To Wash or Dry Clean

**jsrnephdoc** · 7th February 25, 01:26 PM

I'm up to 5 kilts now, all acquired within the last 5 years, and the senior member of the family is showing evidence of its time out of the closet. It could stand some TLC.

I cannot imagine pressing it myself, nor can I imagine entrusting it to one of the only two dry cleaners in Bozeman, MT. So, does any one have recommendations regarding an establishment that would accept shipment and either wash OR dry clean a kilt without harming it (and that, of course, would include pressing it with proper care afterwards).

Some estimate of how much would be charged for that service would be welcome.

Two of my kilts have come from USA Kilts; they each contain a label that specifies "Dry Clean Only," but I've heard people advise VERY careful washing machine cold water gentle cycle in a nylon bag as an alternative.

All advice and warnings welcome.

**User** · 7th February 25, 02:16 PM

Personally, I like the idea of washing it in the bathtub by hand using cold water, gentle (baby) shampoo, and minimal agitation. I think rinsing is the most important part. Just using cold water to wash off any buildup the kilt has picked up. But I have a do-it-yourself attitude, and it sounds like you'd rather not.

I don't want to push you to do something you're not comfortable with, but I don't think pressing a kilt is particularly difficult. Have you used an iron before? If you want to expand your skills, practice on some cheaper clothes. Iron your t-shirts, iron your pants, iron your dress shirts. If you screw up, screw up on something cheap. Ironing isn't difficult. After your finish your wardrobe, you'll likely feel confident. Then move on to your kilts. Make sure you use the wool setting on the iron. You probably know what the pleats should look like better than a clothing professional who only sees kilts once in a blue moon.

Or, forget everything I've said. Maybe someone can recommend a professional service to you. I just can't stand the idea of having to pay someone to wash and iron my clothes. I don't have enough money to pay someone to do something I can do myself.

**Janner52** · 7th February 25, 03:36 PM

Pressing a kilt isn’t difficult. It just needs care. Use a pressing cloth and press down, don’t rub with the iron. That’s what I was advised.
I’m probably telling you something you already know.

**CBH** · 7th February 25, 07:31 PM

The last time I had my acrylic kilts cleaned and pressed, they destroyed the pleats.

The worst thing is that I did not realize this before I left the cleaners.

I will wash and press them myself..........if I wear them again.

I'll still have my wool kilts dry cleaned. But I'll be very, very particular in pressing instructions and inspection upon pick-up.

**RGM1** · 8th February 25, 07:35 AM

My dry cleaner did great job on my wool kilts. I machine wash my PVC kilts and they turned out fine not requiring ironing. Gentle cycle and air dry carefully.

**Liam** · 8th February 25, 10:53 AM

If there is a rental kilt shop in your area, ask them where they get their rental kilts cleaned….

**Nathan** · 9th February 25, 08:46 AM

If you don’t have a kilt rental place in your area who can recommend a dry cleaner with experience cleaning kilts, my advice would be to baste stitch your pleats in place. This is a quick and easy process there are resources online to show how it’s done. Once your basting stitches are in place, I’d trust any commercial dry cleaner to clean and press it.

**bookish** · 12th February 25, 09:03 AM

I have soaked one of my kilts in the bathtub with a tiny bit of dish soap. I'll probably invest in wool-specific soap in the future. What I learned is that the kilt was just fine, but I didn't know how to properly deal with the leather straps. I am due for leather cleaning and conditioning products, soon.

As for pressing, I wouldn't be afraid. I am aiming to be a serial kilter, and I have been working at my desk, so pleats do get creases. I haven't quite figured out the best method for pressing in terms of how I should lay out the waistband for pressing (allowing the full curve of the fabric to lay flat when pressing, or straightening the waistband), however, I use a wet cloth and press straight down on the pleats as mentioned above. I haven't yet gotten my process down. Maybe more experienced folks will want to weigh in a full process that accounts for washing, properly treating the straps, and pressing.

**jsrnephdoc** · 12th February 25, 06:04 PM

Originally Posted by Nathan

If you don’t have a kilt rental place in your area who can recommend a dry cleaner with experience cleaning kilts, my advice would be to baste stitch your pleats in place. This is a quick and easy process there are resources online to show how it’s done. Once your basting stitches are in place, I’d trust any commercial dry cleaner to clean and press it.

My most recent kilt was made by Barb Tewksbury, so I can ask her, or perhaps the superb local seamstress who's done some other work for me (such as shortening the sleeves and then opening up the sleeve cuffs a bit on my Prince Charlie so there'd be room for my "3 Rampant Lions" cufflinks. As for asking a Kilt Hire shop, No est possible here in MT, where the nearest Apple Retail Store is 700 miles away, the nearest Nordstrom even more distant.

I do have one other "wash and press it" option. My sister is an amateur seamstress, and she's coming to visit in a month. I can leave my somewhat soiled kilt out of wearing rotation for a month and ask HER to do the basting stitching while I watch (we can use Barb's book for tutoring on how to do the basting stitches).

Oh, and I DID learn to press my own clothes as a kid (with starch for my dress shirts). My mom even pressed underwear and sheets!

**Nathan** · 13th February 25, 08:50 AM

Originally Posted by jsrnephdoc

My most recent kilt was made by Barb Tewksbury, so I can ask her, or perhaps the superb local seamstress who's done some other work for me (such as shortening the sleeves and then opening up the sleeve cuffs a bit on my Prince Charlie so there'd be room for my "3 Rampant Lions" cufflinks. As for asking a Kilt Hire shop, No est possible here in MT, where the nearest Apple Retail Store is 700 miles away, the nearest Nordstrom even more distant.

I do have one other "wash and press it" option. My sister is an amateur seamstress, and she's coming to visit in a month. I can leave my somewhat soiled kilt out of wearing rotation for a month and ask HER to do the basting stitching while I watch (we can use Barb's book for tutoring on how to do the basting stitches).

Oh, and I DID learn to press my own clothes as a kid (with starch for my dress shirts). My mom even pressed underwear and sheets!

If you don’t want to wait a month or pay someone, have a look at this tutorial. The thing about basting stitches is that they are temporary so they don’t have to be super neat. You’ll be pulling them out anyway. They just hold everything together for pressing.

https://youtu.be/NKkZO1iDcr4?si=tUJ9HZmIABGOMhOv