If you travel for business, you may think dry cleaning your threads upon returning from a road trip is a prudent move. If it’s been a good long while since your last trip to the cleaners, I won’t argue with you. However, it’s likely you only need to go that route if significant time has lapsed. Moreover, the damage done to your garments (and the environment) should cause you to take pause. From GQ:
Dry cleaning can be napalm for your clothes- the chemicals may actually break down delicate fibers and should be used rarely.
Between my work as a baseball analyst for FOX Sports and my current role in player development, I’ve donned more suits and slacks than I did in the 37 previous years of my life combined. What used to be the outfits I wore only on flights to comply with the dress code is now my every day wear. At the time, my routine was to visit the cleaners after a trip and drop off all my clothes. When I’d leave for the subsequent jaunt, I’d venture back and pick up my sport coats and trousers. Those bills added up to thousands of dollars over the course of a season. If I tried to do that now, it would be significantly more.
Not only is dry cleaning expensive, I did it while never quite understanding my own actions. I was wearing a coat once or twice and then chemically sanitizing it. That doesn’t seem rational to me now, but unfortunately, logical thought doesn’t always prevail immediately. Instead, we seek out proof or permission to change course through research or sage advice. I’m pleased I found this guide with the garment and how often to dry clean each:
- Button down shirt- Never
- Sweater- Every five wears
- Cotton Suit- Every two months
- Wool suit- Once a year
I’ve discovered that a wipe down with a cloth inside and out with water and a spritz of organic soap provides plenty of refreshment. Nowadays, wrinkles are a much more substantial challenge. Ironing in a hotel room can be a chore. Carving out 20 minutes to iron a suit and a shirt seems inefficient. If I have time when I get into a city, I’ll have specific garments pressed. Garment bags, while helpful to prevent severe wrinkles don’t quite keep an out free of annoying creases. I’ve been mining our answer. It may be coming (or here) in the form of technology:
For a more space-age (and more space-intensive) fix, check out the new Whirlpool Swash. It doesn’t technically clean, but the flat screen TV sized bot de-wrinkles and de-funks in minutes using special cleaning pods. Either way, you’ll keep your gear looking better, longer- and spend less time waiting for the dryer to finish up, already
Will it work? I have no idea. As y’all know, we celebrate technological advances. You also likely remember that we preach challenging conventional wisdom at every turn. The fact that there are cleaners on every corner brainwashes us into believing we should be frequenting these establishments. At this point, we can be confident that once in a great while is the optimal choice.
Keep it clean,
Kap
