Can Suit Trousers Be Washed?
Suits are very expensive in comparison to casual wear… Therefore….. you must keep them well maintained… If you want your suit trousers to last long and look good while wearing them….. then you must take proper care of them… Just like any other piece of clothing.
Yes….. you can wash your suit trousers….. but the process is not as straightforward as washing your dress shirt or suit jacket… There are some special considerations you need to be aware of when it comes to machine washing your trousers.
The reason suit pants need special handling when it comes to laundry is that they’re designed to hold a crease… Creases are hard to maintain if they’re getting pressed while they’re in the wash.
One word of caution: You should very rarely wash your suit pants without washing your suit jacket… If you continue to wash your pants by themselves they will end up fading faster than your suit jacket and the colors will not match.
How Often Should You Wash Suit Trousers?
Suit trousers are a staple of the modern man’s wardrobe….. and they’re also one of the most difficult items to get right. As a result….. suit trousers are often worn for longer periods than most other pieces of clothing… If you do business in suits every day….. you’ll be wearing your suit trousers six days a week….. sometimes more.
This means that suit trousers have to be particularly durable in order to stand up to regular wear….. but it also means that there are all kinds of ways for them to get dirty….. stained….. or damaged.
One of the biggest problems that men run into with their suit trousers is deciding when they should be washed… As a general rule….. you want to wash your suit trousers as infrequently as possible – while still maintaining an acceptable level of cleanliness.
After all….. how often you need to wash suit trousers really depends on how often you wear them and how much you move around during the course of a day… If you’re an investment banker who spends eight hours a day sitting at your desk….. chances are that your suit trousers will get very little dirt and grime on them during the course of the workday.
- A good rule of thumb is that you should wash your suit pants only when they look dirty or if you have an important event coming up and you want to keep them fresh.
- You can even wear them without washing for several days in a row….. as long as you don’t get them too dirty… If you work in a dusty or dirty environment….. however….. your suit pants might need cleaning more often than once a week.
You should also consider the fabric of the pants before washing them… Wool and linen are durable materials that can be washed frequently without falling apart….. but cotton and synthetic fabrics tend to get weaker with every washing.
If your suit pants are made from cotton or another delicate material….. you might want to treat them like dress shirts and wash them only when they get visibly dirty.
Can You Put Suit Pants in the Dryer?
Overall….. you should avoid putting your suit pants in the dryer… The dryer is notorious for causing shrinkage on a number of garments… However….. if you really want to put them in the dryer….. you can do so….. but not for an extended period of time.
Here are some tips on how to dry your suit pants without shrinking them or ruining their crease.
- The first thing that you need to do is make sure that you turn the pants inside-out and then roll them up into a ball… This is going to help prevent any wrinkles from forming as well as help protect the waistband from being damaged by the dryer.
- The next thing that you need to do is throw them in the dryer along with a few towels… This will allow for more airflow around the pants while they are tumbling around which will help prevent any damage occurring to them while they are in the dryer.
- After about 10 minutes of drying….. remove them from the dryer and hang them back on their hanger.
Do Suit Pants Need to Be Dry Cleaned?
The reason why people think they must dry clean their suit pants is that they are made of wool and most people believe that all wool must be cleaned by a professional… However….. this is not true and there are many items of clothing that are made of wool or a wool blend and can be hand washed at home.
The answer is NO… So long as you take the proper steps in caring for the pants they do not need to be dry cleaned… The only time that it may be necessary is if the pants have a stain on them that you are unable to remove yourself.
Suit pants can be machine washed on the gentle cycle… You should always read the label on your pants before washing them….. but in general….. you should use warm water….. use a detergent that is gentle on clothing and avoid using bleach or fabric softener.
Use a gentle soap such as Woolite instead of harsh detergents and do not overload your washer so that the water level stays below the zipper of the pants leg.
If you have stains on your pants it is best to pretreat them with laundry detergent before putting them in the washer… Once you have washed your suit pants on the gentle cycle allow them to hang dry
In summary….. Suit pants are the most common type of formal pants for men… For formal dinners….. weddings….. galas….. and various other events suit pants are an essential part of a man’s wardrobe.
As with any other type of clothing….. suit pants need to be laundered and pressed to remain to look fresh and present your best self.
Before you launder or dry clean your suit pants….. examine the material carefully to make sure it’s not dry clean only… If you have dry clean only suit pants….. do not attempt to launder them yourself because this will ruin them.
Treat your suit pants well and they will last you through countless workdays….. weddings….. and more… But if you fail to look after them….. the fabric will lose its shape and the seams may come undone… If you want your suit pants to last as long as possible….. it is important to clean them correctly.
You may also be interested in… Can Chinos Be Dry Cleaned? and Should You Wear My Pants Over Your Belly?
Louise Wilson is an accomplished author, passionate textile historian, and renowned fashion enthusiast with a rich background in the world of apparel.
Graduating with honors in Fashion Design, Louise further expanded her skills and knowledge by completing a master’s degree in Textile History. Her academic pursuits have led her to explore the fashion capitals of the world, including Milan, Paris, and New York, enriching her insights into the global world of fashion.
As an author, Louise’s passion for fashion has found its way into her writings, where she intricately weaves narratives of style, design, and fashion history.