How to Clean a Tie

Anyone who has ever worn a necktie has probably experienced some version of the following: You're eating dinner at a fine restaurant, thoroughly enjoying your meal and having a terrific time. Then, all of a sudden a blob of spaghetti sauce drops smack-dab onto the middle of your new yellow tie - leaving an ugly red stain. In an instant, your good times dissipate as you now realize that this is the "power tie" you were going to wear in tomorrow's board meeting. Looking at the blotch on your tie, you are your appetite. Want to avoid this situation? There are a few measures you can take.

Depending on the fabric of the tie - whether fine silk, wool, or even cotton - the very smallest of stains can ruin it! Stains on a necktie are notoriously hard to remove, therefore, the first line of defense against stains, is to keep them from happening in the first place.

A tie tack can work wonders when it comes to keeping your tie clean and out of your bowl of soup. Nevertheless, while a tie tack does a nice job of holding the tie in place, it also puts a tiny hole into the fabric. To prevent these unsightly puncture wounds, but still keep your tie safe and tight, try putting the tack underneath the tie, through the label.

Still, tie tack or no tie tack, there will come a time when you subject your tie to an especially bad stain. When this happens you have to act quickly before the stain has a chance to really set into the fabric. For most accidents, you should immediately blot the stain lightly with cold water - or club soda if it is available. That will help prevent the stain from setting in, although it is never guaranteed. For especially greasy stains, water simply won't work because the stain will resist it. In the case of a nasty greasy stain, apply talcum powder to the spot as soon as possible. If you act quickly enough, the powder will absorb the oil or grease from the fabric, and you will be able to gently wipe the stain away.

If cold water and/or talcum powder just doesn't get rid of the messy stain, in order to salvage the tie you may want to try a specialty tie-cleaning service. Though it can be costly, a tie service will completely take apart your tie, clean the fabric, and then reassemble it. If you do choose a tie-cleaning service, investigate their cleaning process first to make sure they will properly care for your tie. Some services simply throw the tie in the wash and then simply press it flat.