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Basic Silk Tie Care
Tuesday, December 14. 2010
Basic Silk Tie Care
by Turner Van Ryn
With great ties comes great responsibility. Not every tie in your collection is going to be a grade ‘A’ winner, but there should be enough in your wardrobe to warrant this article. If the tie has a cartoon character on it, then chances are that you can ignore this advice in its care. But, a silk tie is a silk tie. It’s more than just an accessory for your suit, but rather a delicate piece all to itself that, in many cases, should be treasured. Silk ties will, in fact, require regular care just from day-to-day use. Even small creases or wrinkles will show up easily on a silk tie, and let’s face it; few spectacles look more foolish than a guy waltzing into a room with a rumpled tie. Unless he’s a private eye, I guess.
So, fortunately, many of the steps for taking good care of that silk tie are simple. It all starts with vigilance. Be sure you give your ties a decent ‘once-over’ before you pop it on your neck. Silk will fray over time, and especially with Jacquard woven silk ties, this may be a problem. This is no reflection on the quality of the tie, mind you. Duds just get old, and you have to watch out for it.
Next, you might want to examine what you do when you get home from the office. Many men (I’m not saying you) don’t even unknot their ties when they walk through the door, but instead just slip them off and neck and hang ‘em up in an effort to save precious seconds in the morning. Or, maybe they unknot it, slip it off, ball it up and throw it in a corner of the closet. These are, of course, examples of what not to do. You’ll be surprised how much more life you’ll get out of your silk ties, by simply treating them gently. First, loosen the knot, then slip the loop over your head before undoing the knot completely. Next, simply wrap the tie around you fist and place gently aside for the night. Honestly, just this simple procedure will often be enough remove any minor wrinkles by the morning. If that doesn’t do the trick, and a stubborn crease still persists, just get a little hot steam on the case. A very little; I’m not talking like a sauna here. Some folks will use a few small squirts of steam from an iron, while being careful not to actually make tie/iron contact. Here is another trick that is perfect for business travelers: Hang the tie over the shower curtain while taking a hot shower. The steam will de-wrinkle the tie.
Most importantly, DO NOT try to IRON a necktie. This will seem like a good idea at the time, until you realize, halfway through the process, that silk is a very delicate fabric and intense direct heat is not the best thing for it. If, however, drastic wrinkle curing measures are needed, the iron may be applied. If you do attempt this bold plan of action, be sure to place a clean piece of cotton or linen between the iron and the silk itself. Be very careful with this approach though, as ironing will tend to squash a tie flat, creasing the edges, and ruining those wonderful rounded edges that silk ties have.
Ok, so those are the basic measures for silk tie maintenance. But, what if the unexpected happens? What if tragedy strikes? What if you stain your tie? First of all, don’t. But sometimes eating is a messy business. There are noodles, and sauces, and soups, and sometimes a man can get excited at a feeding time. But whatever, it happened. And, be it tomato or yolk, your problem is the same, and you have a stain on your silk tie. So what can you do since washing a silk tie is not an option. Step one is simple, and probably pretty self explanatory; remove the stain as soon as possible. Be careful not to rub the stain further into the fabric. Do not use water but instead use the flat (but not too sharp) object to scoop up the stain. The back of a knife works excellent. If this didn’t work then try step two. Step two is one that most men have to learn the hard way; DO NOT try to RUB the unwanted substance away. This will only serve to drive the stuff further into the fabric, and you’ll only be more screwed as that stain is in there to stay now. No; if you got to try and get the stain off, a little cold club soda is the best thing in a pinch. And then DAB away as much of the crud as you can. If the stain persists, you might want to try some stain remover, with continued gentle dabbings. Be carful with the stain remover you use since silk is a delicate fabric. Test the stain remover on the back of the tie and possibly dilute it with water.
Above all, do not give in to the temptation to rub fiercely away at the stain. Might doesn’t make right here. Believe it or not, Ethyl alcohol also works really well for removing stains. And, because it’s easy to find and pretty cheap, many people swear by it.
If none of these approaches work, then dry cleaning may be the answer. Be careful here, as well. As we’ve discussed, silk is extremely delicate, and dry cleaning is not the most gentle of methods. Also, most dry cleaners tend to press whatever they’ve cleaned, so your tie will come back flat as a pancake. If you do go down the dry cleaning route, make sure you call the place up first to see what their pressing policies are. If you have no experience with the cleaner then look up reviews on YELP or similar websites.
Remember, your tie isn’t a bib. Sure, it’s handy for wiping chicken grease from your fingers, or rib sauce from your maw, but just don’t do it.
Other Related Articles:
More Tips on How to Clean Silk Ties
The Amazing History of Silk
How to Store Neck Ties
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