Learning how to clean a silk tie is an essential skill that every modern gentleman should have. After all, how can you expect to look your best with a big food stain on your favourite tie?
Cleaning a silk tie can be a tricky task, especially since this material is very delicate. So, casually throwing them in the washing machine isn’t going to cut it. To remove any stains, you’re going to need the right tips and tricks up your sleeve.
Are you wondering how to clean a silk tie? You’ve come to the right place. In this blog post, we’ve covered everything you need to know about cleaning your silk tie properly. Find out more below!
How Often Should You Clean A Silk Tie?
First things first, let’s cover the basics - how often should you clean a silk tie?
Silk ties aren’t often exposed to the same levels of sweat or dirt as other clothing items, particularly since they sit off the skin. This means you’ll only need to spot clean your tie when stains suddenly appear.
That being said, if you’re wearing your tie every single day, you might want to give it a thorough clean to keep it in tip-top shape. Luckily, a visit to your dry cleaners once or twice a year is all you need to keep your neck-tie looking sharp.
How To Clean A Silk Tie
Have you got a stubborn food stain lingering on your tie? Don’t sweat it. Below, we’ve outlined the 4-step process for how to clean a silk tie. Take a look.
- Locate The Stain
Before you start spot cleaning your silk neck-tie, the first thing you’re going to need to do is locate any stains you’re hoping to remove.
Because if you’re going to be removing a large stain from your tie, it’s much more efficient to take the time to spot-clean those smaller, surrounding stains too.
For this step, all you need to do is inspect your neck-tie and make a mental note of the stains you’d like to bust.
- Sweep The Food Stains
After you’ve found the stains you’d like to remove from your tie, you’ll then need to begin the spot-cleaning process by scraping any food away.
For this step, use a spoon to rake away any stubborn crumbs stuck on your tie. Be gentle with this step. Don’t use excessive force to avoid damaging the tie.
If you’ve spilled any liquid on your ties, such as a cocktail or latte, use a paper towel to absorb any liquid stuck in the fabric.
- Apply Rubbing Alcohol
Now, it’s time to give your neck-tie a deeper cleanse with rubbing alcohol.
Firstly, before exposing your necktie to any rubbing alcohol, take a moment to dab a small amount on the back of the piece. This test will help you determine if the rubbing alcohol will affect your tie’s colour.
Next, apply a small amount of rubbing alcohol to a cotton ball, then wring it out to ensure it’s not too concentrated. Then spot-clean the neck-tie with a gentle blotting action to remove any stubborn stains.
- Maintenance
Regular maintenance and cleaning are some of the most important things you can do when trying to keep your necktie looking good.
This means preventing food stains at the times that occur most frequently, which is meals. The traditional etiquette is to tuck a napkin into your shirt and position it over the tie. This will act as a shield to prevent food from touching your tie.
Though, if you’re caught off guard without a napkin, you can also tuck the piece into your dress shirt.
If you’ve been wearing your necktie a lot and feel it needs an overall clean, another great tip would be to hand-wash it in some silk detergent. Gently washing the piece in cold water will effectively cleanse the fabric without damaging it.
That being said, this shouldn’t be done daily - but rather when your tie is visibly dirty or smells.
With these 4 simple steps by your side, busting those stubborn food stains on your neck-tie will be easy.
Neck-Ties By Style Standard
Are you looking for a few premium neck-ties to add to your collection? Below, we’ve listed a few quality pieces that will work well in any wardrobe.
- Red & Blue Repp Tie
This American prep-styled Red & Blue Repp Tie will make a great addition to any man’s arsenal. The piece features a contrasting red and blue colour, which looks great against plain white dress shirt or a navy suit
This will be a bold addition to your wardrobe, so avoid pairing this piece with any other patterns. Instead, stick to solid, lighter colours to let this neck-tie take the main stage.
- Navy Solid Tie
The Navy Solid Tie is a staple in every man’s wardrobe for a reason - it’ll quickly become one of the most versatile neckties you own.
On your lighter coloured suits, you can use the necktie to anchor your whole outfit together. While on a darker coloured suit, it’ll seamlessly blend into the background without standing out. However you prefer to wear this necktie, it will cover your bases for any occasion.
Head to the online store to browse our entire necktie range!