How often do you clean your kilt?

[Galb]

I haven't had any problems with damage to the leather straps when I've washed my synthetic kilts.

I think you'll find that a kilt needs to be cleaned far less often than you think. Unless you sat in something or spilled something on it, it should be fine to wear again, and again, and again...

When you do wash your synthetic kilt, gentle cycle, cold water, hang dry, just like you said. When you hang it, you can straighten out the pleats and you may find that you don't even need to press it.

If you do need to press it, BASTE THE PLEATS FIRST, and follow the instructions here
http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/b...x.html?t=35190
and here
http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/s...x.html?t=26550
so you don't screw up your pleats.

Trust me, I learned that one the hard way... I had to re-position, re-baste, and re-press every single pleat in one of my kilts after pressing it incorrectly. What a waste of an afternoon!

Thank you so much. It's prolly fine then. WOOT! After the gym tonight I'm strapping it back on to lounge around the house a wee bit.

[ThreadBbdr]

I also hand wash all my woolens. Skirts (and now kilts), sweaters, socks, scarves, lace shawls, hats, mittens, etc. The only thing I take to the cleaners are suits (so that both parts are handled the same) and jackets/coats/cloaks. Everything else I do at home.

For the wool and wool blend garments, I like Eucalan Wool Wash. It's advertised as "no-rinse", but I do. You just don't need multiple rinses to get it out.

For really heavy duty washing (think greasy spots) I use Orvus soap. It's a VERY concentrated, biodegradable liquid soap that is sold as a horse shampoo! But it is GREAT for other purposes - quilters use it and so do weavers. Because it is so concentrated, you need about a teaspoon for a full sized coverlet. Very economical, and I know people who use it as their camping soap/shampoo so you know it is gentle. It would do very well for a really filthy kilt.

Other than that, I use a method like the one above - in the tub. Don't agitate the fabric much and keep the water temp constant.

Woolite has a lot of brighteners and such, so I tend to avoid it.