Your Dandy Guide to Cleaning & Care of Winter Items

As spring blooms and winter rolls away, seasonal clothing can be stored to free up precious space. Indeed, it’s essential if you have tough winters and hot summers to clean and store your items carefully if you want them ready to go next time the temps drop. While you know you should do this, this season we’re giving you a road map so that it actually gets done because cleaning and caring for your investments will keep them looking like new for years to come.

SHOES: Proper cleaning of your footwear will prolong their life and keeping your leather conditioned and at its peak color will help shoes age naturally, which is especially appreciated once the pair has broken in just right. While it’s tempting to drop all your shoes off at the cobbler and leave it to them, cleaning is not as daunting as it sounds and nothing says accomplished like all your shoes and boots lined up proud and polished.

For cleaning, turn to Kiwi or Jason Markk who offer multiple kits for every need and watch this video for technique. Afterwards, protect your shoes from heavy weather with NeverWet which is safe for all fabrics, suede, and leather.  Once your shoes are cleaned and protected, store them with cedar shoe trees in a dry, but well-ventilated environment and look forward to enjoying them for another year.  Luxe tip: A cedar shoe valet is a real treat for those that already find this task uber enjoyable. Highly recommend!

SWEATERS: Dry cleaning is nearly essential for wool and wool-blend sweaters. However, cotton does best on a cold, gentle cycle and cashmere should nearly always be hand washed – both cotton and cashmere should be laid flat to dry. After cleaning, use The Ultimate Fuzz Remover, it is great for depilling.  When storing your sweaters, best to pack away in a cedar closet or airtight bins with cedar sachets and blocks.

COATS & SKI WEAR: While you can always take to a professional cleaners, if you have a wool coat or two that didn’t get as much wear this winter, you can skip the dry cleaning by using a clothes brush. Natural bristle clothes brushes are best and I recommend this one by Miscly. Synthetic brushes have less give and they can scratch the fabric. For wool coats, empty the pockets and lay your garment flat on a clean surface lifting up the collar and lapel. First brush up the full length of the garment and then immediately down. Sweep in this way around the entire garment and it’ll be ready for storage in a canvas coat storage bag.

Most down coats that are nylon are conveniently machine washable. Often I have clients say they are afraid to do this, even though the label says it’s okay, but don’t be scared, be knowledgeable. Here is a how-to video for washing down. Ski wear can seem particularly confusing since most technical clothing is designed to be waterproof. But with the proper detergents and temperatures you can safely maintain your gear. Check out Mountain Warehouse who make at-home cleaning products specifically for down and waterproof items.

Lastly, to give credit where credit is due, the image above is from The Hanger Project. They are having a giveaway! Enter here for a chance to win a luxury Garment & Shoe Care Giveaway from The Hanger Project until March 19th.