preferably the same day or, at the latest, the very next. The longer you allow stains to set, the lower the probability of the stain being able to be removed successfully.
Bad News for Neckties, Getting Stains out of a Silk Tie is Nigh Impossible
The bad news is that removing stains from silk neckwear is nearly impossible. This does not mean that one shouldn't attempt to do so – by all means – but simply that it has a very slim chance of success.
Some menswear experts have hailed the detergent pen, or Tide pen, as a great method for treating stains in neckties, although this has been tried with varying degrees of success. Typically, the greater the contrast between the colour of the stain and the colour of the tie, the larger the problem. Ties of a lighter fabric are also more susceptible to staining and simple darkening via the use of the Tide pen.
Dry cleaning is also an option for neckties, although there are repercussions for doing so. While the stain may be removed, the colour of the time may shift drastically, and it is almost guaranteed that the tie will be flattened to nearly half the previous thickness, robbing the necktie of volume and depth.
Other Articles Dealing with Menswear and Fabric Care
Just buy a new pair of jeans and about to wash them for the first time? Or, how about an article discussing smart casual trends, and how to look sharp? Those just looking for a little light reading might be interested in a discussion of the colour pink as it pertains to fashion.
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