• The older cloth gets, the weaker it becomes. The best possible way to prolong the life of the garment is to either gently hand wash, if the garment is washable, or to have it professionally dry cleaned on a regular basis. 

  • Avoid attempting to remove stains yourself using water as this may do more harm than good. Trying to remove any stains by simply putting the garment in water and rubbing the stains particularly if the garment is not washable i.e. silk, will cause damage. This will rough up the fabric, loosen the dye and break hundreds of fibres. In these circumstances it is best just to blot it with a dry white napkin or tissue and have it professionally cleaned at the dry cleaners.

  • Never use water on an oil based stain, even in an emergency.

  • Fresh stains are easier to remove than old ones, so get your garment to the cleaners as soon as you can.

  • Time and heat can set some stains permanently.

  • Always follow washing care labels.

  • Hot water cleans better than cold. Cold water is fine for rinsing.

  • Don’t over dry clothes particularly regular cotton shirts as over-drying can increase wrinkles and shrinkage. Remove stretch items from the dryer when just barely dry.

  • Remove clothes as soon as they are dry and hang or fold right away to prevent wrinkles and time-consuming ironing.

  • Keep items with thin or fragile shoulder areas folded over by the waist or shelved. Gravity pulls on hung items, eventually causing hanger humps.

  • Keep clothes away from light if they’re not being worn. Ultraviolet light deteriorates fabric over time.

  • Don’t ever store vintage items in plastic bags or containers. Natural fibres expand and contract with changing temperatures, and if they are trapped in plastic, they can’t breathe.

  • Don’t let worn clothes sit unwashed. Even invisible stains (like perspiration) will show up after many years. If you don’t allow the stain to set, it won’t leave any trace.

  • Put moth balls in a close-by location. You can place them between folds of muslin in the storage box, but they should not touch the clothes themselves.

  • Always take your garments out of the plastic bags after they have been dry cleaned before you hang them in your wardrobe in order for them to breathe.