At our shop counter, almost every customer asks the same thing after choosing a cloth: "How do I look after it? Dry clean every time?" Our answer is no. A good suit gets spoiled by too much dry cleaning, not by wearing it. Below is exactly what we tell customers, fabric by fabric, in simple words.
The quick answer: care chart
| Fabric | How to clean | How often | Pressing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pure wool suit | Dry clean only | After 15–20 wears | Steam, or iron on wool setting over a cotton hankey |
| Poly-wool suit | Dry clean only | After 15–20 wears | Steam, or iron on wool setting over a cotton hankey |
| PV (poly-viscose) | Hand wash in cold water | When it needs it | Medium iron over a cotton hankey |
| Cotton shirt | Hand wash | After 1–2 wears | Hot iron while slightly damp |
| Poly-cotton shirt | Hand wash | After 1–2 wears | Medium iron |
| Linen shirt | Hand wash in cold water | After 1–2 wears | Hot iron while damp, on the reverse side |
| Wool-silk-linen jacket | Dry clean only | Only when needed | Steam, or low iron over a hankey |
Pure wool and poly-wool suits: wear 15–20 times, then dry clean
This is the advice we give every customer who buys a wool or poly-wool suit length:
- Wear it 15 to 20 times before the first dry clean. Wool does not hold dirt and smell the way a shirt does, because a suit does not touch your skin directly.
- After every wear, hang it up on a broad wooden hanger and let it air for a few hours. Most creases drop out on their own.
- To freshen it, steam press. Steam relaxes the wool and it comes back to its shape.
- If a crease is hard, use a hankey. Put a clean cotton hankey (slightly damp is best) on the cloth and press over it, on the wool setting. The iron never touches the wool, so there is no shine.
- After about 20 wears, give it for dry cleaning. Ask the dry cleaner for a gentle clean and a hand press.
Look after it this way and the cloth keeps its look for years. Too much dry cleaning does the opposite. The chemicals and heavy pressing slowly flatten the wool.
Two more things. Do not wash a stitched suit at home. A suit jacket has an inner structure (canvas or fusing and a lining) that can bubble or lose shape in water. And always dry clean the jacket and trouser together, so both keep the same colour.
Our rule for every washable fabric: wash by hand
For PV, cotton, poly-cotton and linen, the cloths you can wash at home, we tell every customer the same thing: wash good fabric by hand, gently, in cold water. Don't just throw it in the washing machine. The machine's spinning and twisting stretch the cloth, wear out the threads, make collars and cuffs go limp, and can shrink or pucker the fabric. A two-minute hand wash keeps it looking new for much longer.
- Fill a bucket with cold water and a little mild detergent (liquid is gentler than powder).
- Dip the garment and gently squeeze it a few times. Rub the collar and cuffs lightly with your fingers.
- Don't leave it soaking for long. 10–15 minutes is enough.
- Rinse in clean cold water until no soap is left.
- Don't wring or twist it. Press the water out gently.
- Hang it on a hanger in the shade to dry.
PV (poly-viscose): the easy-care suit you can wash at home
PV is polyester mixed with viscose. It is easy care. It resists creases and can be washed at home, by hand. Just be gentle, because viscose is weak when wet and can shrink in hot water:
- Wash by hand in cold water with a mild detergent, not in the washing machine.
- Do not soak for long, do not wring and do not use a dryer. Press the water out lightly.
- Dry on a hanger in the shade, not in strong sun.
- Iron on medium heat over a cotton hankey. Too hot an iron can leave a shine on polyester.
- For a fully lined, structured jacket, we suggest dry cleaning so it keeps its shape. Trousers and safari suits are fine to wash at home.
Cotton shirts: wash after 1–2 wears
A shirt touches your skin, so it needs washing much more often than a suit, usually after one or two wears. Sweat left in the collar and cuffs is what yellows a shirt.
- Before stitching, soak the cloth. Put the cotton shirting in plain water for a few hours, dry it in the shade, then give it to the tailor. Any small shrinkage happens before cutting, not after your shirt is made.
- Wash by hand in cold or lukewarm water. Wash dark colours separately.
- Dry in the shade. Strong sun fades colour.
- Iron on the cotton (hot) setting while the shirt is still slightly damp. It comes out crisp.
- Poly-cotton shirts crease less and need only a medium iron. Giza cotton is fine cotton, so the same care applies. Just be gentle with it.
Linen shirts: cold water, never the dryer
Linen is cool and breathable, and some creasing is part of its character. It shrinks with heat, mostly in its first wash, so:
- Soak the cloth before stitching, the same as cotton.
- Wash by hand in cold water. Never put linen in a dryer.
- Iron while still damp, on the linen (hot) setting, on the reverse side, so it does not shine.
Wool-silk-linen jackets: dry clean, but rarely
These jackets mix three natural fibres, and silk does not like water. Dry clean only, and only when needed. In between, air the jacket, brush it and steam it. If you iron, use a low setting with a hankey, on the reverse side.
Reading the care label
Questions customers ask us
How often should I dry clean my suit?
For a wool or poly-wool suit, after about 15–20 wears, or sooner if there is a stain or a smell. Many people send a suit after every wear or two. That ages it faster.
Can I wash my suit at home?
Not a wool or poly-wool suit. Water spoils the jacket's inner structure. A PV suit can be washed at home by hand, in cold water. For a fully lined jacket, we still suggest dry cleaning.
Is poly-wool washable?
Poly-wool cloth is still mostly wool. Once stitched into a suit, treat it like wool: steam press, and dry clean after 15–20 wears.
Is PV fabric washable?
Yes. PV is easy care. Wash by hand in cold water, don't wring it, dry it in the shade and iron on medium.
Steam or iron: which is better for a suit?
Steam is better for everyday freshening. Use the iron only for a hard crease, and always over a cotton hankey.
My trousers have gone shiny. Why?
Shine comes from a hot iron pressing straight on the cloth. From now on, always press over a hankey. A light steam over a damp cloth can soften the shine, but a heavy shine may not fully come out. Prevention is the cure.
Does dry cleaning shrink wool?
Proper dry cleaning does not use water, so it does not shrink a wool suit. Heat and water do. That is why a wool suit should not be washed at home.
How do I remove creases without an iron?
Hang the suit in the bathroom while you take a hot shower. The steam lets most creases fall out. Then let it dry on the hanger before wearing.
How do I get rid of sweat smell without dry cleaning?
Hang the suit in fresh air (not strong sun) overnight. Wool lets go of smell on its own. Give it a light steam if needed.
What do I do with a stain?
Dab it, don't rub it, with a clean cloth and a little plain water. If it does not come out, show it to the dry cleaner and say what the stain is.
Will my cotton shirt shrink?
Cotton can shrink a little in its first wash. Soak the cloth in plain water before stitching, and wash it by hand in cold or lukewarm water. Your shirt will then keep its size.
How many times can I wear a shirt before washing?
Once or twice. Sweat in the collar and cuffs, if left, turns yellow.
Can I put my shirts in the washing machine?
For good shirting, we say no. Wash by hand in cold water. The machine stretches the cloth, softens the collar and cuffs, and wears out the fabric faster. A hand-washed shirt stays crisp for years.
Can I dry clothes in a dryer?
No. Dryer heat shrinks cotton and linen, and can spoil PV. Always dry on a hanger in the shade.
How do I stop the collar going yellow?
Wash the shirt after one or two wears, before sweat sets in. While hand washing, rub the inside of the collar and cuffs gently with a little detergent. Don't put away a worn shirt unwashed.
Does PV shrink?
Not if you wash it in cold water and dry it in the shade. Hot water and dryer heat are what make viscose shrink.
How do I remove creases after travelling?
Unpack and hang the suit as soon as you arrive. Hang it in the bathroom during a hot shower, or give it a light steam. Most travel creases drop out within a few hours.
How do I store suits in the monsoon?
Use a cloth cover, never plastic, which traps damp. Keep neem leaves or cedar in the wardrobe against moths, and air the wardrobe now and then.
How long will a good suit last?
With this care (rest between wears, steam, hankey pressing and dry cleaning only every 15–20 wears), a good wool or poly-wool suit keeps its look for many years.
For everyday suit habits like hangers, brushing and storage, read our suit care guide. If you are still choosing between wool and a blend, see wool vs poly-wool. Browse suiting and shirting, or message us on WhatsApp with any care question. We answer these at the counter every day.