Neckties - Always a Dry Cleaner's Challenge
While wearing a suit and tie has declined with the evolution of the casual business attire, maybe the evolution is coming full circle so that suits and ties are more in vogue today than over the last five years. It could be that the soft economy has led the businessman to realize that looking professional has many career benefits. Or it could be that the casual look has run its course and we might be heading back to the suit and tie look.
But whatever the case may be, ties are an integral part of every businessman's attire. Maybe for some, it's not daily wear, but every businessman has the professional attire needed. And that look is capped off by a necktie.
So how can you care for your ties?
As a dry cleaner, we always expect to find either stains or wrinkles on neckties whenever we get them. Why else would anyone send them to the dry cleaners? We always give neckties special attention whe we get them.
So let me give you a few pointers on caring for your neckties.
Clean Hands
First, when you take off or adjust the knot on your tie, do it with clean hands. Most ties are made of silk and even the oil from your hands can cause a tie to have unexpected stains that only dry cleaning can remove.
Tuck It In
Don't view your tie as a bib when eating. If you are going to drop food down your shirt, it's easier for your dry cleaner to get stains out of a cotton dress shirt than a silk necktie. Just carefully tuck your tie into your shirt when eating...except at those special occasions when it might be inappropriate. Then, just eat your meal more carefully!
Remove Your Tie The Right Way
My next suggestion is to remove your tie by loosening it enough to slip it over your head. Don't pull it all the way around your collar through the knot. Each time you do this, you are stressing the material and can cause a distortion that eventually causes it to become rippled and uneven. Also, pulling it can cause the lining of the tie to become separated from the silk, which also causes additional rippling on the tie.
Ripples in neckties cannot always be corrected by your dry cleaner steaming out the tie. The same goes for twists and wrinkles in the knotted area of the tie. If the ripples or wrinkles (say that 5 times!) are bad and do not come out when steam is applied, our seamstress may have to adjust the slip stitch inside the tie and perhaps reposition the interlining. This should relax the tie and return it to it's more normal surface features. But this costs extra and it will be cheaper for you to just remove the tie the way I have described.
Inspect Regularly
Each time you take off the tie, look at it carefully in good light. If you see stains on it, get it dry cleaned right away. The longer you wait, the stains can oxidize and the harder it is to remove the stain. And be sure to tell your dry cleaner what caused the stain if you know the cause. That really makes it more likely that the stain can be removed successfully.
Rack It Right
If you use a tie rack, make sure the bar where the tie rests is padded or rounded so as not to cause a crease. Make sure the ties are not touching each other...and are not touching the wall which can cause the ties to curl up.
Some Do Nots
And finally, when you're eating or having drinks at a social event or on an airplane, etc., and have a spill on your tie, here are your DO NOTS:
- Do not rub the tie with a napkin or towel. Use a spoon to carefully remove any excess food. Use a napkin or towel to blot the tie. Then STOP. Don't rub it! Get the tie to your dry cleaner ASAP. Rubbing it will cause the yarns to deluster making an obvious "stain" on your tie that cannot be corrected.
- Do not apply water, club soda, or any other liquid to a silk tie. If the stain is oily, you may help set the stain and make it impossible for your dry cleaner to remove it. If the stain is water based, you may spread the stain and maybe even cause cause the dye to bleed.
Be sure to let your dry cleaner know about any stains on your ties. This will make it more likely that we can restore your ties and make them wearable again.
(C) 2010, 2011 Champion Cleaners. All Rights Reserved