The Clothes That Should Be Dry Cleaned at the Start of the Year

Winter coats take on heavy use during the holidays, often more than any other wardrobe staple. Frequent exposure to salt spray, smoke, perspiration, and food residue gradually builds odors in outerwear fibers.

Even if your coat still looks fine, what’s trapped in the fabric can slowly wear it down. Cleaning it now, before winter is fully over, helps protect the material while you’re still relying on it day to day.

Before you hang it back by the door or keep wearing it on repeat, here’s what matters most when caring for winter outerwear.

Why Mid-Season Professional Cleaning Makes a Difference

• Salt residue weakens fibers: Sidewalk salt and slush splash up onto hems and cuffs, where it dries invisibly and slowly breaks down fabric.
• Smoke and cooking odors settle deep: Holiday environments leave lingering smells that don’t air out on their own.
• Sweat builds up in linings: Even cold weather can cause perspiration, especially around collars and underarms.
• Continued wear locks in stains: The longer the residue stays, the harder it is to fully remove later.

Tip: Dry cleaning not only cleans the outside, but it also treats linings, seams, and hidden layers home methods miss.

Holiday dresses and formalwear often only come out once or twice a year, but those few hours can leave lasting damage if they’re not cleaned promptly. Champagne splashes, perfume mist, makeup transfer, and body oils don’t always leave obvious marks right away. The problem is what happens weeks or months later when those invisible stains begin to oxidize and turn yellow.

Before you slip that dress into a garment bag and forget about it until next season, there are a few things worth understanding.

What to Do Before You Store Special-Occasion Pieces

• Clean before storage, not after: Stains set and darken over time, especially on light-colored fabrics.
• Avoid DIY spot treatments: Water and home products can spread stains or distort delicate materials.
• Pay attention to stress points: Underarms, necklines, and waist seams hold the most residue.
• Use breathable storage: After dry cleaning, store in cloth garment bags, not plastic.

Once oxidation occurs, even professional treatment may not fully reverse the damage.

Suits and blazers you wear for holiday parties, work events, or family gatherings pick up more than you’d expect. Makeup transfers onto lapels, food splashes hit sleeves, and collars quietly collect sweat and oils with each wear. What makes these garments especially vulnerable is their structure, layers of canvas, padding, and lining that trap residue inside.

Before putting your suit back into rotation or hanging it away, it helps to know how these pieces really hold up to wear.

How Dry Cleaning Protects Structured Garments

• Linings act like sponges: Sweat and oils sink in, even if the outer fabric looks clean.
• Pressing alone isn’t enough: Heat without cleaning can actually set stains deeper.
• Collar buildup causes shine: Body oils break down fibers, leading to that glossy, worn look.
• Professional cleaning preserves shape: Proper methods maintain shoulder structure and lapel roll.

Smart habit: Don’t wait until a suit “looks dirty”; cleaning on a schedule extends its lifespan.

Wool and cashmere sweaters are some of the most comfortable winter staples, but they’re also some of the most absorbent. These fibers naturally pull in body oils, moisture, and odors, even when worn lightly. Over time, that buildup leads to stiffness, stretching, and fabric thinning if not handled correctly.

Before folding away sweaters or continuing to wear them through the season, proper care makes a noticeable difference.

How Professional Cleaning Preserves Knitwear

• Removes oils without agitation: Dry cleaning avoids the friction that causes stretching.
• Helps prevent moth damage: Pests are drawn to oils left in fabric, not the fabric itself.
• Maintains softness and drape: Proper solvents refresh fibers instead of flattening them.
• Reduces pilling over time: Clean fibers are less likely to snag and fuzz.

Storage tip: Always clean sweaters before storing and fold them, never hang, to protect their shape.

Scarves and wraps tend to get overlooked because they feel small and harmless, but they’re often the most exposed items you own. They sit directly against skin, hair, makeup, and perfume, absorbing oils and residue every time they’re worn. Because they’re lightweight, odors and discoloration can develop faster than you expect.

Before tossing them into a drawer or wearing them again, a little professional care goes a long way.

Why Accessories Benefit from Professional Care

• Perfume and makeup cling to fibers: Especially true for silk, wool, and blends.
• Neck oils cause yellowing: This shows up over time, not immediately.
• Home washing can distort shape: Scarves lose drape and texture easily.
• Dry cleaning refreshes without damage: Keeps colors vibrant and fibers intact.

Easy rule: If it touches your neck or face repeatedly, it deserves professional cleaning.

A new year feels better when the clothes you rely on are impeccably cleaned, well cared for, and ready when you need them, especially the expensive and sentimental pieces. At Best Cleaners, we provide premium dry cleaning service across the Capital Region of New York, with FREE Pickup and Delivery Service right at your door, so protecting your wardrobe never feels like extra work.

If it’s delicate, designer, or limited-edition, now is the time to act before hidden wear, odors, or stains settle in and cause permanent damage.

Schedule your FREE Pickup and Delivery Service today or call us at 518-765-1190 to secure your spot. Our drivers are on the road Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM, and availability fills quickly this time of year. Relax knowing your most valuable pieces are in expert hands, and let Best Cleaners start the year off right for you!