How to Clean a Tie

Whether you spill some wine on your favourite tie while dining with friends or get a splatter of ink on your work’s tie, it can be extremely difficult to remove stains.

However there is no need to panic, at 1st Choice Cufflinks we are on hand with some excellent advice on how to get rid of those nasty stains. Below we have provided a list of some useful tips on how to remove marks and clean your tie.

Obviously, the best way to keep your tie in perfect condition is by preventing any stains getting on it in the first place. You could do this by simply using a tie bar or pin to hold it in place, resulting in it not moving about and rubbing against a dirty service. However if you do have the misfortune of staining your tie, it is important you act straightaway and follow the appropriate actions mentioned below.

Please bear in mind that even if you follow these tips, you are not always guaranteed to be able to remove stains. Clearly some marks are easier to remove than others, however, no matter how bad the stain is it’s worth having a go at removing it.

Tips on how clean your tie:

1) Act straightaway before the stain has a chance to set into your tie.

2) Never rub the stain as this will enlarge it and make things worse.

3) Instead of rubbing the stain, blot it with a dry paper towel or tissue to remove any excess. Then dampen another paper towel in water and blot it again.

4) If the above doesn’t work, try washing your tie by hand but never use a washing machine. Gently rub the stain with cold water. If you are using a mild detergent test it on the back of your tie first to ensure it doesn’t damage the fabric in any way. Once your tie is dry, iron it on a low setting.

5) If you get a particularly greasy stain on your tie, apply some talcum powder onto the affected area as soon as possible. Used to absorb the grease from the fabric, leave the talcum powder on overnight and then gently wipe the stain away the next morning.

6) If all else fails or if you don’t feel confident about cleaning your tie yourself, take it to a dry cleaners. However, it is important to remember that dry cleaning often discolours silk ties and results in them losing their sheen. Also remember to point out the stain to the dry cleaners and tell them what it is.