How often should you dry clean a suit?

For a suit in regular rotation, every four to six wears is a sensible rhythm — or sooner if it's visibly marked, has absorbed odours, or has lost its press. A suit worn occasionally may only need cleaning two or three times a year.

Dry cleaning is gentle compared to washing, but it is still a chemical and mechanical process. Every unnecessary clean removes a little life from the cloth, so the goal is to clean when the suit needs it, not on a fixed schedule.

Most of what keeps a suit looking sharp happens at home. Brush it after wearing with a natural-bristle clothes brush to lift dust and dry soil from the fibres. Hang it on a proper shaped hanger and give it a day's rest between wears so the wool can recover.

Steam — from a hand steamer or simply hanging the suit in a steamy bathroom — relaxes creases and refreshes the fabric without any cleaning at all.

Bring your suit to us when there's a visible stain, when the trousers have bagged at the knee, when the lapel roll has flattened, or before a long spell in the wardrobe — moths are drawn to worn, unwashed cloth.

Our finishing is done by hand, so structure, canvas and shape are preserved. If you're unsure whether a suit needs cleaning or just pressing, ask — we'll tell you honestly.