Wire Hangers Cause More Harm Than Good to Clothes

Why Expensive Clothing Shouldn’t Be on Wire Hangers

When it comes to your closet’s hangers, you’ve got a lot of options. The most popular hangers are made from wood, plastic or metal. While wood is the most expensive and often the best-looking, metal has its advantages in certain situations. As a general rule, however, expensive garments shouldn’t hang on wire hangers. Here are some advantages and disadvantages of the common wire hanger.

Wire hangers are generally cheap. In fact, most dry cleaners use them—you can get them for free when your clothes are returned from the cleaners. The thin variety also doesn’t take up a lot of room in the closet.

That, unfortunately, is where their benefits end. Metal has the potential for rust, which can then transfer to your garments. Rust is very difficult, if not impossible, to remove from clothing, essentially ruining the fabric altogether. Metal hangers are also flimsy; you can’t hang a heavy winter coat on a standard metal hanger without bending it. Pants have a tendency to bend wire hangers, making the fabric wrinkle and the garment bunch up. Clothes can easily slip off of the wires, which may prove inconvenient, or even disastrous—especially when transporting clothes from one location to another. They also make for a messy, tangled closet, making it difficult to find the garment you want in a pinch. The part of the hanger where the metal is twisted around the hook can also snag a garment and cause irreparable damage. Haven’t we all experienced the heartbreak of seeing our precious sweaters and dress shirts ruined at the shoulders from those thin prongs?

Clearly, to protect your well-loved garments, your best choice is to invest in quality hangers. You can dispose of the wire hangers that you get from stores or cleaners, or even return them—the important thing is to choose hangers that will keep your clothing in good condition for as long as you store it.