KILT MAINTENANCE GUIDE

KILT MAINTENANCE GUIDE

A kilt is a garment that will last you a lifetime and so it is very important that you buy a heavy weight cloth and have it made by a reputable kiltmaker. A kilt is a man’s old faithful friend and most men will usually own one kilt in their lifetime. Therefore taking proper care of your kilt will not only ensure it stays looking its best for years to come but will also allow the kilt to be passed down the generations as a family heirloom. Read on for advice on maintaining, cleaning and storing your kilt to keep your Highland wear in tip top condition.

Stain Proofing

To ensure your kilt is well taken care of it is recommended that your kilt be Teflon coated. This will make your kilt stain (and even beer!) proof. All Houston’s own designs are Teflon coated but this is available for 350 other tartans which are not an original Houston’s design and on special weave tartans.

stain proof

At Houston’s we were the first to Teflon coat/stain proof all our tartans, which makes our kilts and jackets fully protected from rain and stains. The fabric is even beer proof! The wool has the same handle and is fully breathable, making them safe to wear to rugby and football matches.

We calculate that over the life span of your kilt you will save approximately £180 to £260, not having to get your kilt dry cleaned as often. This also helps the environment. The Teflon coating lasts a minimum of 18 dry cleans.

Dry Cleaning

Kilts are all wool and so CAN NOT be washed. Teflon coating protects your kilt making it stain proof. However; if your kilt is not Teflon coated you need to take special care when attempting to remove a stain. If you are attending an event and a drink is spilled on your kilt you are best to splash water on the stain immediately. Kilts CAN NOT be submerged in water but an affected area of around one or two square inches may be treated. Later when cleaning the affected area you should use warm water and a mild soap and gently rub the stain, but we cannot stress enough this should be used only on the small affected area you SHOULD NOT attempt to clean the whole kilt using this method. Attempting to clean the kilt in this fashion could shrink the waistband and ruin your garment. If you have a separate swatch or cutting of your tartan we strongly recommend that you stain it in the same way your kilt was stained to use it for experiment before cleaning your kilt. For example, if your kilt was stained with red wine you should pour some red wine on the separate cutting or swatch of tartan and treat it with warm water and mild soap as advised.

If the stain does not lift we would then suggest that you send your kilt to a reputable dry cleaner to have the stain removed. In the UK dry cleaners will be more experienced in cleaning kilts however; overseas your dry cleaner may not be familiar with the garment and so if you are having your kilt professionally cleaned we still recommended to give your cleaner a small sample of tartan to practise first. This will rule out any potential damage, as cleaners worldwide might not have cleaned a kilt at all before. As a made to measure garment you want to eliminate any risk of damage.

Content of Kilt

Kilts are 100% all wool with cotton canvas and lining.
They have leather belt straps with metal buckles.
DRY CLEAN ONLY
DO NOT TUMBLE DRY

Transporting

Kilt Carrier

Kilt Wardobe

There are various ways to store and transport your kilt and highland wear. Our deluxe carry carries your kilt, jacket and all accessories and is available in Grey or Navy. The deluxe carry has a kilt tube which your kilt can be rolled up and stored in. The deluxe carry includes a large zip cover which we refer to as the wardrobe this will be used to store your jacket. The large zip bag also has pockets to hold your shoes, shirt, sgian dubh, sporran and other accessories.

Wood Clamp Hanger

We also stock wooden clamp kilt hangers, which are great for hanging your kilt.

Kilt Carrier

If your kilt becomes creased in storage you can lightly steam it. When storing your kilt in the wardrobe you should make sure that it is contained in a protective cover with moth balls so there is no risk of damage or wear.

FURTHER HELP AND INFO

Ken and Ewan MacDonald

Owner of Houston’s Ken MacDonald has had his own kilt for over 30 years and it is well maintained due proper care and storage. For further information on kilt storage and maintenance and to see Ken and his 30 year old kilt please view our helpful video clips at www.kiltmakers.com/tv/

We appreciate all feedback please comment and let us know if you have any questions!

© Houston Traditional Kiltmakers 2013