Protecting, Storing & Cleaning your Clothes (adapted from the Art of Manliness 'How to Build Your Wardrobe' series)
We live in a disposable society full of waste, one marked by single-use plastic water bottles and single-use plastic grocery bags. It's little wonder that this way of doing business has spread to the clothing industry; instead of purchasing clothes whose looks improve over a decade, we select items on price along, items built with shoddy workmanship and poor quality materials.
The Art of Manliness challenges this way of thinking, and offers an alternative!
Invest in quality items that may be initially more expensive, but over the long run are a better investment. A more expensive piece of clothing that lasts for decades will end up costing less than a cheaper item that quickly wears out and must be replaced over and over
WHY MAINTAIN & PROTECT YOUR WARDROBE?
1. Your clothes will look better;
2. Your clothing will last longer;
3. It will save you money;
4. It instills discipline.
DAY TO DAY MAINTENANCE
Brushing your Suit Jackets & Trousers
All it takes is 30 seconds and a clean brush with stiff bristles to clean your clothing after each wearing, to remove dirt and other grime that has accumulated. If this grime were to settle into the fabric, your garment would be damaged. And, brushing triples the time between visits to the cleaner.
Minor Garment Repairs & Alterations
Most large problems start off as small ones; it's our lack of immediate action that leads to these issues escalating. Are your trousers too tight in the backside? You'll very likely split the seam before you lose the weight. Best to have the trousers opened up an inch - they'll look and feel better. Does that suit jacket button look like it's going to fall off? Once it falls off, you will probably lose the button and waste time trying to match it. elaundry has a team of highly-skilled tailors who specialise in clothing repairs and alterations.
A Man Needs to Know How to Iron His Clothes
Ironing is what gives a shirt its body and character; the sharp creases at the collar, the perfectly pressed French cuffs, and the smooth drape of a perfectly pressed back signal attention to detail. If you need skills in the ironing department, elaundry offers the following instructional videos online:
- How to Iron
- How to Iron a Business Shirt
- How to Press Pants
- How to Press a Gentleman's Jacket Like a Pro
HOW TO PROPERLY STORE MEN'S CLOTHING & SHOES
Hangers
As Washing D.C. image consult Grant Harris likes to say, "Wire hangers are useful when you lock your keys in your car - not in your closet." His point is wire hangers can permanently damage your clothing, especially woolens as they create unsightly creases that are very difficult to remove. Spend a little extra and purchase handsome wood shirt hangers. elaundry sells a range of wooden hangers in packs of 2, 5 and 10. Available here
Wool Protection
Wool is a luxury fabric with amazing properties and a long history of use in society; unfortunately, it's expensive and highly susceptible to damage if not cleaned and stored properly. It's important before storing and sealing your wool clothing you have it professionally cleaned. Once your wool has been cleaned, vacuum seal it to maintain freshness for next season. elaundry has the Space Bag Storage Bag system available, in large and extra large sizes. Available here
Organising Your Closet
The space a man has for his belongings depends on his home's size, age and location. The key to dealing with limited space is to rotate your clothing. If you're not going to wear it in the next month, fold it, pack it, mark it and store it. By doing this, you have at my fingertips only the clothing you need; when the weather begins to turn simply rotate to new seasons wares. If closet clutter is what you want to avoid, you need FlipFold - the closet folding system that is turning messy drawers into organised storage solutions. Available here
CLEANING MEN'S CLOTHING - CLEANING METHODS THAT CAN EXTEND THE LIFE OF YOUR GARMENTS
Hand Washing
Just because you don't own a washing machine, this doesn't mean you have to use it every time you get a small coffee stain on your favourite dress shirt. Consider simply hand washing the garment in a small tub of water. Let sit for a few minutes and apply a concentrated amount of detergent to the stained areas and spot clean. Rinse & wring. Try EcoStore Concentrated Laundry Liquid or Murchison-Hume Luxury Laundry Soak.
Specialty Cleaners
Not all detergents and cleaners are created equal. Although detergents will remove most stains, they are ill-equipped to handle persistent or hard set stains such as armpit discolouring caused by antiperspirants. Don't throw the shirt, try a new cleaner. Try EcoStore Pure Oxygen Whitener or Murchison-Hume Garment Groom Spray
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