Clean my sportcoat!

May 7, 2006 3:49 PM

How to spot-clean a wool suit jacket?

I have a black wool suit jacket that I need to wear tomorrow. It's got a couple of small smudges on it. I don't know what they are--maybe a drop of wine or something. Anyway, I'd like to clean these off and maybe press the jacket. I'd also like it to smell nicer.

Obviously I don't have time to send to the dry cleaner. Can you help on any of these three issues?

Bonus if your answer features the use of common household products. It would be cool if I could use Dr. Bronner's or baking soda, for example.

posted by lackutrol to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (2 answers total)

Best answer: Let's see - Cheryl Mendelson's Home Comforts (a ridiculously detailed resource for all kinds of cleaning, BTW) doesn't address spot-cleaning wool, exactly; but here are some wool-care tips from her:

* To freshen and unwrinkle wool garments, hang them in a steamy bathroom or use a steaming device

* You will help wool garments stay clean longer if you wipe them down with a barely damp white, lint-free cloth

* Wool should be washed with special detergents

*Hot or warm water can cause astonishing shrinkage

* Do not iron wool; press it, using a damp press cloth

So, if it were me, I'd try to blot the stains with a washcloth using cool water and a mild detergent (Woolite) and I'd steam instead of ironing.

Good luck!
posted by SashaPT at 6:40 PM on May 7, 2006

Or run out to the all-night grocery and buy one of those home dry cleaner kits, which includes a spot remover.

If that's not reasonable, get the little spot remover pads you dab at the material with. Detergent aisle.

Hang the thing in a steamy bathroom for a while and then hang it out in a dry room to get rid of wrinkles. (Anything you iron or press or otherwise get warm is likely to set the spot.)
posted by deep_cover at 7:51 PM on May 7, 2006