The Do’s and Don’ts of Cleaning Designer Garments

Everyone loves designer clothes. In fact, going by current trends, the luxury clothes market is set to enjoy a valuation of $334.6 billion by 2033. So it’s no surprise that people purchase clothes like Chanel, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Dior, and Adidas. 

But exactly what makes these clothes so popular, and why do they need special care?  Continue reading below. 

Why Designer Garments Require Special Care

Firstly, they are made of high-quality materials like Egyptian cotton, denim, satin, crepe, chiffon and linen. That’s why they retain their look, feel, color and quality, years after they’re made. So you don’t have to keep buying them regularly.

Secondly, each of these fabrics is delicate, built from fine raw material, so they require careful handling. 

Thirdly, unlike mass-produced or pre-stitched clothing, designer clothes can be made to order. In other words, you can get custom-made designer clothes so they fit just right. So it is unlikely that you will be able to replace a satin dress that has shrunk in the wash. 

So, if you do not take care of them, you will have to spend a fortune trying to undo the damage. For instance, you could discolor or shrink them. If they contain intricate work, a run in the washer/dryer might cause them to rip. 

So what do you do? Designer items need a fair bit of extra care, and it is best to leave their cleaning to the professionals. We would suggest leaving the cleaning of these precious items to none other than the best dry cleaners in NYC. 

But you will send them to the cleaners only if you have worn them once, In the meantime, they need to be managed at home. So, let’s take a look at how you can maintain these clothes for a long time below. 

The Do’s of Cleaning Designer Garments

There are quite a few things you need to do to take care of your designer clothes, namely:

Check the Label First

Most people do not read care labels carefully or take them seriously. That’s why they skip on a lot of essential information. Care labels often contain information about: 

• The type of material with which they are built
• Precise cleaning instructions
• How to iron them

Information about the type of material helps people understand whether or not they can get possible allergies from the material. It also gives them an idea about how to handle them. 

Since each material must be handled differently, the cleaning instructions will be helpful. This ensures that the fabric maintains its properties without fraying or other damage. 

For example, if something is marked as Dry Clean Only, do not throw it in the dryer. Such materials do not react well to water, and your beautiful clothes may be damaged beyond repair. 

Finally, using the wrong setting on your iron could cause your luxury clothes to shrink, tear or fray.

That’s why you should first read and understand the information written on the care labels before you try to clean them at home. In case you aren’t able to do so, you can consult with Dry Cleaners in NYC.

We’ll help you make sense of the labels.

This means the item cannot be washed. 

This means the item must be dry cleaned. 

If you see the garment tags with these two symbols, schedule a slot with your favorite dry cleaners in NYC. These clothes will perish in the wash. 

Treat Any Spots Immediately 

Once you’re done reading the care label, check for any spots, stains or other unwanted marks on your luxury clothes. You should treat these stains immediately.

That’s because they can damage the look and weave of your dress if allowed to settle. For example, oil-based stains can discolor your dress. On the other hand, mud-based stains can cause your dress to crinkle or get crusty. 

So first identify the stain. Mainly, you can expect stains caused by ketchup, red wine, chocolate, and grass. Some other sources of stains include ink, perspiration, ink or coffee and fruit juice. 

Do not try to handle stains at home. There are a lot of old wives’ tales circulating on the internet, and not all are equally effective for all kinds of materials. Schedule a slot with the best Dry Cleaners NYC for stain-treatment instructions. 

Store Your Garments Properly After Cleaning

Storing your luxury clothes properly can help you maintain them for a long time. Continue reading to know more:

• Leaving them in the air

It basically means hanging them in such a manner that they can release the odor trapped in them. What you can do is hang a clothesline and then hang your clothes after turning your clothes inside out.

However, you should use the right method. For instance, you should use padded hangers to suspend heavy jackets.  

Once done, you should leave the clothes like that for a few hours before either putting them back into your wardrobe or closet. 

• Designating storage spots

You should demarcate a space in your wardrobe or clear a closet to store your luxury clothes. We would recommend a clean, dry space with no exposure to humidity or pests. 

• Using the correct storage method

After designating your storage spot, you should utilize the correct storage method. Some ways to store these clothes are:

1. Wrapping them in individual pieces of paper 
2. Using storage baskets made of sturdy, polyester material
3. Storing relatively durable luxury fabrics in breathable bags

The Don’ts of Cleaning Designer Garments

Now, what are the things you should not do when cleaning designer garments? Read on to fin out. 

Don’t Use Home Remedies Without Research

With the boom of social media, almost everyone has some viral tips on everyday life to offer. Quite a few of these people search for “laundry home hacks” or similar things. They then use these hacks and end up damaging their clothes. 

Some hacks include using vinegar for extra whiteness, baking soda for removing the odor, and using a conditioner to increase the size of shrunk clothes. Unfortunately, while some of these hacks might actually be effective, it’s a precise science. You cannot use all of them on all kinds of fabric. Do you research; but to be safe, leave the expensive items to the professional dry cleaners.  

Don’t Machine Wash Unless the Label Says So

We understand that using your washing machine to wash all your clothes might seem tempting. However, you should not do that unless your care label specifically says so. That’s because you can damage them. 

For instance, you cannot tumble dry leather or silk clothes since they will be structurally damaged. 

Don’t Iron or Steam Without Caution

While most clothes react well to the iron, or heated steam, others don’t. Clothes made of satin or silk should not be ironed. You can instead fold them by hand and store them in wrinkle-free paper wrappings. 

Professional dry cleaners will ensure that these clothes are kept wrinkle-free post the cleaning process. 

Don’t Delay Cleaning After Wearing

After you take off a piece of expensive clothing, you should first air them out, and send them over to the dry cleaners immediately. That’s because the stains or marks caused due to bodily fluids, or other sources will set. 

Once they set, your luxury clothes will appear discolored, crinkly or crusty. So you should promptly clean them or get in touch with Dry Cleaners in NYC to do the needful.

Wrapping Up

Now that you’re aware about how to maintain your luxury clothes, you should follow the above tips carefully. However, at the end of the day, we would always recommend consulting with our Dry Cleaners in NYC as we can help you deal with all and any issues.