Wool dress pants are a useful staple in any man’s wardrobe. Not only does merino wool drape well, but it also is breathable enough to be comfortable in many situations.
Wool pants are also a great purchase because they’re durable, holding up longer than other less reliable fabrics. They’ll last a long time if you care for them properly. You don’t just want to be tossing your luxury wool pants into the washing machine after every wear, after all.
Here, we’ll talk about how to clean and store your wool pants properly them so they’re wearable for years to come.
Sprucing Up Mildly Stained or Wrinkled Pants
Your wool pants don’t stain easily, but if you get a minor food stain on them, you can brush it out with a clothing brush.
Alternately, if your pants get a little wrinkled in a suitcase, they’re easy to smooth out. Simply hang them up while you shower and watch the steam release minor wrinkles.
Hand-Washing Your Wool Pants
Hand-washing your pants is your best bet for preserving the long-term vitality of your garment. Hand-washing is also the preferred method on many wool pants’ care labels.
To wash your pants by hand, first, turn them inside out. Next, wash them in lukewarm water using a mild detergent. After that, let them soak for about 10 minutes before rinsing them in lukewarm water and then cold water.
Machine-Washing Your Wool Pants
A few companies like Woolmark have started offering wool pants that you can wash in your machine. However, this is a non-standard practice, so be sure to read your pair’s label before throwing them in the wash.
If you can machine wash your pants, first turn your pants inside out. Turn your washing machine either to the wool cycle if it has one, or opt for the cold water wash or delicate cycle if it doesn’t. Wash your pants with a wool detergent, preferably, or a mild detergent otherwise.
After the cycle is over, don’t put your wool pants into the dryer. Instead, flat dry them out of direct sunlight.
Dry-Cleaning Your Wool Pants
If you have heavier stains on your pants or you wear them frequently, dry-cleaning is a less time-consuming cleaning method than hand-washing. Most wool pants typically need to be dry-cleaned after four or five wears, though you may be able to wear some garments up to 20 times if they don’t get dirty. Remember, the chemicals in dry-cleaning can harm your clothes, so if you can refresh your pants yourself, you should.
Remove Your Pants from Dry-Cleaning Bags and Hangers
Once you get your pants home from the dry-cleaner, you want to remove your pants from the bags dry-cleaners typically store them in. This butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) bags can yellow your fabrics and weaken fabrics if stored in them over the long term.
Dry-cleaners also often send your clothes back on plastic or metal hangers. Remove your garments from these as soon as possible. Hangers like these are harmful to your clothes, as they change their shape over time.
Storing Your Pants for Regular Wear
Instead of using plastic or metal hangers, hang your pants from wooden hangers specifically designed for long term care of trousers. Merino wool is well-suited to storage on Butler Luxury hangers’ solid Grade A Beech Wood and velvet-covered round bar.
To prevent creases, the best way to hang your pants is by using a tri-fold method.
Storing Your Pants Over the Warmer Months
You likely don’t want to wear warm wool pants over the warmer months, instead choosing to store them. Moths are fans of wool pants, so use mothballs or cedar chips to make sure these pests don’t ruin your pants. Next, store your pants in a garment bag, rather than simply stuffed into plastic storage containers. These bags make sure your pants aren’t affected by humidity.
You should think of your wool pants as a long-term investment. If you take care of your pants properly, you can expect to get many years of use from your garment. Make sure to read the label on your pants for care instructions. Also, like for any item of clothing you want to preserve, ensure you purchase high-quality hangers and storage solutions to prolong the life of your garment.
