How to Care for and Store Your Suits, Sport Coats, and Blazers

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Always read the care and content label to determine how to care for your garment. This is especially important because your garment may have different care instructions than those detailed here.

All suits are dry clean only.

All sport coats are dry clean only.

The less frequently you dry clean your suit or sport coat, the better. Once a season is plenty, but if you do get a spot on your garment, take it to the dry cleaner immediately. Your dry cleaner should know which method to use to remove it, depending upon the cause of the stain. When dry cleaning a suit, always have both the jacket and trousers cleaned at the same time to avoid the slight changes in color that dry cleaning can sometimes cause.

Brush your garment with a clothing brush after each wearing. Brush with short quick strokes, first up against the nap then down with the grain of the fabric. There are four types of brushes that you may use to get dirt, dust, and lint off your garment:

1. A roller with sticky sheets is best for getting pet hair and lint off your clothes. Keep one of these brushes in your car or office desk for emergency use.
2. A wire bristle brush, usually brass, can be used for deeper cleaning.
3. Nylon or other bristles are also effective for deep cleaning.
4. A raised fabric brush will create static electricity to pick up lint; brush one way to clean your clothes and the brush opposite way to clean the brush. These sometimes come in combination with nylon brushes.

Rest your suit or sport coat for at least one full day between wearings; make sure there is room in your closet for adequate air circulation. Hang your garment on a wooden or plastic contour hanger to retain its shape. You may choose to use a cloth cover, which will provide protection from dust and allow the fabric to breathe.

For long-term storage, keep your garment in a dry, temperature-controlled space. Ideally, you should store your garment in a cedar closet, which along with mothballs will deter cloth-eating moths. Before putting your suit or sport coat in storage, make sure to dry clean it, because moths are attracted to soil, fresh food stains, and sweat residue. Remove the dry cleaner's plastic and the tissue paper so that moisture will not accumulate on the clothes. A breathable fabric or paper bag is best for long-term storage.