How often should you dry clean your clothes?  That’s the million dollar question.  There’s a pervading myth that dry cleaning your garments too frequently can damage your clothes.  It’s quite possible this idea comes from people who have seen items fade, lose their shape, or shrink from being washed and dried at home and who assume dry cleaning will have the same effect.  But, the truth is that dry cleaning is vastly different from home laundering.  It is an industry that is supported globally by chemical and mechanical engineers, research facilities and universities that specialize in the care and cleaning of textiles.

Professional dry cleaning will actually prolong the life of a garment.  In fact, it’s the oils, body salts, colognes, perfumes, hair products, insoluble soil, rain, food and beverage stains that  will shorten the life of your garment.  Ground in dirt acts as an abrasive, causing rapid wear of fabric fibers.  And, insect can be attracted by the sugars and salts left behind by food stains, causing irreparable damage.
Here are the facts:

• Dry cleaning is gentle on your clothes because the “dry” solvents minimize swelling and shrinkage of fabric fibers, preserving your garment’s size and shape.
• The “chemistry” of dry cleaning is extremely gentle on the dyes and other finishes of your garments, including waterproofing and wrinkle-resistance.
• Dry cleaning’s lower temperatures and reduced agitation are substantially more gentle than home laundering, where high temperatures, tumbling and agitation can cause noticeable wear and tear to fabric fibers.

So, how often should you do it?  It all depends on how and where you wear your garments.  If you wear a suit only for special occasions and only for a few hours, you don’t need to clean it that often.  However, if you live in a city with pollution, grime, smog and dust, or a climate in which you tend to perspire heavily, you will need to get it cleaned more frequently.  And, of course, if you spill something on your suit, get it cleaned right away.  But, in general, a good rule of thumb is to have your garments cleaned every three to four wears to keep them in the best shape possible and to keep you looking your best.