Kilt Cleaning

[shamrock715]

I want to have my kilt cleaned after my wedding last Saturday. Any recommendations on how to have it cleaned? I've read to get it dry cleaned but not to have them press it so it doesn't ruin the pleats and so it doesn't cause a shine on the wool.

Any advice is helpful.

Thanks,
Matt

[Tobus]

How dirty is it? I mean, are we talking about spilled beverages, sweat stains, food, or just regular everyday light wear? Usually a good steaming with a hand held steamer after a decent brushing will take care of regular light duty stuff. Or just airing it out and lightly beating it while it hangs will shake out dust and debris.

You can hand wash a kilt in cold water, but there is a lot of work involved in basting and pressing the pleats afterward. This really only needs to be done for deep cleaning.

[shamrock715]

How dirty is it? I mean, are we talking about spilled beverages, sweat stains, food, or just regular everyday light wear? Usually a good steaming with a hand held steamer after a decent brushing will take care of regular light duty stuff. Or just airing it out and lightly beating it while it hangs will shake out dust and debris.

You can hand wash a kilt in cold water, but there is a lot of work involved in basting and pressing the pleats afterward. This really only needs to be done for deep cleaning.

Just a few spilled drinks and a little sweat but not bad. Is there a type of brush to use? I have a steamer so that wouldn't be a problem.

[Tobus]

You can find wool cleaning brushes all over the internet. I have one that's a boar-bristle brush on one side, a lint cleaner on the other side, and the handle doubles as a shoe horn.

Here's a very good primer on brushing wool/tweed:

https://www.thebutlerscloset.com/blo...cleaning-bills

Of course, this won't clean spilled drinks...

(Boar bristle brushes are great for beards too, just saying!)

[shamrock715]

You can find wool cleaning brushes all over the internet. I have one that's a boar-bristle brush on one side, a lint cleaner on the other side, and the handle doubles as a shoe horn.

Here's a very good primer on brushing wool/tweed:

https://www.thebutlerscloset.com/blo...cleaning-bills

Of course, this won't clean spilled drinks...

(Boar bristle brushes are great for beards too, just saying!)

I actually have one for my beard that I've had for years! I didn't know I could use it on this too!

[Tobus]

I actually have one for my beard that I've had for years! I didn't know I could use it on this too!

Personally, I wouldn't use my beard brush on my kilts. I have a dedicated beard brush from Bluebeards Original. But, as I'm sure you know, it will pull out loose hair and dead skin cells, as well as any product you've used in your beard (I use Paul Mitchell Teatree hair and body moisturizer as well as Voodoo Prince beard oil). I don't want that stuff in my kilt, so my beard brush only gets used on my beard and my clothes brush only gets used on clothes. Other than that, you could probably use the same type of brush for both purposes; just not the same actual brush. The bristles are about the same length and stiffness.