When (and when not) to Press Suits

Your suit is the armor that keeps you shining as you make moves on the chessboard of life – it needs to keep its sheen at all times. There are specific steps you can take to maintain the suit's luster. They include dry cleaning, pressing, steaming, brushing, and hanging, among others. You should contemplate these measures alongside each other and at the right time to ensure they don't turn out to be counterproductive.  

Too much dry cleaning, for instance, can destroy your suit's sheen. Sometimes, a simple clothes iron or home pressing machine can be the tool to call on. So when is it appropriate for you to press your suit? Let's look at when you should and shouldn't use this tool in your suit maintenance arsenal.

When to Press a Suit

1) When You Have the Right Equipment

There can be some unpleasant unintended consequences when you press suits with a traditional iron. One of these outcomes is burning, which you can avoid by only using a steam iron at the right temperature. 

When evaluating your current tool or shopping for a new product, look for the following suit-friendly features:

• Look for an iron with a "burst steam" feature, which removes wrinkles quickly without the need to press on the garment for more extended periods.
• Water tank decalcification. Many irons can't handle regular tap water due to mineral deposits building up inside an iron's water tank. Newer models come equipped to handle any water you pour inside.

As a quick summary - you should seldom press your own suit. If you have more sophisticated tools, such as a home steam press, then a do-it-yourself stance is acceptable. Otherwise, pressing a suit should be left to the professionals!

When Not to Press Suits

There are some instances when it would either be unnecessary or destructive to press suits. The following are a few of those instances.

1) When the Suit is Woolen

When your outfit is 100% wool, it doesn't need to be pressed to remove creases. Wrinkles in a woolen suit can be removed by steaming. Avoiding ironing protects the suit from the wear and tear that comes from being subjected to heat.

2) When Wrinkles Are Your Only Concern

Sometimes, when traveling, it is challenging to keep your outfit from becoming creased. The wrinkles often come when the suit remains confined in a suitcase. 

In this case, all you need is a steamy bathroom. Hang your jacket up in the bathroom while the shower blasts hot water, which will create a sauna-like environment for de-wrinkling your outfit.

3) When the suit is dirty

It is dangerous to press suits when they are dirty. If you do that, you are likely to fasten some of the stains on the outfit permanently. Dirt is also one of the reasons why your suit may end up having that surface shine that makes you appear sloppy and unsophisticated.

With this information in mind, it follows that if a suit is stained, you should take it for dry cleaning. If the dirt on the suit is loose, such as fabrics, dandruff, and so on, you can remove it using a clothing brush before proceeding to press a suit.

Using the Right Hangers and Suit Covers

Frequent dry cleaning and suit pressing destroys the cloth. This means that you should use all available means to reduce the number of times you undertake the two activities. One of these is using suit covers.

A quality suit cover will protect your suit from getting dirty from touching while in the closet. It also helps you to keep your outfit wrinkle-free when traveling. You can hang it in the car or have a flight attendant hang it for you on the plane.

Using the right hangers also contributes to the maintenance of your suit. The right suit hanger should be broad and constructed from wood. It should also have contours in the shape of the shoulder without going beyond where the shoulder meets the sleeve. Such a hanger keeps the suit in shape and prevents it from getting creased.  

Butler Luxury stocks and sells the best quality hangers and other luxury home items all over the world. Their client list features some of the best designers and hotels in the world. Visit their online shop to learn more and place an order today!

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