Building a necktie collection can take not only a lot of time.

As years progress, the amount of money you spend on growing your own personal tie collection can also turn into a big investment.

Now hey, don’t get me wrong. I do believe investing in yourself is the investment you can make.

And shopping for neckties while making conscious style choices on how you present yourself to the world is definitely a good and important investment you can make on your career and life.

But you really want to make sure protect your investment in neckties the best way possible.

That’s why I have put together a list of X must-know tips to take good care of your ties and make them last longer.

Okay, let’s go!

Tie Your Neckties Carefully

Guys, please be careful with your ties when you are tying them. Now, I am not judging, because I have done this myself too, although I try not to do it as much these days, anyway.

But when going through the fun process of putting an awesome knot to your tie, handle both ends of the tie with care.

Simply avoid pulling too hard on it when tightening the knot, or causing needless friction.

Avoid Tying Your Knots Too Tight

I’m looking at you. You know who you are. All you member of the I’m Going To Knot My Tie Super Tight Club.

Just for the record, I periodically join this club as well, so I’m also looking at a mirror here.

But yeah, of course, ties need to be knotted and tied tight, it’s essential to getting a nice looking knot. Dimple and all.

You can however, go overboard and squeeze that knot to the extreme.

Go tighter and you might turn your tie into a diamond!

Just be cautious. Yes, make and style your knots as nicely as you’d like, but do not make your tie pay the consequences.

Tight and clean is good enough.

Avoid Touching Your Tie Unnecessarily

I am a toucher. Yes, I’ll be the first to admit to it.

If you are like me, you love to wear your tie well.

You know the drill, tight (not too tight, though) around your neck and making sure it is always perfectly in place and checking to see that the knot is still well tied and a nice dimple is always present.

That requires constant touching and adjusting. That’s just how it is.

Sadly, this constant handling of your necktie with your hands is not good.

Our hands, like the rest of our skin, can easily contain oils, swear, dirt and sometimes even materials that can stain your tie.

The less you touch your necktie, the better.

I know it is tempting. I know. Believe me, I know. But make your best effort to just leave it alone.

Avoid Spraying Perfumes Or Other Alcohol-Based Liquids On Your Neckties

It is not uncommon for men to spray their cologne or perfume on top of their clothes instead of directly on their skin.

Even though that is not the best way to use those products, they normally will not damage most items of clothing.

And in general, they shouldn’t affect your neckties in any significant manner.

But you never know and it may actually cause some unwanted harm to your tie. So why run the risk?

Plus, you really don’t want the smell to stay on your necktie for too long even after removing it at the end of the day.

Consider Stain Repellent Sprays

Now talking about stains, you may want to consider stain repellent sprays that could be applied to special fabrics, like silk, which many of your neckties surely are made of.

I have no specific product recommendations (if you have any, please get the discussion started in the comment section, by all means!), so I won’t call out any brands, but you can easily research online and find a good product.

Just make sure you do your research, read as much as you need to read, and feel confident in your decision.

Now of course, this is just an extra measure you may want to take, although there will always be the risk of the product damaging the tie, so I’d be very careful.

Still I wanted to add it to the list cause it’s a true option you have, but personally, I would still recommend to just be careful in your daily activites while wearing a tie.

Should you get any stains on our tie you may immediately think you should wash it, but…

NEVER Wash Your Ties At Home 

Oh and talking about stains and cleaning, I have to dedicate a whole section to this recommendation.

It may sound like a very simple solution to keep your ties clean at all times.

But please, do not ever wash your ties. No handwashing and no machine washing either.

Just do not even attempt it as chances are about 99% that you will ruin your beautiful neckties.

If for any reason you get your tie dirty or get stains on it, it doesn’t mean you necessarily have to throw it away, as you may actually be able to save it, but washing it is definitely not a choice you have.

This calls for a separate blog post to specifically cover the topic of necktie washing, so let me know if you’d like me to work on it next!

DO NOT, I Repeat DO NOT Iron Your Ties

This is perhaps even worse than washing your ties at home.

Well, actually they’re about as equally bad.

Ironing your neckties will suck away all the vitality of your necktie structure.

It will pretty much turn into a limp piece of fabric, which a necktie most certainly is not!

Neckties, due to their fabrics, linings and how they are structured have a peculiar way of hanging when tied.

Even when you lay a necktie on a flat surface you can notice it. They have this richness to them.

Ironing or pressing them at home is the perfect recipe to ruin a necktie. Please don’t.

Should you really take care of deep creases on your neckties, make some research and find a specialist that can take care of it.

Take Time To Know Your Tie Fabrics

Not all tie fabrics are made equal.

Silk may be very delicate and requires you to take particular care of it, whereas a knit tie may allow to you be a big rougher with it.

Although, to be clear, you’ve got to know some knit ties are also silk, so always read your care labels.

Then there are also wool ties which could also be a bit more resistant and may behave differently when it comes to stains and other things that could affect your necktie.

And let’s not forget polyester. Being a synthetic fabric, it may also holdout better against daily necktie dangers.

This may require a blog post of its own as well.

Read also: 3 Common Myths About Neckties Debunked

You Should Also Know Your Tie

I can hear you saying: What do you mean know your tie? I know my ties!

Well yeah, I’m sure you know your ties.

But do you really, really know them?

You know, even though there are measurements that can be considered standard, neckties can have different lengths that deviate from it.

Some can be longer. Some can be a bit shorter. Some can be wider. Some can be thinner.

These are important things you should know about each of your ties.

Having at least a somewhat good idea about how each of your ties is made, how long it is and how wide it is will avoid unnecessary excessive tying and untying when putting it on.

Also, Know Which Knot You Will Wear In Advance

Related to the previous point, as this will also avoid that needless tying and untying that many of us are so familiar with.

Have you ever grabbed your favorite necktie, ready to wear it with a new knot that you’ve never tried with it only to find out it just doesn’t work? You tie it time and time again and it just won’t end up looking the way you want it to look.

This can result in taking several tries to get the knot right. Or not even getting there at all!

This can be terrible for your ties and let’s face it. With each try the frustration grows and we can take it out on our ties.

Been there. Done that.

In short, knowing which necktie you will wear and which knot you will wear in advance will help you to easily tie your tie at the proper length for the tie you chose to wear and the knot you’re going for.

Give Tie Bars A Try

Tie bars are one of my favorite things and I’m sure it’s not just me.

They’re AWESOME.

But they can also be a great tool to protect your tie from a few things that can really damage it.

Particularly useful in those windy days when you are wearing that tie keeps flying around you in all directions.

Not only is that very annoying and distracting to you, but it can also damage your tie.

Neckties are really not meant to be flinging around. They’re meant to just fall flat and nice in front of your shirt.

So yeah, give tie bars a try.

If Necessary, Tuck In Your Tie

Yes, this one can be a bit controversial because it is not a nice look.

You know, tucking in the length of your tie inside you shirt in between two of the buttons near the top.

This is something that many men do, particularly when eating something that could potentially stain or damage their neckies. We’ve all seen it. Many of us have done it.

Furthermore, if you tuck in your tie in a careless manner, you also run the risk of damaging the tie (while you’re actually trying to protect it (the irony!)).

But it would bad to omit this tip from the list as it can be an effective solution, as long as it is well and prudently applied.

At The End of the Day, Untie Your Necktie Carefully As Well

Yes, I know. You are tired. You just walked in from working all day and you cannot wait to take off your tie because it is just too uncomfortable.

That’s fair.

But please, make your tie a favor and untie it carefully.

Violently pulling the narrow end of the tie out the knot is *not* carefully.

Really, it is not.

Take the time to undo your tie the proper way: follow the steps you followed to tie your tie, but in reverse.

That’s the best and safest way to do it to remove your tie at the end of the day while avoiding any damage.

As tired as you may be, it won’t take you more than a minute and you can save the life of your tie.

Oh and by the way, read this after reading this post: ties are not as uncomfortable as many think they are.

Read also: What Is The Right Necktie Width For 2021?

Oh, And Please Do NOT Leave Neckties Knotted Overnight

The only worse thing you could do than being careless with how you untie your necktie, is actually not untying it at all.

I know sometimes you really just don’t feel like it.

“It can wait till tomorrow” you tell yourself.

Well, no. It cannot wait until tomorrow.

Leaving your tie tied for a very long time, like overnight after a full day of wearing it, is just calling for permanent wrinkles on your tie.

No, not even coming back home from a wedding, drunk and ready to go to sleep, is an acceptable excuse.

Always. Always. I really mean it, always untie your tie and put it away properly before going to bed.

Want to know what’s even worse? People who will never untie their neckties. They’ll just say it saves them time next time they have to wear that tie.

Yes, even some friends I know.

Ex-friends, I should say.

Let Your Neckties Rest Between Wears

This is why havin a decent tie collection is a good idea for every man out there.

Some men will wear the same tie or a couple ties again and again and again without giving them much time to rest between wears.

Consider neckties can spend a good 6-10 hours tied when worn. The fabrics and linings require some time away to recover.

Give your ties at least 36 hours of proper rest.

Lastly, speaking of which…

Store Your Ties Properly

Now that you have removed your tie, it is time to put cautiously put it away.

There’s a bit of a debate in a few corners of the Internet from necktie afficionados about what’s the best way to store your ties to lengthen their lifespan.

Some will swear by hanging them from a velvet hanger to let them properly relax after a day of being tightly tied.

Some others will roll them carefully and keep them inside a drawer or any other compartment.

Me, personally, I try to adhere to a mix of both alternatives. Normally hanging my tie for about 24 hours after a day of wearing and then proceeding to roll it neatly to store it away until the next time comes to wear it.

Whatever your choice is, making sure you properly store your neckties will, without a doubt, keep them in good conditions for a longer time.

So don’t just throw them away all wrinkled inside a box, OK?

Conclusion

Neckties require proper care to last a liftime and beyond.

It is really up to you to put into practice these tips, it really isn’t that hard and just being mindful of what you do before you put your tie, while you wear your tie and after you take off at the end of the day will make an immense difference in the lifespan of your ties in your tie collection.

I hope you will find these tips useful.

If you have any personal tips on how you take care of your neckties that you would like to share with others readers of the Ed Ruiz Menswear blog, please leave them in the comment section.

Stay classy.

Ed.