TL;DR (too long; didn't read):
- Dry clean suits every 3 to 6 months for regular wear or once yearly for occasional wear. Over-cleaning strips natural oils from wool and shortens suit lifespan.
- Use wide-shouldered hangers for jackets and felted hangers for trousers. Thin wire or plastic hangers deform shoulders and ruin suit structure.
- Brush suits with natural bristle brushes after each wear and air them out for 12 to 24 hours. Wool naturally resists odor and releases wrinkles when hung properly.
- Remove wrinkles by starting with light water misting, then gentle steaming on sleeves and back only, and pressing as a final option. Avoid blasting the chest with steam.
- Store suits long term in breathable garment bags with cedar blocks in dry environments. Never store dirty suits as bacteria and odor will settle into fabric.
How to take care of a suit properly
How to take care of a suit comes down to understanding one simple truth: most men ruin their suits after wearing them, not while actually wearing them. Over-cleaning, wrong hangers, improper steaming - these small mistakes add up. But here's the good news: a few basic habits make a massive difference in how your suit ages.
A well-maintained suit can last decades. Not years. Decades. The difference between a suit that looks tired after two years and one that still looks sharp after ten comes down to suit maintenance tips that take almost no extra time.
Think about it - when was the last time you questioned whether you were dry cleaning too often? Or whether that thin wire hanger from the dry cleaner was actually harming your jacket's structure? Most guys never think about these things until the damage is already done.
The proper way to hang a suit, how often to dry clean a suit, brushing a wool suit correctly - these aren't complicated tasks. But getting them wrong quietly destroys the garment you invested in. Getting them right means your suit stays crisp, holds its shape, and continues to look professional wear after wear.
So what separates suits that age well from those that don't? It starts with understanding that wool is a living fiber with specific needs. It responds to how you treat it between wears just as much as how you wear it. The care routine matters more than the price tag.
How often to dry clean a suit without damaging the fabric
How often to dry clean a suit is where most guys go wrong from the start. The answer surprises people: far less than you think.
Here's why. A suit doesn't sit directly on your skin. The sweat and oils that cause odor don't actually reach the fabric the way they do with shirts or undergarments. Add to that the fact that wool is naturally antimicrobial - it resists bacteria, fights odor, and handles light moisture remarkably well on its own.
For a canvased suit made from wool, silk, linen, cotton, or any blend of these materials, the guidelines are straightforward. If you're wearing the suit once or twice a week, dry cleaning every 3 to 6 months is sufficient. If you only wear it occasionally - say once or twice a month - once a year is more than enough.
You really only need to dry clean when there's a stain you can't remove, a persistent odor that won't disappear after airing out, or visible dirt buildup. That's it. Everything else is unnecessary.
Now, trousers are different. They usually need cleaning more often than the jacket because they experience more friction, heat, and contact with your body. But that doesn't mean the jacket needs to go to the cleaners every time the trousers do. They're separate pieces with separate needs.
Why does this matter? Over-cleaning strips wool of its natural oils. It puts stress on the suit's structure - especially the canvas and the way the jacket drapes. Every trip to the dry cleaner shortens the garment's lifespan. The chemicals are harsh. The process is aggressive. And most of the time, it's solving a problem that doesn't exist.
If your suit smells slightly after a long day, don't panic. Hang it up properly, let it air out, and the odor will disappear on its own. Wool breathes. It releases moisture. It resets itself when given time and space. That's what makes it such an incredible fabric for tailored clothing.
So before you drop your suit off at the cleaners out of habit, ask yourself: does it actually need cleaning, or does it just need to hang overnight?
Proper way to hang a suit to maintain structure
The proper way to hang a suit matters more than most guys realize. This is one of those details that seems minor until you see what happens to a jacket after months on the wrong hanger.
Never hang a suit on a thin wire, plastic, or slim hanger. This is one of the fastest ways to deform the shoulders and ruin the structure. Those cheap hangers from the dry cleaner? Toss them. They're designed for transport, not storage.
Use a wide-shouldered hanger that mimics your natural shoulder line. This supports the canvas inside the jacket and allows the garment to relax back into its proper shape after each wear. The hanger should be wide enough that it fills out the shoulders without stretching them and substantial enough to hold the weight of the jacket without sagging.
Why does this work? Hanging your suit after each wear lets the wool fibers do what they're designed to do. Wool is naturally elastic. It's springy and crease-resistant. With time and gravity, wrinkles from daily wear will often release on their own. But only if the jacket is hanging properly.
For trousers, the approach is different. Use a felted hanger. Fold the trousers along the crease and drape them over the bar. The weight of the fabric is usually enough to smooth out minor wrinkles while gently reinforcing that front crease for the next wear.
Some guys like to press their trousers every four to six wears to keep the crease sharp. That's a matter of preference. If you prefer a clean, defined crease, go for it. But it's not required for the trousers to look good.
The key is giving your suit the space and support it needs between wears. A good hanger doesn't just prevent damage - it actively helps the garment recover its shape. That's the difference between a suit that looks better with age and one that looks progressively worse.
Brushing a wool suit and airing out for freshness
Brushing a wool suit is one habit that adds years to the garment's life, yet most guys skip it entirely. It's simple, takes less than a minute, and makes a noticeable difference in how the suit looks and lasts.
Wool naturally collects dust and microparticles throughout the day. You don't see them accumulating, but they're there. Brushing removes them before they settle into the fabric. This keeps the suit cleaner between dry cleanings and prevents buildup that can dull the fabric's appearance over time.
Use a soft, natural-bristled brush - boar hair works well. Brush gently and only in a downward motion. Avoid synthetic brushes, which can be too stiff and may create static that attracts more lint. The goal is to lift particles away from the fabric, not scrub them deeper in.
After wearing your suit, hang it outside of your closet for 12 to 24 hours. This is where airing out comes in. Wool absorbs moisture vapor from your body throughout the day. Airing allows that moisture to evaporate so the fibers can reset.
Here's what makes wool remarkable: it doesn't hold odor the way other fabrics do. Odor comes from bacteria, not sweat. Wool absorbs moisture vapor without feeling damp, which starves bacteria of the environment they need to grow. The fiber structure also traps odor molecules and releases them when exposed to fresh air.
That's why simply hanging your suit overnight often works better than sprays or washing. The fabric is doing exactly what it's designed to do - breathe, release moisture, and refresh itself naturally.
Avoid the garment bag while the suit is airing out. The bag traps moisture, which defeats the purpose. Let the suit hang freely in a well-ventilated space. Once it's had time to breathe and dry, you can return it to the closet.
One more thing: try not to wear the same suit two days in a row. Give it time to rest between wears. This is especially important for trousers, which experience more friction, heat, and moisture than the jacket. If you need to wear a suit multiple days in a row - say, during travel - consider getting a second pair of trousers when you purchase the suit. That way, you can rotate them and give each pair time to recover.
Brushing and airing might seem like extra steps, but they're not. They're part of what makes a suit last. These small habits prevent the need for frequent cleaning, keep the fabric looking fresh, and allow the wool to perform the way it's supposed to.
How to remove wrinkles from a suit naturally
How to remove wrinkles from a suit is where guys tend to overthink things or do more harm than good. The truth is, a well-made full canvas suit actually wants to return to shape. That's the role of the canvas - to support the chest, shoulders, and front of the jacket over time.
For normal day-to-day wear, proper hanging is usually all you need. Hang the jacket on a wide-shouldered hanger, give it 12 to 24 hours, and gravity does the rest. Wool is naturally elastic and crease-resistant. Shallow wrinkles from sitting or wearing the suit will often release on their own without any intervention.
But what if you're traveling, packing a suit, or dealing with stubborn wrinkles that don't release overnight? Here's the order to follow, always starting with the gentlest option first.
First, try a light mist of clean water. Spray the wrinkled areas lightly - not soaking, just a fine mist - and hang the suit properly. Wool responds beautifully to moisture. The fibers relax, and the wrinkles release as the fabric dries. This method works surprisingly well for most situations and puts zero stress on the garment.
If that's not enough, you can move to gentle steaming, but proceed with caution. Do not blast the chest with steam. Use steaming only on the sleeves and across the back. Too much heat and steam on the chest can risk altering the shape of the suit and the canvas structure underneath.
When traveling, hanging your suit in the bathroom while you take a hot shower can work surprisingly well. It creates a humid environment without blasting the suit with direct heat or steam, and it gently releases wrinkles without risking damage to the canvasing.
The mistake most guys make is reaching for the steamer or iron immediately. Start gentle. Let the fabric do what it's designed to do. Only escalate to more aggressive methods if the gentle approach doesn't work. That's how you remove wrinkles without shortening the life of your suit.
Steaming vs pressing a suit the right way
Steaming vs pressing a suit is about knowing when each method is appropriate and how to use them without causing damage. Both have their place, but they're not interchangeable, and using the wrong one at the wrong time can harm the garment.
Steaming is gentler. It works by relaxing the fibers with moisture and heat, allowing wrinkles to release naturally. But steaming requires caution, especially on a canvased jacket. The chest area, where the canvas sits, should not be blasted with steam. Too much heat and moisture can alter the shape of the canvas and affect how the jacket drapes.
If you steam, focus on the sleeves and the back. These areas can handle moisture without risking structural damage. Keep the steamer moving - don't hold it in one spot. And keep some distance between the steamer head and the fabric. You're trying to relax wrinkles, not saturate the wool.
For traveling, the bathroom steam method works well. Hang the suit in the bathroom, run a hot shower, close the door, and let the humidity do the work. This creates a gentle, even environment that releases wrinkles without the risk of overheating any one area. It's slower than direct steaming, but it's also safer.
Pressing is the final step, and it requires knowhow. You need a good iron, a pressing cloth, ideally a tailor's ham, and some experience. If you press incorrectly - especially on dark worsted wool - you risk creating a shine that's difficult or impossible to remove.
Pressing works by applying heat and pressure to set the fabric. It's more aggressive than steaming, which is why it's reserved for situations where steaming doesn't work. For trousers, pressing can sharpen the front crease and remove stubborn wrinkles. For jackets, it's best left to professionals unless you know exactly what you're doing.
Here's the bottom line: for anything serious, leave pressing to a tailor or professional cleaner who knows how to handle structured garments. They have the tools, the experience, and the understanding of how different fabrics respond to heat and pressure.
If you're handling suit maintenance at home, stick to steaming the sleeves and back, and avoid the chest entirely. For trousers, you can press the crease if you're comfortable doing so, but use a pressing cloth and keep the iron moving. Don't let it sit in one spot.
The goal is to remove wrinkles without altering the garment's shape or creating new problems. That means starting gentle, using the right method for the right situation, and knowing when to hand the suit over to someone with more experience.
Traveling with a suit and packing tips
Traveling with a suit requires understanding one thing: friction is what causes wrinkles. The more the fabric moves against itself or other materials while packed, the more creases you'll have to deal with when you arrive.
A simple trick is using a plastic dry cleaning bag. Place the suit inside the bag before folding it. The plastic reduces friction between the folds, which means fewer wrinkles when you unpack. It's a small step that makes a noticeable difference.
If you're packing a suitcase, fold the suit only once if possible. Don't pack it too tightly - leave some breathing room so the fabric isn't compressed. The tighter you pack, the deeper the creases will set.
The best approach, though, is to avoid folding altogether. Use a garment bag and carry the suit on a hanger. This keeps the jacket hanging naturally during travel, which prevents most wrinkles from forming in the first place. It's more effort to carry, but it's worth it if you need the suit to look sharp immediately upon arrival.
Once you arrive, hang the suit immediately. Don't leave it in the bag or suitcase. Get it on a proper hanger in a well-ventilated space and let gravity do the work. Most travel wrinkles will release on their own within a few hours.
If wrinkles set in from a long journey, use the methods we covered earlier. Start with a light water mist and proper hanging. If that's not enough, hang the suit in the bathroom during a hot shower to create a humid environment. Only move to direct steaming if the wrinkles are stubborn and won't release naturally.
Some fabrics travel better than others. High twist wools, hopsack, and heavier fabrics over 300 grams perform best on the road. They resist wrinkling more effectively and recover faster when hung. If you travel frequently for work, consider choosing suits made from these fabrics - they're more forgiving and require less maintenance between wears.
The key to traveling with a suit is minimizing friction during transport, hanging it properly as soon as you arrive, and giving it time to recover before wearing it. Rush the process, and you'll end up fighting wrinkles that could have released on their own.
Storing suits long term to prevent damage
Storing suits long term requires keeping things simple and avoiding the mistakes that lead to damage over months or years of storage.
Use a breathable garment bag. This protects the suit from dust while allowing air circulation. Avoid plastic bags or anything non-breathable - they trap moisture, which can lead to mildew or odor over time. Breathable cotton or canvas bags work well and don't cost much.
Leave space between suits in your closet. Don't cram them together. When suits are crushed against each other, they lose their shape and develop permanent creases that are difficult to remove. Each suit should have enough room to hang naturally without touching the garments next to it.
Add cedar blocks to deter moths and absorb moisture. Moths are attracted to natural fibers like wool, and they can destroy a suit in storage if left unchecked. Cedar repels them naturally without the harsh chemicals found in mothballs. Place cedar blocks in the closet or inside the garment bag, and replace them periodically as they lose their scent.
Never store a suit that's dirty. Brush it first, check for odor, and clean it if needed. Odor means bacteria, and you don't want that sitting in storage. Stains also set over time, so if there's anything on the fabric, address it before putting the suit away.
Make sure the storage environment is dry, clean, and moth-free. Humidity is the enemy of long-term storage. It encourages mildew, weakens fibers, and creates an environment where moths thrive. If you live in a humid climate, consider using a dehumidifier in the closet or storage area.
Temperature matters less than humidity, but extreme heat isn't ideal. A cool, dry closet away from direct sunlight works best. Sunlight can fade fabric over time, especially darker colors, so keep suits stored in a dark or shaded space.
For suits you wear seasonally, rotate them in and out of storage properly. When you bring a suit out of storage, hang it in a well-ventilated area for a day or two before wearing it. This allows any trapped moisture or mustiness to dissipate. Brush it, check for any signs of moths or damage, and steam it lightly if needed.
Long-term storage isn't complicated, but it does require attention to detail. Use breathable bags, give suits space, protect them from moths, and keep the environment dry. Do that, and your suits will come out of storage in the same condition you put them in.
Why choose custom tailored suits
A suit that fits properly requires less adjustment, less fussing, and frankly, less care over time. That's one of the reasons we focus on custom tailored garments at Westwood Hart.
When a suit is made specifically for your body, the shoulders sit where they're supposed to. The canvas supports your chest naturally. The trousers hang correctly without pulling or bunching. All of this means the garment experiences less stress during wear, which translates to less maintenance and a longer lifespan.
We work with clients around the world to create suits and sportcoats that fit the way tailored clothing should. You choose the fabric, the details, the cut - everything is built around how you want the garment to look and perform. And because the fit is dialed in from the start, you're not constantly dealing with issues that come from ready-to-wear garments that were never meant for your frame.
Our online configurator makes the process straightforward. You walk through the options, make your selections, and we handle the rest. If you're ready to design a suit that fits properly and lasts, start building yours today.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I wash a wool suit at home instead of dry cleaning it?
No. Wool suits, especially canvased jackets, should never be machine washed or hand washed at home. The canvas, interfacing, and structure will be destroyed by water immersion. Stick to dry cleaning when absolutely necessary, and rely on airing out and brushing between wears.
What should I do if my suit gets wet in the rain?
Hang it immediately on a wide-shouldered hanger in a well-ventilated area. Let it air dry naturally - don't use heat or a dryer. Wool handles light moisture well, and it will dry without damage as long as you give it proper airflow. Brush it once dry to restore the fabric's appearance.
How do I remove a stain from my suit without dry cleaning?
For minor food or drink stains, blot gently with a clean cloth - don't rub. Cold water can work for some stains, though light-colored fabrics might show a water mark when dry. Let it dry naturally, then brush it. For wine or oil-based stains, take the suit to a professional cleaner as soon as possible.
Is it okay to wear the same suit multiple days in a row?
Avoid it if possible. Suits need time to rest between wears, especially trousers, which experience more friction and moisture. If you must wear a suit multiple days consecutively, consider rotating with a second pair of trousers to give each piece time to recover.
How long should a well-maintained suit last?
A well-made canvased suit that's properly cared for can last 10 to 20 years or more. The lifespan depends on how often you wear it, how you store it, and whether you follow proper maintenance habits like brushing, airing out, and avoiding over-cleaning.
Should I use mothballs in my closet?
No. Mothballs contain harsh chemicals that can damage fabric and leave a persistent odor. Use cedar blocks instead - they repel moths naturally, absorb moisture, and won't harm your suits. Replace the cedar periodically as it loses its scent.
Can I iron a suit jacket at home?
Only if you have experience and the right tools. Pressing a jacket incorrectly can create shine on the fabric or damage the canvas structure. For most guys, it's safer to leave pressing to a professional tailor who understands how to handle structured garments.
What's the best way to remove lint from a suit?
Use a natural bristle brush and brush gently in a downward motion. This lifts lint and dust away from the fabric. Avoid lint rollers, which can leave residue or pull at delicate fibers. Regular brushing after each wear prevents lint from building up in the first place.