Many males find cleaning of men’s dress pants a great challenge. This is especially true when they are made of different materials which require much care. In fact, the presence of stains makes careful washing more difficult to handle.
First and foremost, know the fabric of your pants. Check on the inside tag to see the correct washing techniques that match the fabric. Most of the time, dry cleaning is the best option to take in order to avoid damages. Damages at times may be brought about by the use of water. Such is the case for slacks made of silk, cashmere and wool-polyester combination.
If you have a number of men’s dress pants made of 100% cotton, keep in mind that washing them in warm water will make them shrink. Perhaps, you do not have the means to have them dry cleaned. You can have them machine washed provided that you use cold water. This will keep them from shrinking. Before throwing your slacks into the washing machine, be sure to put together pants with similar colors. Use a gentle detergent to protect the quality of the cotton fiber. Rinse them thoroughly and squeeze out all the water.
Although use of washing machine may be advisable for other fabrics, there are some which are best cleaned through hand washing. One reason for that is they are delicate and expensive at the same time. Cleaning a pair of wool dress pants is a perfect example for this. Get a basin of cold water. Add in a tablespoon of mild liquid detergent. Soak the pants for at least five minutes before you rub them with your hands. Rinse them thoroughly with cool water afterwards. Never crumple, pull or tug them so as to remove the water. Doing so can cause them to stretch. Wrap your slacks in a clean towel. Let the towel absorb all the excess water.
There are two different styles in letting slacks for men dry. Those made of cotton and linen must always be hung dry. Those made of wool and cashmere must be laid on the floor to dry. Ensure that the floor is clean and that the slacks are turned inside out. Slacks made of silk, polyester and rayon may be hung or laid on the floor to dry.
Once dry you can get the wrinkle out of your slacks through ironing. To begin with, have a full-sized ironing board as it is easier to use. You can choose between a regular iron or a steam iron. However, ironing slacks made of cotton or silk is best done with a steam iron. You can have a spray bottle ready too.
Before ironing, set the heat of the iron. Keep in mind that men’s dress pants made of silk must not be sprinkled with water. Doing so will result to spots on the fabric. Pull your slacks from the waistband to its full length. Start ironing the front side then the back side. Lay the legs flat on the board and iron them one after the other.
