How to Wash a Suit (Short Answer: Don’t)

The short answer to how to wash a suit is: don’t. Not in a machine, not by hand, and not nearly as often at the dry cleaner as most men assume.

A wool suit is a structured garment held together with canvas, padding and tape. Water and agitation destroy that structure. Dry cleaning solvent is gentler but strips the wool’s natural lanolin, and repeated cleaning is the fastest way to age a suit prematurely.

Here’s what to do instead.

How often to actually dry clean

• Regular office wear: two to four times per year
• Occasional wear (weddings, events): once a year, or when visibly soiled
• After a spill or heavy odour: immediately, but spot-clean first if the mark is small

Between cleanings, the maintenance routine below does almost all the work.

The between-wears routine

1. Brush it. A soft clothes brush after every wear, working downward with the nap. This removes dust and surface dirt before they work into the fibres — the single highest-value habit in suit care.

2. Hang it properly. A wide, contoured wooden hanger — never wire, which dents the shoulders. Unbutton the jacket and let it hang overnight before returning it to the wardrobe.

3. Air it for 24 hours. Wool needs a full day to release absorbed moisture and odour. Hang it outside the wardrobe, ideally near an open window.

4. Rotate. Never wear the same suit two days running. Rotating between two suits more than doubles the life of each.

5. Steam, don’t press. A handheld steamer or a hot shower in a closed bathroom releases wrinkles without the shine that a hot iron creates on wool.

Spot cleaning

For a small mark, blot — never rub — with a barely damp cloth and a tiny amount of mild soap. Work from the outside of the stain inward to stop it spreading. Let it air dry completely before hanging.

For anything oily, or anything on a light-coloured suit, go to the cleaner rather than experimenting.

Storage

• Breathable garment bag for long-term storage — cotton or canvas, never plastic, which traps moisture and yellows fabric.
• Cedar blocks rather than mothballs. Same protection, no smell.
• Space between garments so air circulates and wool doesn’t compress.
• Clean before storing. Moths are attracted to sweat and food residue, not to the wool itself.

For packing a suit rather than storing it, see how to fold a suit. For shirts, how to iron a dress shirt.

Frequently asked questions

Can you wash a suit in a washing machine?

No. A suit’s structure comes from internal canvas, padding and tape that water and agitation destroy. Machine washing will shrink the wool, warp the shoulders and permanently ruin the drape.

How often should you dry clean a suit?

Two to four times a year for regular office wear, or about once a year for occasional wear. Dry cleaning solvent strips wool’s natural lanolin, so over-cleaning ages a suit faster than wearing it does.

How do you clean a suit between dry cleanings?

Brush it with a soft clothes brush after every wear, hang it on a wide wooden hanger, air it for 24 hours before returning it to the wardrobe, and steam rather than iron to release wrinkles.

Can you steam a suit at home?

Yes, and you should. A handheld steamer or hanging the suit in a bathroom with a hot shower running for five to ten minutes releases wrinkles without the shine a hot iron creates on wool.

How should you store a suit long term?

In a breathable cotton or canvas garment bag, never plastic. Use cedar blocks rather than mothballs, leave space between garments for airflow, and always clean the suit before storing since moths are attracted to sweat and food residue.

TL;DR

• Never machine wash a suit
• Dry clean 2–4 times a year maximum
• Between wears: brush, hang on wood, air 24 hours, rotate
• Steam, never iron — heat creates shine on wool
• Store in breathable cotton with cedar, never plastic

— Mr.Wayne