The Unexpected Item You'll Want To Avoid Keeping In Your Closet

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Most of your laundry can be cleaned at home, but there are always a few items that require the attention of a dry cleaner. If you have had something dry cleaned before, you probably are familiar with the plastic bags they come back in. While these bags seem innocent enough, the reality is that keeping them in your closet long term is a laundry storage mistake that is ruining your clothes.

During the dry cleaning process, delicate garments or professional wear are freshened up with a process that utilizes specialty solvents. Dry cleaning garment bags are meant to fulfill the important task of protecting your newly cleaned clothing from getting dirty on the journey home. Though this is a fine goal, it comes with a nasty side effect that could impact your clothing, air quality, and closet aesthetics negatively.

As mentioned, dry cleaning uses chemicals and solvents to clean your delicate garments. Unfortunately, not all of the odors or residual chemicals are removed by the time your clothing has finished dry cleaning, and the provided plastic garment bag traps those odors against the garment. Over time, the odors from the chemical off-gassing can contaminate your closet's air, while also dragging down the visual appeal of the space with tacky plastic garment covers. That's why it's best to simply dispose of the bag when you get home.

While tossing a dry cleaning bag might not seem like a big deal to some, others will be disappointed by the recommendation. The plastic bags do, admittedly, keep fabric protected from oily fingers when looking through your outfit options and are also convenient for travel. The truth, however, is that you don't want to leave clothes in dry cleaning bags too long because their protective properties are short lived: The plastic offers poor breathability, which can lead to moisture being trapped and causing mildew or other stains. 

Instead of pinching pennies by reusing cheap plastic dry cleaning bags, you can always invest in higher quality reusable ones. Cotton garment bags are a great breathable alternative if you like the idea of bringing an extra layer of protection to your finer pieces of clothing. They come in a range of sizes and prices, such as the $42 Hayden Hill Luxury Organic Cotton Garment Bag on Amazon, so you can select one that works, whether you need to store a suit coat or a formal gown. If you're keen to use a cotton garment bag on your dry cleaned clothing, it's best to let the clothing air out for the first few days after removing the plastic dry cleaning bag. This will allow the chemical residue to diminish, resulting in cleaner closet air (you can make your closet even more odor-free and fresh-smelling with a baking soda hack).