Cashmere is a fine, expensive wool fabric that looks very elegant, luxurious and stylish. A cashmere coat will never go out of style due to its attractive appearance. In addition, it effectively protects against cold and wind.
However, over time, any fabric becomes dirty and requires cleaning. As a general rule, cashmere coats should not be washed. But even if the label on the clothing allows machine or hand washing, after the procedure the material may wrinkle and lose its attractive appearance.
And after several washes, the coat loses its shape and becomes deformed. Therefore, it is better to clean your coat using dry methods. Let's find out how to clean a cashmere coat at home.
First steps
Before cleaning, you should carefully study the product tag. It indicates the permitted methods of caring for the item, temperature conditions and recommended cleaning agents.
Next, carefully inspect the coat. Hang the product on hangers, examine both the front side and the inside. Pay special attention to the collar, pockets, and armpit area. It is advisable to perform this procedure in daylight, so you will not miss a single spot or unsightly stain on the fabric.
Depending on the degree of soiling of your cashmere coat, choose the appropriate cleaning method for the product. They are as follows:
How to clean a black coat?
A black coat does not require such careful care as white and light colors. However, along with the purchase of a black coat, you should immediately purchase a brush or glue roller for caring for outerwear. These devices do an excellent job of removing lint, debris, hair and dirt. Removing small lumps from a black coat is not difficult using nail scissors or a sharp blade.
You can clean a black coat using a sponge and a mild soap solution. You should ensure that the solution does not leave strong stains on the material, so carefully wash off every suspicious spot. After you clean your coat, be sure to comb it with an outerwear brush so that when it dries it has a decent, well-groomed appearance.
How to properly care for a black coat?
Dry cleaning
Suitable for everyday care of items, removing dust and small debris.
This method minimizes the use of water and liquid products. Cleaning is carried out using dry powders and abrasives. This could be, for example, sawdust, bread crumbs, talc. Clean the coat with a special clothes brush, carefully removing any remaining substances at the end of the treatment.
Step-by-step instruction
Hang your coat on hangers and fasten all the buttons. You can also lay the item out on a horizontal surface, but cleaning it will not be as convenient.
Remove stuck hairs and animal fur from clothes using a roller with a sticky surface. As a last resort, put on rubber gloves, wet them slightly and rub them over the material. Small debris will roll into lumps that are easy to remove.
Use a soft-bristled brush to gently work over the entire piece. Light shaking of the coat is not prohibited.
These steps are enough to refresh the product.
For more thorough cleaning, lightly sprinkle the coat with regular washing powder, or semolina, or talcum powder. Lightly moisten the brush and use gentle movements, without pressure, to sweep away the cleaning agent.
How to clean a drape coat?
- The drape coat is made of dense, heavy material. It warms perfectly not only in autumn, but also in winter. However, before you think about cleaning such a coat, you should carefully read the manufacturer's label. Often it is simply impossible to wash a drape coat. Therefore, you should learn about ways to clean it.
- First of all, try cleaning your drape coat with rye bread crumbs. Crumble a piece of bread onto the coat and roll into balls. Bread crumbs will absorb all the debris and collect lint. After bread crumbs, the coat should be thoroughly brushed.
- Lather shampoo with water in a bucket or basin. Apply the foam from the solution to the coat and wait until it dries completely. Use a damp cloth to remove any remaining shampoo, then dry the coat with a dry cloth. Brush the coat with a coat brush and let it dry at room temperature.
- It is very good to clean your coat with a steam cleaner, which is often present in modern irons. Set the iron temperature to no more than two hundred degrees and run the steam over the entire coat. After this, comb the coat with a brush and leave it to dry.
How to properly clean and care for a drape coat?
Wet cleaning
Use this method if stains, greasy areas, or an unpleasant odor appear on your clothes. Be sure to clean your cashmere coat at the end of the season before storing it for long-term storage.
There are 3 methods of wet cleaning:
- Steaming coats. For these purposes, use an iron or steam cleaner. The most environmentally friendly way. Read more in this article: How to clean furniture, carpet, clothes with a steam cleaner
- Wash the product in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations. Step-by-step instructions can be found here: How to wash cashmere in the washing machine and by hand
- Cleaning outerwear using liquid substances and a moistened soft sponge. Let's talk about this in more detail.
How to clean a coat from dust?
- Modern living conditions in a big city, the saturation of vehicles and a huge number of roads make clothes look very unattractive. Those clothes that have light colors are especially affected. You should clean your coat from dust and dirt twice a year: before the start of the spring season and the fall. Even if you don’t visually notice dirt on your clothes, cleaning them from dust will keep your clothes in attractive condition for as long as possible.
- Any coat should be cleaned with a special velor brush, which can be purchased at the store. If this cleaning is not enough, try a more modern method. In a container, mix water with table vinegar in a one to one ratio. Use a clean kitchen sponge (soft side) to go over the coat, dipping it into the solution and squeezing thoroughly.
- It is necessary to move the washcloth in the direction of the villi and not to wet the coat too much. After this, if the coat remains very wet, wipe it carefully with a clean cloth in the direction of the lint. For dark colors: black, dark blue, brown, you can use tea leaves rather than vinegar solution.
How to properly clean a coat from dust at home?
Eliminates odor and sweat stains
Wipe the coat in the armpit area with a cloth soaked in soapy water. It’s easy to make: dissolve regular soap in warm water or add shampoo. Next, you will need to wet a cotton swab with ammonia and wipe the previously treated areas. By the way, this method removes not only the smell, but also sweat stains.
Another option is to use a mixture of vinegar and glycerin. The components are taken in equal parts. Apply the prepared product to the contaminated area. After 20 minutes, remove with a damp cloth.
How to clean a wool coat at home?
A wool coat is very demanding and difficult to care for. It is not washable, so you need to clean it very carefully. It is advisable to clean a dark coat with a sponge dipped in strong tea leaves. It will add shine and color to your clothes. A light coat can be cleaned with a special solution:
- mix a little liquid soap in water
- add ammonia bottles to the solution
- soak the sponge in the solution and wipe the coat with it
- After washing, comb the coat with a brush and let it dry at room temperature
It would not be superfluous to purchase for such a coat not only a brush, but a glue roller. These are essential tools for caring for such outerwear.
proper care and cleaning of a wool coat
Removing stains from cashmere
We offer the most proven and effective ways to combat various types of pollution:
Fat marks
Talc will help remove them. Sprinkle it on the dirty area, rub a little into the fibers of the fabric and leave for half an hour. During this time, the talc will absorb the fat, all you have to do is brush it off. Repeat the procedure if necessary.
There is another way. Moisten a soft sponge, drop a little dishwashing gel on it, and whip up some foam. Wipe the grease stain with a sponge. After 5 minutes, use a clean damp cloth to remove any remaining detergent and dry the product with paper towels.
Old stains
Place a paper towel on the contaminated area from the front side of the product. Soak a cotton swab in gasoline and wipe the contaminated area from the inside of the coat. Use a damp sponge to remove any remaining gasoline.
All types of pollution
The following remedy is considered universal. It will help remove contaminants whose origin you know nothing about. Take glycerin and the same amount of ammonia, mix. Wipe the contaminated area with the resulting mixture, do this several times. Remove any remaining substance with a damp cloth.
Fresh stains from drinks and food
Take finely ground salt and sprinkle it on the stain. After the salt has absorbed the dirt, clean the coat with a soft brush.
We take into account the manufacturer’s advice
At first glance, the easiest option is to go to a dry cleaner. But it is not always possible to use the services of professionals. For example, you are not satisfied with the price or timing, because it happens that a coat needs to be cleaned of dirt urgently. Therefore, this can be done at home. The main thing is to take all precautions and not experiment with unfamiliar chemicals.
First you need to carefully study the label, which contains important information. Use the manufacturer’s advice: what temperature should the water be, is it possible to use a washing machine, how to iron and dry the product. Don't neglect this information. Proper care will keep your item in its original form for a long time.
Dry but don't iron
After this, the cashmere product is carefully wrapped in a terry towel and lightly squeezed, without twisting too much. Then place it on the table, lay it down with a dry towel, straighten it and leave it until completely dry. You cannot dry your coat on a radiator.
Ironing a cashmere coat is not recommended. It's better to use steam. But if such a need arises, you need to control that the temperature does not exceed 200 degrees. Do not allow the front side to come into contact with the iron. Ironing can only be done from the inside out or through the fabric.
Rules of care
During storage, the cashmere coat should be placed on a thick hanger or a full-sized mannequin. Thin hangers should not be used for storage, otherwise the clothes will become deformed. When putting a coat in a closet for a long time, you should use a special duffel bag. Remember that cashmere is a delicacy for such impudent creatures as moths. For this reason, you should worry in advance about the absence of these pests in the closet.
When the decision to clean a cashmere coat is made on your own, rather than with the help of dry cleaning specialists, then it is important to remember the basic rules:
- cashmere should be cleaned exclusively in cold water and on a delicate cycle, or by hand;
- Completely exclude from the product cleaning process any products that contain bleaching components. This will prevent damage to the fabric;
- exclude rough physical impact on the material to prevent deformation of the product.
Only if you strictly follow the simple above-mentioned rules for caring for cashmere products, you can return your favorite clothes to their original appearance and extend their service life for several more years.
