Rules for washing military uniforms: how to avoid shrinkage and preserve color

Many men, as well as schoolchildren, always have a classic suit in their wardrobe. And if there are practically no problems with washing trousers, then washing a jacket at home is not an easy task for most. Often, suits are made of fabric that is very difficult to withstand contact with water and also wrinkles heavily. Of course, you can always take the item to the dry cleaner, but in terms of savings, this is very expensive, especially if there is a schoolchild in the family. The ability to wash a jacket yourself will help every housewife.

The washing process largely depends on the material from which the item is made.

Ways to wash a jacket

You can wash your jacket at home by hand or using a washing machine. But some fabrics can only be dry cleaned. Naturally, the choice of method is made taking into account the characteristics of the product itself, namely:

• the fabric from which the item is made;
• the presence of such details as lapels, sides and hangers.

The table below shows all the cleaning methods used and which jackets they are suitable for.

Choice of product

• Liquid detergents or gels are recommended for cleaning jackets. They dissolve in water much faster than powders and then are easier to rinse, without remaining in the fibers and without harming the structure of the fabric.
• There are special products for black items that help maintain the brightness and richness of dark shades.
• For wool and wool blend products, you need to choose a product containing lanolin.
• Products containing chlorine cannot be used.

Useful

If the jacket is made of natural cotton or linen fabric, it is recommended to use fabric softener. It will soften the fabric and make it easier to smooth out wrinkles.

How to wash a jacket in a washing machine

Naturally, the first thing you need to do is make sure whether the jacket can be washed in an automatic washing machine. This information is indicated on the label.

In addition to information about the recommended washing method, the label also contains signs about the possibility of spinning, drying and ironing

If there is no prohibition on machine washing on the label, then you can proceed directly to the process itself. But in order not to spoil the thing, it is important to adhere to the following recommendations:

• When choosing a mode, it is best to give preference to delicate washing, since a feature of this method is the minimum number of revolutions;
• spinning is carried out only if there are no instructions on its prohibition or if the fabric is not subject to severe crumpling, and the spinning method should be chosen at the lowest speed;
• It is advisable to use only liquid formulations as a detergent; they are easier to rinse without leaving marks and soap stains, unlike washing powder;
• After washing, the jacket is immediately removed, rinsed at least 2 times by hand in plenty of clean warm water, then lightly wrung out, straightened and hung on hangers to avoid wrinkles.

If there are stains, they should be wiped off with a damp cloth before machine washing.

How to wash a jacket by hand

You can also hand wash a jacket from a classic suit. This method is preferable to the automatic process. Hand washing must be done in stages:

1. Before washing, you need to inspect the product and assess the degree of contamination. If there are any stains, they can be pre-moistened with ammonia if this does not harm the fabric (to check the effect of ammonia on the material, apply a couple of drops of the substance to an inconspicuous area and then observe the reaction).
2. If the jacket is very dirty, then you need to soak it for several hours in water at room temperature.
3. After soaking, proceed directly to washing. You should not rub the jacket fabric, so it is advisable to use a soft linen brush or sponge for cleaning. The water should not exceed 40 degrees, and it is better to use a liquid detergent for delicate fabrics as a detergent.
4. As soon as the jacket is completely washed from dirt, it must be thoroughly rinsed in plenty of cool water at least 2 times, otherwise white soapy streaks may remain after drying.

Advice! It is much easier to rinse a jacket in the shower, and the detergent will be washed off from the fabric much more effectively.

To prevent soap stains from appearing, the jacket needs to be rinsed in clean water several times.

General recommendations

Attention

Do not put items with heavily soiled areas into the machine. Pre-wash them.

• Please read all information on the product label carefully. There, the manufacturer indicates not only the composition of the fabric, but also recommendations for care. If there is a sign prohibiting even hand washing (a crossed out bowl of water), then it is better to take the jacket to the dry cleaner.
• Be sure to sort clothes by color and do not put white or light-colored items in the drum with black ones.
• Choose your laundry detergent carefully, taking into account the color and composition of the item.
• Choose the temperature according to the composition of the fabric.

How to wash a jacket correctly

The choice of washing method may also depend on the type of jacket and what material it is made of. As a rule, the peculiarities of washing such clothes are determined by the specifics of the fiber and the texture of the fabric itself. For example, a product made from natural fabrics (linen, cotton) can be washed in water at temperatures up to 40 degrees. A polyester jacket should be washed in water, the temperature of which should not exceed 30-40 degrees. In the case of woolen products, if the percentage of wool in the fabric is no more than 45, hand washing at a water temperature of up to 15 degrees is acceptable. An all-wool jacket cannot be washed; dry cleaning is used for such clothing.

How to wash a school jacket

A school jacket requires quite frequent washing, so you should choose the most gentle method for it. In this case, it is better to give preference to washing in the shower, which is suitable for models with glued parts and for those made from highly wrinkled fabric.

You can wash a school suit jacket in the following way:

1. The jacket is carefully shaken off and hung on hangers next to the shower.
2. Turn on warm (no more than 30 degrees) water, use a shower head to wet the jacket, first from the outside, then from the inside.
3. A soap solution is diluted in a basin; be sure to use a liquid product designed specifically for the type of fabric.
4. Moisten a brush or sponge in a soapy solution and begin to clean the item. First, wipe the most contaminated areas, and then wipe the entire thing.
5. Start rinsing, turn on the shower again and thoroughly rinse off the soap solution.
6. Lightly shaking off the water, leave the school jacket to dry on hangers.

After washing in the shower, in most cases ironing is not required unless you wring out the item by hand by twisting it

How to wash a corduroy jacket

Any item made of corduroy requires special care, which excludes washing. For a corduroy jacket, only dry or slightly damp cleaning is acceptable, because this kind of material can lose its attractive appearance in direct contact with water.

Cleaning should be done using a dry or slightly moistened soft brush along the ridges. If stains are found, they can be washed off with a sponge. This is done with targeted blotting movements; under no circumstances should you rub the area of ​​contamination, as a lightened stain may appear.

How to wash a linen jacket

For a linen jacket, you can use automated washing. But before you load the item into the drum of the machine, you should do some preparation. It consists of examining the linen product for the presence of severe contamination and washing. You also need to fasten all the buttons and check the pockets.

The washing mode for linen fabric should be chosen delicate with a temperature of 30-40 degrees. The spin needs to be set to the minimum (500-600 rpm). If the jacket is very wrinkled, you can turn off the spin cycle altogether. This product should be dried on hangers with buttons fastened.

How to wash a wool jacket

It is strictly not recommended to wash a men's wool jacket, since due to the mobility of natural wool fibers, they are glued to avoid deformation when worn. And upon contact with water, the adhesive composition dissolves, which can lead to stretching and loss of shape. To refresh the appearance of the product, use the dry or wet cleaning method.

Police uniform

Police uniforms are easier to machine wash. But before washing it directly, it is better to soak the set in order to enhance the brightness of the shades and add shine to the clothes. True, color restoration will only work on high-quality fabrics - soaking will not help defective items.

The form is soaked like this:

• a water-vinegar solution is prepared (a glass of vinegar is diluted in 10 liters of cold water);
• the solution does not heat up - the water should remain cool;
• clothes are lowered into the basin and remain there for 15-20 minutes;
• The set is rinsed in cold water.

To restore color, just soak the mold for 20 minutes in a vinegar solution.

If the form is not defective, then the paint will become 2-3 tones brighter. Now all that remains is to carry out a full wash by loading the uniform into the washing machine. We will tell you further which mode to choose and how long to run the cycle.

How to dry a jacket correctly

In addition to proper washing, the drying process is also important, because an incorrectly dried product can lose its appearance.

After washing and drying, the jacket can be given a neat look by ironing

The basic rule is that you should not wring out the item; the water should drain on its own. To do this, hang the jacket on hangers over the bathtub. The item should not be placed vertically, otherwise folds and creases may form.

When drying in the fresh air, it is important that the product is not exposed to direct sunlight. If the jacket is left in the bathroom to dry, it is important that the door is open.

If ironing is required, it is performed at a time when the fabric is not yet completely dry. The jacket should be ironed through gauze to prevent the appearance of a shiny sheen. If the product is completely dry, use the steam function. After smoothing, the jacket is put back on the hanger.

Advice! If you have a vertical or manual steamer, then it is better to use it for smoothing, as it allows you to eliminate almost all formed wrinkles.

Cleaning individual elements

The most difficult place when cleaning outerwear is the collar. Due to the fact that all sorts of technological tricks are used in its manufacture, it is not always possible to properly clean the collar of a jacket from grease. Usually, heated vinegar is used for this - use a well-moistened rag or a piece of clean cloth to wipe the stain, then iron it through gauze.

The gate is the most difficult to clean.

In some cases, a solution of ammonia or vodka will be useful. The same goes for lapels and cuffs. The main condition is to remember that all these elements often use an adhesive lining, so they cannot be wetted abundantly and exposed to high temperatures. If in doubt, it is advisable to carry out a test cleaning in an inconspicuous place.

Some elements cannot be treated with water.