Whether you’ve bought your business suit off the rack or had your suit custom tailored especially for you, business suits are probably the more expensive outfits you own. All such outfits present one common problem—how often do you get them dry-cleaned?

Formal wear cannot be stuffed into the washing machine and needs to be sent off to the dry cleaners but how frequently should they be cleaned? Does excessive dry cleaning damage them?

Suits and other formal dresses don’t wear out as easily as our other clothes. We can hang them back up after attending an event and they won’t look much different to when you first put them on.

Although formal wear may not look worn out, it still does absorb bodily oils that cause odors. People also drop food and drink on their business suits all the time that leave behind stubborn stains.

Here’s what you need to know about cleaning your business suits:

• The frequency of cleaning depends on usage:The more you wear your business suit, the more frequently it will need to be cleaned.
• Dry clean: If spot treating isn’t washing away stains, brushing the suit isn’t removing dust or if its bad odors cannot be covered by perfume then you should get your suit dry-cleaned.
• Use an organic dry-cleaner:Conventional dry-cleaning methods involve the use of PERC (Perchloroethylene). PERC damages suits by stripping the wool of its natural oils. Continuous dry-cleaning will cause the suit to become brittle and dull over time. To avoid exposure to harmful chemicals, opt for organic dry-cleaning.

Caring for your suits

 

Looking after your suit in between dry-cleaning visits can reduce the need for your suit to be cleaned:

• Rotate your suits:Buy yourself a handful of suits and rotate them instead of wearing one over and over again.
• Use a steam cleaner:Invest in a steam cleaner to iron out wrinkles on your suit so your suit remains looking fresh for longer.
• Use a wood hanger:Leave your suit out on a wooden hanger a few days before you have to wear it so it has time to readjust.
• Brush your suit:Brushing your suit is essential to remove dust particles and food crumbs. Make sure you brush against the grain of your suit while using short and quick strokes.
• Air your suit out:After your suit has been out, leave it out in the open for a day. It helps dry up oils and remove smells.
• Keep your suit covered: As much as you can, keep your suit covered to protect the buildup of dust and humidity.

NY Organic Dry Cleaners provides custom organic dry-cleaning for all formal wear including business suits and formal dresses. We use an Eco Green Cleaning Process to clean your clothes without the use of PERC.

We accept orders 24hrs a day! Visit us in our shop in Rego Park, NYC or schedule a pick up by filling out our online form. Call 718-459-7770 for more information.