Cleaning Advice For Winter Clothing

As the winter comes to an end here in the city, it is imperative that we take a minute to reflect on the things that we are going to be putting away, including our winter garb as a starting point. We can't urge you enough to start rounding up your bulkier items, such as wools, jackets, coats, and even sweaters and take them to the dry cleaners in your area. However, there are a few things that you can do at home in the event that you are unable to or do not wish to. After all, if you take the time to correctly store your garments now, you won't just be able to use them this winter but also the winter after that.

In order to ensure that your warm woolens, soft cashmere, and ever-so-cozy leather coats are cleaned and stored with care and love, the following are some recommendations that you may follow.

Clean Up Before Storing :

It is important to make sure that you remove any oils, perfumes, body lotions, food stains or aromas, and perspiration which can all be very damaging to fabrics, especially if they are left unattended. Just as you would launder your everyday garments before putting them in your closet, it is important to take the time to do the same with heavier items. You can take them to the laundromat or do the laundry at home, but you should never put them away in the closet without first taking the appropriate steps to care for them.

Wash Your Cashmere By Hand :

Cashmere must be washed by hand unless your washing machine features a setting for extra-gentle hand-cleaning of delicate items. Make sure to use a spotless sink, water that is lukewarm, and only a very small amount of a gentle detergent like The Laundress' Wool and Cashmere Shampoo or even baby shampoo. Turn the garment inside out before washing it, give it a light squeeze rather than wringing or twisting it, and then rinse it in lukewarm water. When it's time to dry the clothing, give it a light press between two clean towels, then lay it out flat and keep it away from any sources of heat. Due to the fragile nature of the material, it is essential that this kind of tender care be given in exchange in order to preserve the overall quality of the garment.

To remove leather stains, use masking tape and a vinegar mixture:

The process of caring for leather clothing might be scary. When dealing with small spots and stains, whether they are on clothing, bags, or even shoes, wet the dirty area with a lukewarm and soft cloth, then gently blow dry the area using low heat from a distance equal to that of an arm's length. The next step is to use a mixture of vinegar and water that has been diluted (a teaspoonful of the mixture in a dish of medium size should be sufficient) and wipe any spots. Use a leather soap or conditioner on darker leathers; for cosmetics, try using masking tape to hide the stain and then pull it off as quickly as possible. 

To preserve your leather pants, use freezer bags:

Managing leather pants is a significantly less difficult task. It's possible that some of you are familiar with the tip that involves placing leather pants in the freezer. If you haven't, I'll give you a hint: It really does the job! Put your leather pants in a large Ziploc bag, make sure it's sealed well, and leave them there overnight. This method will eliminate odors as well as any microorganisms that may be present. You can also spot clean the lining of your pants, provided that the lining is not made of silk. After doing so, allow the pants to dry completely before continuing with the freezer trick.