# Wool Pants: How Many Wears Per Dry Clean?



## AndreMcGrath (Feb 1, 2006)

I am a wear once, take 'em to the dry cleaner guy. Is this the norm?

Mark


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## DougNZ (Aug 31, 2005)

Only if you like shiney pants.

Two things:
1 after wearing, brush your trousers and hang them to air (I use a clamp on the cuffs, hanging them upside down. Spot clean where possible.
2 have both jacket and trousers cleaned together so as to avoid a change in colour between the two. If you have a suit with two pairs of trousers, take all three at once.

Only dry-clean if they become dirty beyond your ability to clean, or if they become smelly, or if six months has passed.


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## Mr. Knightly (Sep 1, 2005)

I agree with DougNZ except for the 6 month part.

Dry cleaning is poison. If you don't absolutely know that they need to be dry cleaned, then they don't. Brush and air accordingly.

Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy,
But not express'd in fancy; rich, not gaudy;
For the apparel oft proclaims the man.


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## countdemoney (Apr 5, 2005)

Wearings before dry cleaning?


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## AndreMcGrath (Feb 1, 2006)

Guys, how do you get them pressed?

Mark


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## Will (Jun 15, 2004)

Except for trousers with cashmere, which tend to lose their shape faster than pure wool (another argument against the trend of mixing cashmere with everything), brushing, steam and spot cleaning should suffice for the entire season.

Or longer, if you can get away with it.

There are green cleaners in major cities now that claim to clean wool without damaging it. I will try one as soon as I can find one that claims to hand press. 



Esquire's greatest contributions of the United States to the world of style: The chino, the sneaker, the T-shirt, the biker jacket, blue jeans, the sweatshirt, and the baseball cap.


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## AndreMcGrath (Feb 1, 2006)

Sorry for all the questions. How do you steam clean? What device performs this task?

Maybe something is wrong with me, but after one wearing, my wools are damp with perspiration, and smell....well, they smell worn. Will a steam bath and a brushing refresh them sufficiently?

Thanks for your patience.

Mark


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## Will (Jun 15, 2004)

You steam out wrinkles and you brush out dirt. Or spot clean it. 

Airing usually removes odors. Whirlpool makes a steamer cabinet for $200 that removes wrinkles and odors at the same time. 





Esquire's greatest contributions of the United States to the world of style: The chino, the sneaker, the T-shirt, the biker jacket, blue jeans, the sweatshirt, and the baseball cap.


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## StevenRocks (May 24, 2005)

I'd say two wears before dry cleaning.

"Never underestimate the depth of a curious mind"
Steve aka StevenRocks


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## guitone (Mar 20, 2005)

I say where them until you have not choice but to clean them....I steam and iron if I need to, but mostly steam. Dry cleaning will shorten the life of fine clothing.

guit


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## jamgood (Feb 8, 2006)

> quote:_Originally posted by AndreMcGrath_
> 
> I am a wear once, take 'em to the dry cleaner guy. Is this the norm?
> 
> Mark


I seem to recall your stating earlier that you (NY native?) are in N.C. now, and that you mentioned the Burlington AE store. Dry cleaner quality varies greatly. I suggest that you call the two most expensive men's stores in your area and ask each to recommend the best cleaners in town. The cleaners may have been in business in an old building for decades. Probably family owned by one of us drawlers. Have your best quality clothing HAND cleaned and HAND pressed (no crease in the lapel), less often. It is more expensive. This expecially applies to cashmere and higher quality fabrics. For various reasons, you (or Mrs. McG) may not want to press/steam your own garments. You can probably find an alterations lady that will press your trousers at a reasonable price, and steam your jackets, without putting them through the fabric-degrading cleaning process. If your cleaners leaves a petrochemical scent in your tailored clothing, find another. This may be unavoidable in some areas, however it is unacceptable in NC. Alternatively, ask around Floyd's Barber Shop.

...................................................................................................
Southern Semi-literate Rural Rustic Cou Rouge www.scotshistoryonline.co.uk/********/********.html

jamgood on ebay > https://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZjamgoodQQhtZ-!


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## Concordia (Sep 30, 2004)

https://www.8savilerow.com/caring04.html


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## BNAFlyer (Oct 28, 2003)

> quote:_Originally posted by AndreMcGrath_
> 
> I am a wear once, take 'em to the dry cleaner guy. Is this the norm?
> 
> Mark


Absolutely not!!!! How often do you clean your suits? You must have to buy a lot of clothes!

As others have pointed out, dry cleaning exponentially increases the wear on any article of clothing. I have wool pants cleaned if they have a stain that you can see (e.g., grease from food). Otherwise, I probably have them cleaned at the end of the season. I keep them hung up properly and I steam them if they get wrinkled. Also, I have a lot of pants, so generally I don't wear one pair more than 2-3 times a month.

Generally, dry cleaning is overrated and not recommended. I have suits that I have worn for years and have never had cleaned. They are doing just fine.


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## NewYorkBuck (May 6, 2004)

I usually have my tailored clothes dry cleaned once per year. Seems a good balance between dry cleaning wear and getting the dirt out. Also makes them clean before I store the seasonal stuff. Seems to have worked so far.


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## williamkazak (May 24, 2005)

I rarely dry clean my wool garmets.It is poison and not good for the fabric.If I stain a pair of camel wool gabs only then I will gladly take them to the cleaners.I generally use a hand steamer to coax out the wrinkles.My suits rarely go to the cleaners.If I would sweat very heavily on a summer day then I would take them.
I wear silk blazers and if they get a clammy feel,then they go to the dry cleaners without any reservations on my part.
I have a few wool gabs and suit pants so I rotate the wearing of them and they air dry very well after wearing.I use wooden clip hangers and hang them straight down and I never fold them in half across a hanger.
My wool topcoats and wool duffle coats hardly ever see the cleaners either.

William Kazak


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## pkincy (Feb 9, 2006)

I bought a Rowenta steam machine for $139 from The Great Indoors store. Costco actually had a steamer for $50, but I wanted a good one. I use it every day. I never wear a coat while seated in a car, so the coat doesn't generally need steaming but the trousers always do. So I steam them after wearing and than hang them up.

Perry


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## Hyperspaced (Mar 16, 2006)

What kind of brush do you use?


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## AndreMcGrath (Feb 1, 2006)

I am once again humbled by the wealth of expertise available here. For those who put a crease in their own trousers after steaming, how is that done?

Mark


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## Avers (Feb 28, 2006)

What do you guys think of those large (which can be bought for home use) steam machines that allow you to press the trousers at once?

Do they do quality job? Are they bad for clothes?

William


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## PJC in NoVa (Jan 23, 2005)

Andre,

An electronic trouser press will help keep your creases sharp. I use mine every day, and then hit the remaining wrinkles (like the "accordion" kind you get behind the knee) with a small travel steamer.

If your trousers get soaked in the rain or otherwise need a serious new creasing, just take them to a cleaner's and specify "press only." They'll zap it with their giant steam press and you'll be set.

The English firm of Corby is the name to reckon with in home trouser presses (quite a different beast from a commercial laundry press). I got mine new on eBay. Here are some currently up for auction:

As for stains, some will steam right out, but use care: Certain kinds of stains (like sugar from pancake syrup, for instance) will "cook" into the fabric if you steam them. Quite a few types of spots will come out with club soda. Dip part of a clean white cotton hankie in a glass of the stuff and then gently dab it onto the spot.

Jiffy offers a line of steamers and some advice on how to use them:

https://www.bizrate.com/garmentstea...358793--492732-__keyword--travel steamer.html

For maximum steamer longevity, use distilled water.

Most odors should come out with airing. Shun dry cleaning except for truly massive and obvious stains that won't come out any other way. Dry cleaning is brutally hard on tailored woolen garments.

PJC in NoVa


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## AndreMcGrath (Feb 1, 2006)

Again, many thanks!

Mark


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## AndreMcGrath (Feb 1, 2006)

What do you guys use for wrinkles in a suit coat or blazer? Steam?

Mark


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## Brideshead (Jan 11, 2006)

One other point (I may have missed it above) is that every two or three wears you should turn your suit inside out and brush the inside - especially the trousers - to remove flakes of dry skin, etc. 

For steaming, I often hang a suit in the bathroom when taking a shower.

My starting point is never to take a suit to the dry cleaners. Brushing, spot treatment of any marks and steaming should suffice on all but very light coloured items.

If and when I do have an item cleaned I never like it again as much. I can always see and feel the difference....


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## Brideshead (Jan 11, 2006)

> quote:_Originally posted by Hyperspaced_
> 
> What kind of brush do you use?


'The world's finest brush'. A Kent. I also have a Kent cashmere brush for knitwear and lighter garments.


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## kabert (Feb 6, 2004)

I probably go @ 8-10 wearings between dry cleanings. Somewhat more frequently in the summertime. Occasionally, I'll just ask for a pressing rather than a dry cleaning. Wool doesn't seem to get stinky as cotton does -- I guess it breathes better. Plus, wool (especially finer weaves) gets shiny after alot of dry cleaning.


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## ShanCawl (Mar 4, 2006)

How often should one brush, and how much time should one spend per suit jacket and trouser?


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## billiebob (Apr 20, 2005)

The brass clothing brush from the Vermont Country Store is just great. The brass bristles are nearly as fine as hair, and remove lint very well.


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## Kenneth (Apr 10, 2006)

Has anyone ever asked their dry-cleaner to just steam clean and then press without using chemicals? I never thought of asking til now, but I guess I will. I don't know about you, but I don't have the time or the want to press my own clothes.

Kenneth


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## Wayfarer (Mar 19, 2006)

I know I will be labelled as an apostate, but my deep dark secret is that I dry clean every fourth wearing. I have an electric pants pants press (www.pantpress.com I think) and have Model 3 of four (2nd from best). I use that after every wearing for the crease, brush and air between wearings. However, I feel four wearing is enough between dry cleanings. Before I started reading this website, I did indeed clean after every wear.

Warmest regards

P.S. Someone spoke of a steaming cabinet above...more information please?


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## Will (Jun 15, 2004)

https://www.whirlpool.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=513

The Whirlpool fabric freshener removes wrinkles and odors.

Esquire's greatest contributions of the United States to the world of style: The chino, the sneaker, the T-shirt, the biker jacket, blue jeans, the sweatshirt, and the baseball cap.


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## AndreMcGrath (Feb 1, 2006)

How about the new "green" cleaners that clean with CO2 instead of perc, etc.?

Mark


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## Wayfarer (Mar 19, 2006)

Thanks Will, that is a most interesting item.


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## chat_chapeau (Dec 2, 2005)

Will, do you own one of these devices?


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