Kilt Cleaning

**shamrock715** · 20th August 18, 03:31 PM

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** · 20th August 18, 06:48 PM

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** · 20th August 18, 07:06 PM

Originally Posted by 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.

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** · 20th August 18, 07:39 PM

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** · 21st August 18, 06:06 AM

Originally Posted by 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!)

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** · 21st August 18, 06:21 AM

Originally Posted by shamrock715

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.

**shamrock715** · 21st August 18, 06:26 AM

Originally Posted by Tobus

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.

I wasn't going to use my beard brush on it. I meant I know what kind of brush I can get now. I didn't know it was the same type of brush. My beard brush is sacred. Goes on nothing but my beard and I got upset once when my now wife used it quick on her hair. She also figured out beard oil does wonders for her hair so on occasion I was left searching for my beard oil until I admitted defeat and bought another bottle. Now she has her own bottle of it just for her hair.

**Father Bill** · 21st August 18, 06:38 AM

Here are some older discussions/ posts on the topic. I'm still looking for one from Steve Ashton that I thought was the most helpful. Perhaps he'll post here shortly.

As you read through these discussions, you'll see different opinions, but out of those will perhaps emerge a consensus that will guide you in your maintenance.

Good luck! ...and remember that the internal search engine is your friend.

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...a-brown-91635/

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...washing-84656/

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...ol-kilt-81308/

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...er-kilt-78949/

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...-pleats-76951/

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...steamer-74239/

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...ol-kilt-66575/

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...f-kilts-59227/

**derosa** · 21st August 18, 07:59 PM

I have a decent table in the basement with the washing machine and the wife was adamant that the machine had to have a hand wash cycle. I toss a single kilt in, cold water, small size on the hand wash cycle with just a few drops of tide. Enough to make a few bubbles and not much more. From there I lay the kilt out on the table on a towel and make sure all the pleats are where they should be. With recently pressed kilts the pleats just lay flat and once dry look perfect, if the kilt has been around the block a few times with no extra care I'll throw another towel over the top and press it with the iron then leave it to dry. Basically if the pleats assume their shape when laid flat quickly and easily than they're fine, a fan blowing over it will dry it faster. A couple old posts mention something to maintain ph of the kilt or water, can never remember what which hopefully someone will post on. For me and my time strapped life this works well, I also only wash a kilt after its been worn around a good dozen times. Sooner if it actually looks dirty, I've never noticed them smelling and my wife would let me know if they did so this seems like a good schedule for me.

**Tobus** · 22nd August 18, 05:15 AM

Originally Posted by derosa

I toss a single kilt in, cold water, small size on the hand wash cycle with just a few drops of tide. Enough to make a few bubbles and not much more.

...

A couple old posts mention something to maintain ph of the kilt or water, can never remember what which hopefully someone will post on.

I won't claim to be an expert on this, but I've always been told that commercial detergents should not be used on wool. They are designed specifically for getting out stains like grease and skin oils, which means they break down animal proteins. It will deteriorate the wool fibers, supposedly. This is why Woolite and other wool-specific detergents were created, although the knitting community seems to agree that even Woolite is bad for wool over the long-term. They recommend a "wool wash" which you can find at knitting supply stores.

White vinegar is what most people recommend adding to the rinse water when washing wool, usually 1/4 to 1/2 cup, though it depends on how large a basin you're washing it in. Wool is naturally slightly acidic, and the vinegar will gently raise the acidity (lower the pH) of the water. It also helps freshen the fibers and leave them feeling more fluffy and soft. This seems to be more important for sweaters and knit-wear rather than kilts, but it's recommended for any type of woolen garment. The vinegar smell will dissipate after drying.