Excuse Me Minnesota Before You Put It On, Wash That Winter Coat Already!

We've gotten to that time of year when we are thinking about pulling our winter coats out from under the stairs again. But before you slide into that coat, do us all a favor and wash it first.

Take a moment and think about everything that you did last winter. How much of that was done in that jacket tossed in a Tuppermaid bin and stashed under the stairs once warmer weather came back? Now you get why you probably want to wash that jacket.

Rinse.com has some great insight into why washing your winter jacket before putting it back on is a good idea for everyone.

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The two big reasons why you might want to consider washing that winter jacket are your sweat and body oils. Over time they get to smell, so it's not a bad idea to wash that winter jacket a few times throughout the season to keep it smelling and looking clean.

If you've got a pet, dander, hair, and potentially animal saliva, oils, etc, can also get onto your winter jacket.

Rinse.com has these tips for cleaning and storing your winter coats.

• To prolong the life of your coat or jacket, don’t forget to tend to your outerwear during the offseason. Before storing it at the end of the season, make sure your jacket is clean – even if you don’t see any visible traces of dirt or stains. Moths are attracted to perfume and food odors, so if your coat or jacket isn’t freshly cleaned, it can end up with pesky moth holes.
• While many coats and jackets can be hand-washed or machine-washed, dry cleaning is ideal for wool coats or ones with embellishments.
• Keep in mind that leather jackets require special care; leather can’t be exposed to water, so bringing it to a specialty cleaner will ensure your jacket gets professional treatment.

Before you wash your winter coat, read the garment tag to ensure you are NOT going to ruin that warm winter coat before washing it yourself versus taking it to a dry cleaner etc.