Poll: Steam, Press, Launder

[acridsheep]

I used to be a big believer in the laundromat. Now that I've come to SF, I am learning that this may, in fact, not be the optimal solution for the longevity of my wardrobe. I'm curious what you all do to take care of your clothing.

Do you primarily use an iron? Do you use a steamer? A combination of the two? Or do you have everything professionally laundered?

 

[NewYorkBuck]

I used to just steam. Now that Ive recently read an old thread by Jeffrey about the dangers of overuse of steam in the form of blown seams and puckering, Im going to have to get a bit more deft w an iron I believe.

 

[ter1413]

Suits-Dry Clean MAYBE once a year or when stained.
Shirts-I hand soak and hang dry. I iron myself.
Slacks-Dry Clean MAYBE once/twice a year or when stained.
Sweaters-If dry clean only, I dry clean. If not, I soak and dry flat.
I iron suit pants/slacks before I wear using a buffer(handkerchief) so as to never touch the material.
The rest of my stuff, I machine wash/dry.

 

[Cant kill da Rooster]

An SA told me that laundering takes 30% off of the life of your shirts. I thought this was a pretty good trade off. I thanked him and moved on.

 

[MBreinin]

I wash all of my shirts and iron them myself. I only take something to the dry cleaner when it is stained...and with great reluctance. I believe in rotating my wardrobe enough to keep pieces from getting worn too often.

I am also a great believer in the "Tide Stick" for quick fixes. It will really get quite a few stains out without the need for potentially damaging trips to the dry cleaners.

I don't really steam much. I have found that letting something hang for a while tends to remove many wrinkles. Plus, my closests are in my bathroom, and tend to be a bit humid. Sometimes I will press though, with my iron and a press cloth.

Mike

 

[forex]

Originally Posted by MBreinin

I wash all of my shirts and iron them myself. I only take something to the dry cleaner when it is stained...and with great reluctance. I believe in rotating my wardrobe enough to keep pieces from getting worn too often.

I am also a great believer in the "Tide Stick" for quick fixes. It will really get quite a few stains out without the need for potentially damaging trips to the dry cleaners.

I don't really steam much. I have found that letting something hang for a while tends to remove many wrinkles. Plus, my closests are in my bathroom, and tend to be a bit humid. Sometimes I will press though, with my iron and a press cloth.

Mike

Hand wash or machine wash? I think hand washing shirts is too much hassle unless you have a lot of free time on your hands,I just throw them into the washing machine and iron them.

 

[DerekS]

I do EVERYTHING myself. after having the cleaners lose a very expensive shirt, i have a hard time trusting them with something i can do myself.

 

[ter1413]

Originally Posted by forex

Hand wash or machine wash? I think hand washing shirts is too much hassle unless you have a lot of free time on your hands,I just throw them into the washing machine and iron them.

how so? i fill up my sink, pretreat the shirt if needed and drop it in. estimated time: 15 seconds.

 

[MBreinin]

Originally Posted by forex

Hand wash or machine wash? I think hand washing shirts is too much hassle unless you have a lot of free time on your hands,I just throw them into the washing machine and iron them.

Machine wash, gentle cycle. They are shirts, I don't expect them to last me 20 years. I dry them too, low heat with a steamer ball in there. I don't have time to hang them and iron them when they are still damp. My shirts are in a dried and wrinkled pile, and only get attention when it is time to wear them.

Mike

 

[patrickBOOTH]

For my shirts I wash them in my washing machine on the cold gentle cycle and hang dry them then iron what I washed the next day. I have a pretty good steam iron that generates a lot of steam. I also use dye free and scent free detergent and I spray the cuffs, collar and underarms with shout before I throw them in the washer. To help avoid the arms getting tangled up with each other I fold the arms in front of each shirt and do a simple over-under tie at the back so the arms stay with each shirt.

Suits I dry clean as little as possible, only wen stained really. I will use my steam iron with a press cloth to give trousers and jackets more shape and such now and again, but too much pressing on a suit leads to premature shine and wear. Also before this process I will give them a quick brush with a horsehair brush.

Undershirts, socks and underwear a simple cold wash inside-out does the trick.

 

[Holdfast]

I do all my regular washing & ironing at home. I'd prefer to let someone else do the shirts, but frankly, there's no professional service near me that that does them competently. A few years ago I was really busy for several weeks, got behind with the laundry, and had about 20 shirts to do in one go. I gave them to the local cleaner. 2 came back with rust marks, and most of the rest were poorly ironed. Ridiculous; never again. Suits and jackets get professionally dry-cleaned/hand-pressed. If you're very clear about what you want done, my local chain cleaner is actually reasonable, thank goodness. They still struggle with the concept of 3-2 rolls, but over the years they've got to 90% right now, and those items rarely need a lapel repress at home any more...

I never steam at home but dry-cleaning still doesn't need to happen all that often provided one takes reasonable care of garments after wearing them (a few seconds spent brushing them and hanging them up keeps them in good nick). It usually averages out to about once every other year, or once a year at most. I have a sedentary lifestyle in a very temperate climate, which in combination with a moderately large rotation, reduces the need to clean items.

 

[patrickBOOTH]

Originally Posted by Holdfast

A few years ago I was really busy for several weeks, got behind with the laundry, and had about 20 shirts to do in one go.

I hate when this happens to me. I am ironing all damn night and my board gets soaked from the steam. I can only stand to do about 4 in any given night.

 

[The Louche]

Originally Posted by MBreinin

I only take something to the dry cleaner when it is stained...and with great reluctance. I believe in rotating my wardrobe enough to keep pieces from getting worn too often.

I am also a great believer in the "Tide Stick" for quick fixes. It will really get quite a few stains out without the need for potentially damaging trips to the dry cleaners.

I don't really steam much. I have found that letting something hang for a while tends to remove many wrinkles. Plus, my closests are in my bathroom, and tend to be a bit humid. Sometimes I will press though, with my iron and a press cloth.

Mike

FTFY. I reluctantly use the cleaners when I have a stained suit or pair of slacks, or have simply haven't had a suit or pair of slacks cleaner in over a year or so. Aside from that, I just hang things properly, and iron occasionally if needed. I've found wrinkles to settle-out on their own quite well if you rotate your garments.

I take my shirts to the laundry, though. Too much hassel and time needed to do them myself, and I can't get as firm of a press anyhow. I don't care if the laundering shortens the life of my shirts a little bit - they are much more disposable than other tailored items, IMO.

 

[The Louche]

Originally Posted by patrickBOOTH

I will use my steam iron with a press cloth to give trousers and jackets more shape and such now and again, but too much pressing on a suit leads to premature shine and wear.

Oh good Lord how I can't stand shine!!

 

[gdl203]

Where is the "I throw everything in a big basket and once a week a guy comes in to pick it up and drop off last week's stuff" option?