There’s nothing worse than a closet of clothes covered with stains, wrinkles and infested with moths.
So to help those having trouble maintaining their wardrobe get the most out of it, the dry cleaning experts at high-end clothes cleaner Jeeves, which has outposts in London and New York, has revealed a series of top tips and tricks to help you better store your garments, wash your clothes, and get rid of stains.
And because all clothes are different, they have done their best to differentiate the best things to do for each type of clothing item and material, ensuring that every item of clothing you own will remain in tip top condition for as long as possible.
Storing clothing: Clothes need to be able to breath so it’s best to take off the plastic wrapping from the dry cleaners
No wire hangers: It’s best to avoid wire hangers at all costs as they can cause indents in clothing
How to properly store your garments
When it comes to storing garments, the best thing to do is make sure you’re using the right type and size of hanger for the specific garment, says Will Lankston, operations director at Jeeves.
For blazers and jackets, use hangers that have proper support for the shoulders.
And for dresses, the most important thing to check is that the hanger isn’t distorting the shape of the dress is anyway as those clothing items are more difficult to hang because there are so many different cuts, shapes, styles and fabrics.
This is particularly important for silk dresses, which can distort easily.
Also, it’s best to not put a hanger inside a dress as it can wreak havoc on the fabric – leaving it misshapen or with awful bumps in the shoulders. Instead consider folding the dress over the inside of the hanger in order to store it.
It’s also imperative to not hang knitwear or T-shirts because often times this will cause serious damage to the garment, particularly around the shoulders.
Knitwear in particular is very delicate and should either be folded and stored safely in a drawer, or folded and hung over the pants bar of a good quality wooden or plastic hanger.
Avoid wire hangers at all costs as they can cause indents in clothing and do not leave enough space between garments for them to breathe.
And do not leave clothes in the clear plastic wrapping that they come back from the dry cleaners in. This is to protect the clothes during transit but should be removed before they are placed in your closet so they the clothes can breathe.
However, if you do want to cover your garments to protect them, use a good quality, breathable garment cover.
Good quality: For washing clothes, use good quality liquid detergent or gel capsules (stock image)
Dark colors: The first thing to remember is to wash dark-colored clothes inside out in a cold wash (stock image)
How to avoid moths on your clothes
To help prevent moths, which are not only a pesky nemesis but have the potential to ruin clothes, it’s best to take preventative measures rather than tackle the insects after you already have an infestation because they will eat just about any natural fiber.
Plus, in general, it is much easier to prevent a moth infestation than it is to get rid of one once it has happened.
One option is to place good quality moth sachets in all of your wardrobes and drawers and then refresh them regularly.
You can also place moth traps in storage spaces around the home, which can be purchased cheaply online.
And lastly, moths like warm, humid, dark places, so try to avoid these conditions in areas where you store your clothes.
But if you do have a moth problem, hire a good pest control business to come and resolve the issue.
It is worth asking them back a month after their first visit to ensure the problem is resolved for good.
Also, note that it is a common misconception that because you don’t have swarms of moths flying around the home, you can’t possibly have a problem.
Remember, it is the larvae that do the damage to your clothes, not the moths themselves.
Clean machine: It is important to clean your washing machine regularly make sure clothes come out smelling fresh (stock image)
Avoiding moths: Moths like warm and humid areas so try to avoid these conditions in areas where clothes are kept (stock image)
How to wash your clothes properly
And as for washing clothes, it’s important to not over wash.
This doesn’t mean to not keep your clothes clean but there are some tips in place to ensure that washing your clothes doesn’t cause them any damage.
The first thing to remember is to wash dark colors inside out in a cold wash with a slow spin cycle as this will help to stop the colors bleeding out of the fabric.
Next, use good quality liquid detergent or gel capsules.
Poor quality detergents simply do not have the cleaning power which can lead to you over washing your garments and powder detergents can cause abrasion on your clothes before they dissolve in the wash.
And lastly, it is important to clean your washing machine regularly because if you want your clothes to come out of it looking bright and brilliant, you should probably make sure that the inside of the machine isn’t dirty.
Professionals: When it comes to stains it’s important to seek professional advice (stock image)
No hot water: Never apply hot water to the stain as this will cause some stains to set into the fabric (stock image)
How to remove stains properly
Lastly, when it comes to stains it’s important to seek professional advice because there are so many different types of stains and so many different types of fabric that it really does take a lot of experience to know the best way to remove them.
There is also very specialist equipment that can be used to remove stains that you wouldn’t find in the average household.
However, there are some things that you can do to limit the damage and increase the chances of a good dry cleaner being able to save your clothing.
First, remember to never apply hot water to the stain as this will cause some stains to set into the fabric, making it near impossible for them to be removed but if you do attempt to clean the stain, dab at it with cold water, don’t rub.
The worst type of fabric for stains is silk so if you do happen to get a stain on a silk garment, don’t try to do anything yourself.
Take it straight to a good dry cleaner and hope for the best as one of the biggest differences between dry cleaners is their ability to remove stains.