We’ve outlined basic guidelines to help you decide when to clean your outerwear, so you can give these pieces top-notch treatment.
Consider the fabric
The fabric of your coat or jacket is one of the key factors in deciding how frequently it needs to be cleaned.
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Down jackets, leather jackets, and wool coats: Once a season, if worn sporadically; twice a season, if worn regularly.
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Suit jackets and blazers: After four to five wears.
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Fleece jackets: After six or seven wears.
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Rain jackets: Once a month, if worn infrequently; twice a month, if worn regularly. You should also use a durable water-repellent finish to ensure the jacket’s waterproof coating is doing its job.
Offseason Care of Your Winter Coats
To prolong the life of your coat or jacket, don’t forget to tend to your outerwear during the offseason. Before storing it at the end of the season, make sure your jacket is clean – even if you don’t see any visible traces of dirt or stains. Moths are attracted to perfume and food odors, so if your coat or jacket isn’t freshly cleaned, it can end up with pesky moth holes.
While many coats and jackets can be hand-washed or machine-washed, dry cleaning is ideal for wool coats or ones with embellishments.
Keep in mind that leather jackets require special care; leather can’t be exposed to water, so bringing it to a specialty cleaner will ensure your jacket gets professional treatment.
Pro-tip: Let the clothing care experts at Rinse take care of your coats and jackets and we’ll make sure they are returned cleaned and ready to wear. We offer Wash & Fold and Dry Cleaning – no matter what type of coat you have we’re able to take care of it. Schedule a pickup today.
Storage considerations
Clean outerwear and appropriate storage go hand in hand. To ensure your outerwear is in excellent condition for the following season, you want to make sure everything is taken out of your coat or jacket pockets. Besides that, check that the zippers are zipped, buttons are buttoned and snaps are snapped. This will help your coat or jacket maintain its original shape.
When it comes to storage, your outerwear, especially a leather jacket or down jacket, needs to be given room to breathe. This means you shouldn’t store your coats or jackets in plastic garment bags but rather in fabric storage bags. Plastic bins are also acceptable, but only if you don’t store too many coats and jackets in one bin.
By following these cleaning and storage guidelines, you can continue to wear your coats or jackets in the years to come. After all, they keep you warm and cozy through cooler weather, so they deserve a little TLC in return.
6 Tips for Cleaning Winter Wear
There are several additional precautions and practices you can take to ensure your winter coats are maintained in top condition. Here are some suggestions:
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Ensure you check the care tag when deciding whether to dry clean or toss in the washing machine
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If you are cleaning your winter jacket at home, pretreat stains and soiled spots with an appropriate stain remover before washing the garment
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Fasten all zippers and buttons to prevent snags and tears
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Run the washing machine on an appropriate cycle – some fabrics can only handle delicate or gentle cycles
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Consider the detergent you are using – there are also natural and sustainable detergents that may be better for certain fabrics
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Again, check the care tag, but it is always safer to skip the dryer and hang dry your clothes when possible. If you are using the dryer, consider using dryer balls
Winter Wear Care with Rinse
If you don't have time or don't want to risk damaging your favorite clothes, consider using a laundry and dry cleaner service such as Rinse. Our expertise in handling winter wear will ensure your jacket is cleaned with the highest care.
We offer pickup and delivery services for all your laundry and dry cleaning needs, any day of the week – you do not even need to be home. Rinse users claim that we save them three hours per laundry load, time you can use to enjoy the season instead of worrying about your clothes!
Contact us at Rinse today to see our skill in action.
