How to Clean Ties...?

[Foxer55]

Does anyone know of a way to clean ties without destroying them? I have taken ties in recent years to the local cleaner but Ravi Raj doesn't seem to understand how to get stains out or that the tie is not supposed to be press to the thickness of an onion skin. I seem to recall in many years past I didn't have this problem, just took the ties to the cleaner and got them back the way they were when I bought them. How to clean ties?

 

[Shangas]

I had this issue a couple of years back. What I did was put the tie in a bucket of very warm/hot water, with washing-powder or liquid soap. Soak it, scrub it. Let it sit for a day. Take it out. Rinse thoroughly, and then let it hang (like on a towel-bar) and drip dry.

It worked for me. The tie was one which belonged to my brother, and he's no good at looking after his clothes. He'd stained it somehow with something unknown, but I managed to get it out.

 

[Flat Foot Floey]

I would use cold water and maybe shampoo or mild wool detergent. Not the usual washing powder. You dip the small end first to see if the color "bleeds"

The tricky part is that some ties tend to curl up and you don't get em straight easily. Also you don't want to iron them flat. So I cut a form from thick cardboard and stick it into the tie (most of mine are unlined exept for a thin strip of canvas (?)) and iron it at low temperature when still damp.

It's not an easy job and I try to avoid it most of the ties. In fact I only do it when they are unwearable otherwise. Haha.

 

[Tomasso]

http://tiecrafters.com/

 

[Foxer55]

A.C. Lyles,

Wow, that's quite a site. Wish I would have known about this before tossing some of my favorites.

 

[John in Covina]

There are actually a series of threads that have covered several ways to clean ties and how to press them properly.

The best way to do a search is to go to google and type in "the fedora lounge" "cleaning ties" as one search. It listed about 5 or 6 threads in the lounge where people have related their experiences.

Note that some of the old materials also need special handling so they don't get screwed up.

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/archive/index.php/t-5427.html

 

[Feraud]

It's not an easy job and I try to avoid it most of the ties. In fact I only do it when they are unwearable otherwise. Haha.

True. I rarely need to wash a tie but when I do it's a warm water and oxiclean soak. Does a nice job on vintage ties.

 

[dhermann1]

I have a couple of grand old ties that are full of some old geezer's breakfasts, lunches and dinners from the Truman administration, that I have been afraid to try to clean for many years. I took a couple to the dry cleaners and learned that's a good way to get filth fused permanently into the fabric. I washed one 30s tie in cold water and Oxyclean, and half the color came out. It's a high risk operation.

 

[Talbot]

I have had some success with baby wipes.