Can You Wash Dress Pants And Suit Pants? A 5 Minute Guide

Can You Wash Dress Pants? Will Washing Suit Pants Ruin Them?

The best place to start looking in your hunt for good washing instructions is the label of your pants. If your pants are still hanging onto the original tag or packaging, that’s even better.

In any case, though, the label tucked into the inside of your pants should give you rudimentary washing instructions tailored to the particular brand.

Can Suit Pants Get Wet?

In almost all cases it’s okay for pants to get wet.

Washing clothes almost always requires some form of wetness, but there might be a particular pair of pants that shouldn’t be washed and can’t get wet.

In those instances, indicated by the label, you should always take the pants to the dry cleaner. It’s wise to avoid those pants unless you absolutely need them, however, because most situations pose risks of wetness.

Do Dress Pants Shrink?

Most fabrics shrink when you wash and dry them at high temperatures. Dress pants are made of fine materials in most cases so they might seem like they won’t shrink, but they will.

If you’re washing and drying your dress pants, be sure to do so at one of the lowest temperatures possible. If your machine has a “delicate” setting, that’s the one you should use.

At What Temperature Should You Wash Dress Pants?

Your tag should let you know the maximum or ideal temperature for the pants to get washed in. Generally speaking, though, you can lean toward cool water if you’re not sure.

Warm water settings tend to be the ones that cause problems, whereas cold washing doesn’t pose very much risk of damaging the pants.

Using a Washing Machine for Regular Dress Pants

If the tag offers washing instructions you can wash the pants in a normal washing machine.

Just make sure you’re utilizing cool water with mild detergent, especially if you have more of a delicate fabric. Another thing to note about using the wash is that there are mesh bags made specifically for washing dress clothes.

You can put your pants into one of these bags, and it’s less likely to be tangled or damaged by your other clothes. Another tip is to pull your pants inside out to reduce the risk of outward-facing tears or damage.

Should You Button Pants Before Washing?

Dress pants remain unbuttoned while they’re in the wash. This should be the case with all of your other buttoned clothes as well.

When buttons remain hooked, there’s a chance that other garments can tangle and pull the buttons, loosening or removing them from their place.

Can I Wash All My Clothes Together?

If you have clothes of the same color and the same delicate fabric, there shouldn’t be a problem. Washing the pants alone, though, is the only way to entirely prevent color bleeding or damage from other garments in the wash.

Don’t wash your dress pants with a full general load of laundry.

How to Machine Wash Dry Clean Only Trousers

To dry clean trousers yourself, you’ll need some water, mild soap, and a steamer if you want to remove the stains.

Turn the trousers inside out, apply soap, dunk them in water until the soap is removed, and let them hang dry. You can use the steamer to get rid of any remaining stains.

How Often Should You Dry Clean Dress Pants?

This one is up to you. It’s often enough to run a steamer or iron over dress pants to keep them presentable. You can dry clean pants before events or whenever you feel they’re getting dirty.

So long as they’re hygienic and they still look crisp, though, you don’t necessarily have to wash them.

Tips for Washing Dress Pants by Hand

The best way to wash dress pants by hand is by using the method above. Turn the pants inside out, and apply mild detergent or soap to them. Dunk the pants in cold water to remove the soap.

Afterward, let them air dry to avoid any problems a dryer can bring such as shrinking or harming delicate or synthetic fibers. Additionally, you’ll need to be careful when it comes to cleaning a necktie as well. Hand washing is best for those, too.

Cleaning Stains on Your Pants

Stains require location-specific treatment. Get some mild detergent and a little bit of warm (not hot) water.

You can lightly scrub the area to remove the stain, then wash. Steamers are also great for removing stains after you’ve scrubbed the area.

How Many Times Can You Wear Dress Pants Before Washing?

There’s no rule on this one. So long as the pants look clean and don’t feel dirty, you can keep wearing them.

It depends on the type of activities you do while you’re wearing them. If you’re working in the pants each day, odds are you should wash more frequently.

How to Dry Your Dress Pants

There are many ways to dry dress pants. We’ve discussed a few of those ways, but let’s cover some more ground.

Never Use the Dryer for Dry Clean Only Pants!

Never, under any circumstances, should “dry clean only” pants get put into the dryer. This will shrink, warp, and ruin them. You’ll likely have to get new pants.

Drying Pants Safely

Drying this style of pants is simple without a dryer.

1. Removing Excess Water

To remove excess water, ring the pants out gently. You don’t have to get all of the water out yet.

2. Air Drying

Next, hang the pants with clips or on a hanger. Let them air-dry overnight and wake up to dry pants in the morning.

3. Iron or Steam Steps

Steaming and ironing are the final touches. Get a flat surface or ironing board and lay your pants on it. Iron in line with the seams of the pants by creating flat surfaces with the seams on the edges.

Then, run the iron or steamer over those areas until wrinkles are removed.

How to Properly Hang Dress Pants in Your Closet

Take the first two belt loops and pinch them together. Hold that with two fingers, then pull the back up. Now, you should have a well-folded pair of pants with the legs down.

Then, put the legs through the hole in the hanger and drape it at the knee. Now you have clean, well-folded pants.