dry clean ? dip in woolite and drip dry or lay it out flat/ air out

[cck]

The suggestion to use baby shampoo is a good one. In addition to not having a lot of additives, the pH has been adjusted so as not to burn the eyes. It may be kinder to the kilt than other shampoos.

[Angela Kaye Bodine]

Thank you cck :-) I appreciate any advice

[vmac3205]

There is really no danger to dry cleaning a kilt. Some less expensive straps will get dried out after 30 or 40 dry cleanings but I've never had a problem

One thing you must do when taking your kilts to a dry cleaner is tell them to write on your slip, in big red letters, DO NOT PRESS! Just have them clean the kilt, and hang it up.

If they press the kilt without basting the pleats first what you will get back will look like a shower curtain in the back.


The other method I use is hand washing. I too use baby shampoo and not Woolite.

I put my kilt in the bathtub and put in about 3 or 4 inches of cold water. I then get in a walk on the kilt. Don't agitate or wring the kilt in any way. Just gently work the suds into the pleats.

Then drain and re-fill with clean, cold water. Walk again.

Repeat as necessary till all the shampoo is gone.

I then roll the kilt up in a bath towel and walk on it again. When the towel is soaked I replace it with a dry one. Repeat with new towels till you have most of the water out.

I then pick up the kilt while still rolled in the towel. This is to prevent the fabric from distorting while wet.

I simply hang my kilts up to dry. If you walked on your towels real well the kilt should be dry enough to finish drying overnight.



What kills wool is heat and agitation. Use cold water and don't get over jealous with your washing. Just a gentle swishing of the water through the fabric is enough.

Detergent based cleaners are also death on Wool. They strip the lanolin right out of the fibers. I suggest simple soap or baby shampoo.

Steve,
Have you or anyone you know tried the special no-rinse wool soaps available in yarn shops? Just curious as to how they work?

[Tarheel]

Now this is information I can sink my energy into. I am able to disintegrate metals with my body acids therefore I worried about my wool. I use Colgate octagon soap because it has a perfect balance to my chemistry. I didn't think of baby shampoo as a cleaner. I wouldn't want any harm coming to my lanolin either. Thanks for the info.

[CeilidhDoc]

There is really no danger to dry cleaning a kilt. Some less expensive straps will get dried out after 30 or 40 dry cleanings but I've never had a problem.

Although I agree about the importance of basting IF you decide to dry clean, if your are in the USA my recommendation is a strong DON'T DO IT!

The reason is that my first and only experience dry cleaning the kilt will be my last, and because of what is alluded to in the quote above. Although they shockingly did not entirely botch the job of pressing the pleats, they removed the entire finish off the straps the very first time it was cleaned. That was my first and only kilt at the time, and back before I had such a wonderful resource as XMTS back in 1997. I don't think my straps were cheap, either.

When I hear of people dry cleaning Kilts outside of the borders of Scotland the words from an old TV show called Lost in Space echo through my brain:

"Danger Will Robinson! Warning! Warning!"

Just MHO and experiences obviously differ.

Slainte!

[CeilidhDoc]

Have you or anyone you know tried the special no-rinse wool soaps available in yarn shops? Just curious as to how they work?

I have used a couple to spot clean kilts but not the entire garment. They have worked well. My kilt that I dry cleaned many years ago I also used lanolinizing spray for wool that was made for baby diapers to refresh the wool and it did a great job without harming the tartan weave or feel and without changing the color.

Just my experience and I am no expert so I am sure those with more experience can chime in.

Slàinte

[Angela Kaye Bodine]

CeilidhDoc, I have heard so many opinions etc, they are all great... unless something terrible happens to one of my kilts, I will probably just stick with airing it out, and spot cleaning it.. will probably use the dipping process of baby shampoo.. I thank u :-)... Angie... O the "DANGER DANGER WILL ROBINSON " was funny :-)

[Pleater]

I use ordinary shampoos, but add white vinegar to the final rinse to get the pH into the mildly acid area which wool likes.

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

[ctbuchanan]

I found out where the local police and fire pipes and drums had their kilts dry cleaned and went to the same place with excellent results. I've been using them for over 10 years now and the kilt looks as good as the day I bought it. I get the kilt cleaned at least once a year, occasionally two.

[Dale G]

I dropped a kilt off at my local cleaners last week and after I got home, was going to post a thread about the 'funny thing that happened at the cleaners today' but as I was about to I came across this thread and got scared. I picked the kilt up the other day so I will post my experience with it now.

First of all it is not a traditional style kilt, it isn't wool and doesn't have straps and buckles, it is a modern style kilt from Brice Lythgoe made of 100% cotton. It is extremely rugged and relatively inexpensive, the kind that can really take a beating and if it was damaged or stained you would be upset but not heartbroken. I wear it sometimes for the Highland Games and other events where that sort of toughness is warranted. I have never taken any traditional style kilts to a cleaners so take all this for what it's worth.

The funny part was when I told the lady at the counter I wanted it dry cleaned and pressed, she looked at it all around and in broken english told me she didn't know what it was. I told her it was a kilt and she looked at me and went into the back of the business. A couple minutes later a man came out and was looking at it all around. It was obvious he didn't get it either and I told him it was a kilt. He unsnapped the apron and opened it up all the way. His eyes got wide and he said, "Is big! Pleats - heavy. Is a skirt?" I told him it was a Scottish kilt, following which he started mumbling something to himself as he typed on the cash register then printed and handed me a receipt that listed "SKIRT."

I was concerned when I went to pick it up, fearing the worst. I had visions of Steve's "shower curtain" in my mind but fortunately it looked great. It was clean and the pleats were pressed perfectly. I got a good chuckle out of it and suppose I got lucky this time but will remember this thread in the future. Thanks for everyone's input.