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Not all clothing is cut from the same cloth, and that’s certainly the case when it comes to ties. Thanks to their delicate fabrics and intricate stitching, you can’t just toss ties in the wash after every wear, like you would with your usual clothes. While that might sound obvious, it’s just the beginning of proper tie maintenance.
Keeping your ties looking sharp involves understanding the fabric, promptly treating stains, and employing careful cleaning techniques—whether you want to know how to clean a tie at home or with the assistance of a professional dry cleaner. While this might seem like a fashion mission impossible, as long as you stick to these tips, your ties will stay in shape, ensuring you (and your outfits) exude confidence and sophistication for years to come.
When it comes time to wash ties, you may wonder how to clean a tie without dry cleaning. Those made from linen, cotton, or polyester can typically be machine-washed, but to maintain their condition, place them in a garment bag and use the gentle cycle.
While a good machine wash is possible, hand-washing is preferable, as it’s gentler on the stitching and interfacings. To hand-wash, mix gentle soap or laundry detergent with cold water in a sink or basin, and let the tie soak for a few minutes, then rinse under the tap. Allow the tie to air dry before storing it.
For ties made of delicate fabrics like silk or wool, dry cleaning is the best option, so you’ll want to take them to a professional after treating any stains.
The recommendations for cleaning, drying, and ironing ties differ depending on the fabric. Here’s how to clean cotton and linen ties, as well as polyester ties, wool ties, and silk ties.
Cotton and linen ties can usually be machine-washed, but first place them in a garment bag and use the gentle cycle. For an even gentler method, hand-wash in cold water.
After washing, gently press out any excess water with a white towel or cloth; avoid wringing or twisting to prevent damage. Then, simply hang the tie to dry. Once dry, you can either steam or iron it on a high setting to remove wrinkles. The steam setting on an iron works well.
Hand-washing in cool or warm water is the best way to clean a polyester tie (just make sure the warm water isn’t too warm).
Press out excess water with a towel or cloth, then hang the tie to dry. Steaming is the best way to remove wrinkles; however, if you opt for ironing, choose a low or medium setting to avoid damaging the fabric. It’s crucial to remove all stains before ironing, as the heat can set any leftover stains into the fabric.
Wool ties are typically a dry-clean-only item; even then, you should only bring them to the cleaner when necessary. If a wool tie gets wet, hang it up to dry. Notice some wrinkles? Skip the iron and steam instead.
Aside from spot cleaning, a silk tie is another dry-clean-only item. When bringing it to the cleaner, ask to have it hand-pressed so the rounded edges stay in place.
Regardless of the material of the stained tie, there are some general rules to follow when getting rid of unsightly wine marks and remnants from dinner before beginning the cleaning process.
If you’ve just spotted a splash of ketchup or a dribble of coffee on your beloved tie, your immediate reaction might be to grab a towel and some stain remover and start scrubbing. While it’s important to tackle tie stains as soon as you notice them, first take a moment to check the fabric label before diving into full-on cleaning mode.
Knowing the material will guide you in choosing the correct cleaning method and help prevent further damage. For example, as a general rule, silk ties and wool ties require a professional dry cleaner, whereas cotton, linen, and polyester ties can be hand-washed (or even tossed in the washing machine).
Once you know what fabric you’re working with, the first step is to remove excess food using a spoon or butter knife. This step is essential, even if you plan on dry cleaning the tie later. After all, anything you can do to reduce the stain’s impact is beneficial.
After removing solids, dampen a white cloth napkin or a clean cloth with plain warm water and gently dab at the stain. For silk ties, opt for club soda instead of water. If you don’t have access to water or a cloth, an on-the-go stain remover such as Tide to Go or Shout Wipes will work, too.
Use talcum powder or baking soda to soak up excess oil or stubborn grease stains. Grease can be pesky once it dries, but absorbing the excess oil as quickly as possible makes cleaning much simpler. Let the powder sit for 12 to 24 hours. If the stain remains, apply another round.
Liquid spills are a bit simpler to address. Just blot them with a white paper towel, napkin, or cloth until dry.
The first step to cleaning ink stains is to let them dry. This may sound counterintuitive, but trying to soak up wet ink could worsen the stain, spreading it around the fabric.
Once the ink has dried, gently blot the stain with rubbing alcohol applied to a cloth or cotton ball. Keep blotting until there’s no more ink coming off the fabric.
While most clothing items benefit from regular cleaning, ties are the exception. It’s best to wash them only when they’re visibly soiled rather than after every use. Washing ties infrequently will help avoid unnecessary wear and tear.
Silk is a delicate material that’s vulnerable to water damage. For that reason, avoid hand-washing silk ties. Instead, opt for spot-cleaning with club soda to address water-based stains. If the stain proves stubborn, have the silk tie dry-cleaned. To prevent future mishaps, consider treating your silk tie with a fabric protectant after cleaning.
Because of their unique shape and material, ironing wool ties like you would other clothes isn’t a good idea. Instead, steam wrinkly ties. For a wool tie, always use medium heat.
With their unexpected fabric and shape, knit ties can add personality to your outfit. Unfortunately, these same characteristics mean you can’t toss knit ties into the washing machine. Doing so can damage the knit and ruin the look. Hand-wash or dry-clean knitted ties.
At The Groom Club, we’re all about making sure men shine with style. From nailing the perfect tie knot to rocking the ultimate wedding look and scoring the slickest tuxedo rentals, we’ve got the inside scoop on all things dapper. Dive into our articles for a dose of outfit inspiration that’ll have you looking sharp and ready to steal the spotlight!
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