Everything You Need to Know About Cleaning Your Winter Coats

You wear it almost every cold day, but when is the last time you cleaned your go-to winter coat or jacket? While cleaning your outerwear may be the last thing on your mind until noticeable stains or an unpleasant odor pop up, it’s actually a good idea to clean your coats and jackets on a regular basis. Here are some essential tips about when and how you should give your outerwear the care it needs to keep looking good over the seasons.

My coats and jackets don’t seem dirty. Do I really need to clean them?

Even if there is no visible dirt on your favorite coat or jacket, having it cleaned regularly can go a long way in prolonging its life and making sure it looks good for a long time. It is especially important to make sure that your items are as clean as possible before you store them away for the warmer months, as even invisible debris such as tiny crumbs or perfume could attract moths or other vermin that damage your garments. 

How often should outerwear be cleaned?

Outerwear comes in many different fabrics. The material of your coat or jacket is one of the most important things to consider in determining how often it should be cleaned. Heavier items like down coats or items made of leather or wool probably only need to be cleaned once or twice a season, depending on how often you wear them. Lighter items like fleece jackets should be cleaned more often, after five to ten uses. Finally, a rain jacket that you use year-round should be cleaned at least once a month to ensure that it stays clean and fresh. Of course, as mentioned above, all of these items should be cleaned before they go into storage for the summer. 

How should I clean my outerwear?

Many types of coats and jackets can be cleaned at home; according to the instructions on the tag, you can just pop them in the washing machine or wash them by hand and hang them to dry! However, special items like wool coats or jackets with embellishments should be brought to a dry cleaner to make sure that they are not damaged. Other items with special fabrics, like leather jackets, also require special care and must be brought to an advanced cleaner with the knowledge and tools necessary to clean leather. 

Don’t let a trip to the dry cleaner deter you from caring for your outerwear in the best way possible. With services like Crest Concierge Home Delivery, you could have your wool coat dry cleaned without ever leaving your home. Let Crest Advanced Dry Cleaners take care of the hassle so your jackets and coats will keep looking good every winter for years. Do you have questions about how to care for your outerwear or any other dry cleaning-related concerns? Contact Crest today!