Wearing a tie is relatively easy but taking it off and storing it takes a little more care and attention. The extra work is worth it though. It can greatly extend the life of your ties.
TIE REMOVAL
When you remove your tie, just reverse the tying procedure. Don’t pull the thin end through the knot and definitely don’t leave the tie knotted & pull on it until it’s big enough to slip it over your head. When you do this, your tie will become stretched, quickly lose its shape and gain extra wrinkles and creases. Always untie your tie when you take it off. Silk ties especially are very delicate. Treat them as fragile and give them the extra care that they deserve.
Once off your neck, and unknotted, hang your tie up! It will keep the wrinkles away. You may hang it on a hanger, but hangers are slippery and it may fall off, so a tie rack is highly recommended. If you are wearing a knitted tie, gently roll it up, as hanging a knitted tie will obviously encourage it to stretch.
WRINKLE REMOVAL
Even though you hang your tie up, sometimes wrinkles are still present. Only press or iron your tie if you absolutely have to. But there are a few rules to this:
When traveling, a great idea is to hang your tie in the bathroom when you are taking a shower and the steam from your shower is sometimes enough to make little wrinkles fall out.
REMOVING STAINS
If you have a silk tie with a stain, or if you have a Microfiber or polyester tie with a persistent stain on it, take it to a trusted dry cleaner and ask them to get the stain out, but not to press it flat like a pancake, unless of course, you like it that way. Hey, it’s your preference!
For minor stains on Microfiber or polyester ties, dip a clean cloth in club soda and dab the stain. I also have a friend that recommends putting a little dab of shaving cream on the stain and gently rubbing it out, because the shaving cream won’t leave a residue.
To remove grease or oil on your tie, sprinkle a little talcum powder on the spot and leave it for a while to absorb, then brush off the residue with a clean, soft cloth.
STORING TIES
If you’re an occasional tie wearer or you have a lot of ties and you’d like to store some of them, loosely roll them up and store them out of direct sunlight to prevent the colour from fading.
Remember, your neckties make a statement about you, so take care of them!