Guide · Laundry and clothes washing ·
How to Wash a Tie
A tie consists of an outer fabric of silk, polyester, microfibre or wool and an inner lining that gives it shape; that is why, when washed in water, the fabric can shrink, the lining can shift and the tie can lose its shape. How a tie is cleaned depends on its fabric: silk and wool ties need dry cleaning, while polyester and microfibre ties with a wash symbol on the label can be washed by hand or on a delicate programme. This guide explains how to wash a tie, how to clean a silk tie and how to iron a tie. For suits, see the guide how to wash a suit.
Before you start
- Read the label: check the tie's fabric and its wash or dry-clean symbol on the label.
- Untie the knot: do not wash or leave the tie knotted; the fabric creases and loses its shape.
- Do a colour test: press a wet white cloth on the back of the tie; if dye transfers, do not wash the tie but have it dry cleaned.
- Act on stains straight away: blot fresh food and drink stains with a clean cloth; do not rub.
Can a tie be machine washed?
Most ties are not machine washed; the inner lining and seams can shift with the machine's rotation. Only polyester and microfibre ties with a machine-wash symbol on the label can be machine washed. Put these ties in a laundry bag, choose the delicate or hand-wash programme and the low temperature stated on the label, keep the spin speed low and use detergent for coloureds at the label dose. Do not machine wash silk, wool or handmade ties.
How to hand wash a polyester tie: step by step
- Fill a basin with cold water and, once TETİK hand-wash detergent has fully dissolved in the water at the label dose, put the tie in.
- Wash the tie by gently pressing and releasing; do not rub or wring it.
- Rinse the tie several times in clean cold water until no detergent remains.
- Without wringing, remove the water by rolling the tie in a towel and pressing.
- Lay the tie on a flat surface, straighten its shape and dry it in the shade.
How to clean a silk tie?
We have no product for silk ties, and do not soak a silk tie in water; water can leave marks on silk, make the colour run and spoil the lining. Blot a fresh stain with a clean, slightly damp cloth and hang the tie to dry. For grease, wine and stubborn stains, take the tie to the dry cleaner without delay and say what the stain is. The same rule applies to wool and knitted ties.
Stains on ties
- Blot fresh grease and food stains straight away with a clean paper towel; do not spread the stain.
- On a polyester tie, use a stain remover such as İLK BOR Leke Sihirbazı according to its label, testing it first on the back of the tie.
- For details on grease stains: how to remove grease stains.
- Do not rub stains on silk and wool ties; leave them to the dry cleaner.
Drying, ironing and storage
- Dry the tie flat or hanging, in the shade; do not put it in the tumble dryer.
- If the label allows, iron the tie at a low setting with a thin pressing cloth in between.
- Do not press the tie's edges flat with the iron; smooth out creases with steam, without touching the fabric.
- Store the tie untied on a hanger or loosely rolled in a drawer.
- For shirts: how to wash shirts.
What not to do
- Soaking silk, wool and handmade ties in water or machine washing them.
- Using bleach on ties.
- Wringing the tie and washing it in hot water.
- Ironing the tie at a high setting without a pressing cloth.
- Leaving the tie knotted.
For hotels, restaurants and schools
The uniform ties of hotel and restaurant staff, airline and security crews, and school-uniform ties are mostly polyester; washing them in a laundry bag on a delicate programme according to the label, setting silk ties aside for dry cleaning and storing ties hanging keeps the routine orderly. For a product list, see Laundry supplies and chemicals. TETİK hand-wash detergent is sold in 20 kg, TETİK detergent for coloureds in 4 kg and İLK BOR Leke Sihirbazı in 1 L packs; for bulk purchases you can request a quote.
