Why Should I Dry Clean My Winter Clothes Before Storing Them?

Before springtime rolls around, there are a lot of things you need to freshen up aside from your home. This includes storing your winter clothes, hats, scarves, and other gear and making room for warmer weather attire. However, before you store your winter attire away for the season, you should consider dry cleaning them first.

Benefits of Dry Cleaning Winter Clothes

If you ask, “Should I dry clean my winter clothes before storing for summer?”, the answer is yes. There are many reasons and benefits as to why you should do just that.

Prevents Discoloration and Permanent Stains

While you may believe that the clothing you folded and stored away is clean, you’d be surprised to know stains may tend to pop up when it’s time to bring your winter clothing back out again. Dry cleaners can eliminate a variety of stains, including the ones you can’t see. This is why it is necessary to have your clothes professionally cleaned prior to putting them into storage to prevent any existing stains from setting in. Additionally, dry cleaning will also eliminate any particles you cannot see which can cause discoloration when being stored for months.

Avoid Infestation of Insects

When putting your clothes into storage, stains are not the only thing you will have to worry about. Insects can become a problem as well if your attire is not cleaned properly. Uncleaned clothing is the perfect hiding spot for large and small insects, no matter if you shake your clothes before storing them. Silverfish and moths, which are commonly found in attics, can eat holes in your sweaters and leave stains that may be hard to get rid of. If your clothes are professionally cleaned, all insects and their eggs will be eliminated.

Keep Clothes Smelling Good

When you store clothes that have not been cleaned prior, you will allow any existing smells to get stronger. Dust, sweat, and other aromas can settle into clothing. The best way to get rid of these smells is by having your clothing dry cleaned before storing them. Doing the opposite means you will have a stale-smelling sweater when you remove it from your storage containers months later.

Additional Tips for Storing Winter Clothes

Are you asking yourself, “What are the benefits of dry cleaning my winter clothes before storing them?” If this question crosses your mind, consider some of these additional tips for storing winter clothing.

  • Make sure that you always store your clothing in plastic bins. Never use cardboard boxes since they attract insects.
  • Don’t vacuum seal your containers. While this may sound like a great idea, your clothing needs to breathe. Compressing fibers in your clothes can damage them permanently.
  • Use cedar balls instead of mothballs, since they can actually cause damage to your clothes and pose a danger to humans.

The goal of storing your winter clothing properly is to avoid unwanted surprises when it is time to bring your winter clothes back out once again.