Terms of UseHow to Clean a Tie Explore this Article methods 1 Acting Immediately After a Spill 2 Treating Stubborn Stains 3 Preventing a Stain to Your Tie Other Sections Tips and Warnings Related Articles References Article Summary Author Info
Last Updated: July 11, 2025 Tested
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wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, 13 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. The wikiHow Video Team also followed the article's instructions and verified that they work. This article has been viewed 197,849 times.
A classy tie is the perfect staple of most male wardrobes. Ties can be expensive and are usually made from delicate fabrics that can't be put into a washing machine. Unfortunately, it is all too easy to end up with food, ink, or other hard to remove stains on your tie, leaving it unwearable. However, knowing how to clean a tie properly can rejuvenate your favorite accessory so you can wear it proudly.
Steps
Method 1 Method 1 of 3:
Acting Immediately After a Spill
1 Address the spill and resulting stain immediately. The longer you allow the spill to remain on the tie, the more likely it is that you will not be able to remove the stain completely.
2 Remove the spill with the blade of a dull knife. Instead of wiping the spill off of your tie with a napkin, use the edge of a knife or other straight object to gently scrape off the extra substance.
This will prevent you from embedding the stain, spreading it further, or pushing the existing stain deeper into the tie fabric.
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3 Dampen a cloth or napkin with club soda and blot the stain. If the stain is water-soluble, use seltzer water, club soda, or tonic on the tie as you are blotting. Be sure not to saturate the cloth. Dab the stain, again taking care not to rub it further into the fabric. You can apply slight pressure as you brush lightly across the stained area.
Avoid using water on silk. Water can easily damage a silk tie by leaving water spots and spreading a stain but apple cider vinegar can keep the stain from setting in.
4 Use an "on the go" instant stain remover pen. Test it first on an area that will not show, such as the back of the tie, to be sure that it is not going to lift the color along with the stained spot. Also, be sure that you are using a spot remover, rather than a pen that contains bleach.[1]XResearch source Advertisement
Method 2 Method 2 of 3:
Treating Stubborn Stains
1 Check the label to determine the fabric content of your tie. This will help you figure out the best method to clean a stain off of your tie and prevent you from ruining it. If you are unsure about the fabric, it is always better to treat the tie delicately and keep it out of the washing machine.
2 Cover grease, oil, or ink stains with talcum powder or cornstarch. These products act to absorb stains immediately after they happen. Leave the talcum powder or cornstarch on your tie for a few hours, and then shake it off. If the stain still shows, you can repeat the process.
3 Dab the stain with rubbing alcohol. Rubbing alcohol can lift stains from the top layer of the tie on fabrics like wool, rayon, and silk. Apply the rubbing alcohol to a clean cloth and then dab the stain lightly. Allow the tie to air after you are finished dabbing the stain.
Never use alcohol on acetate, rayon, or triacetate to treat stains.[2]XResearch source
4 Soak more durable fabrics in water. Fabrics like acrylic, cotton, linen, nylon, polyester, or spandex can be soaked in water to release stains like ink. Soak your tie in one quart of warm water mixed with one teaspoon of dishwashing detergent and one tablespoon of vinegar. After about one hour, rinse your tie with clean, warm water, and allow it to air dry.[3]XResearch source
5 Flush out ink stains on more delicate fabrics. For fabrics such as wool, rayon, or silk, try loosening a stain by dabbing on a stain remover with a clean cloth, and then spray the stain with distilled water. Allow the tie to air dry, and repeat if necessary.[4]XResearch source
6 Choose a dry cleaner for difficult stains or delicate ties. Find a dry cleaner who knows specifically how to clean a tie, but only if all else fails. A regular cleaning service may be able to remove the stain, but it will also press the tie flat, altering its appearance dramatically. The specialist will be able to remove the offending marks without changing its shape, although it might require the disassembly and reconstruction of the tie.[5]XResearch source
At that point, you will have to decide if the purchase of a new tie might be more cost-effective.
Be sure to always read the instructions for the tie on the label. Most ties will instruct you to wash by hand or dry clean only.
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Method 3 Method 3 of 3:
Preventing a Stain to Your Tie
1 Remove your tie before you eat. If you find yourself in an atmosphere where you can take off your tie before eating, then do it. When we spill on ourselves, it is usually right down our torsos where a tie hangs. It is all too easy to spill food on your tie and leave a stain, so avoid it if you can.
2 Throw your tie over your shoulder. If leaning over something messy, like food, try draping your tie over your shoulder to keep it out of the way. This will keep your tie from dipping into substances that will cause stains.
Tie tacks and clips also help to hold your tie out of the way, making spills and stains a little less likely.
3 Protect your ties with a fabric protectant. Before wearing your tie, you can spray a special fabric protectant on your tie. This will give you extra protection against stains.
While this won't prevent a stain completely, it will make your tie fabric more resistant against them.
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Warnings
Dry cleaning a silk tie can take out the shine. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
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Tested by: wikiHow Video Team wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, 13 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. This article has been viewed 197,849 times. 30 votes - 85% Co-authors: 13Updated: July 11, 2025 Views: 197,849Article SummaryX
To clean a tie successfully, be sure to address spills and stains as soon as possible. Scrape up the spill with a dull knife and blot the stained fabric immediately with club soda if you're dealing with a water-based stain. For stubborn grease, oil, or ink stains, cover the area with talcum powder or cornstarch for a few hours to absorb the stain. You can also try dabbing a stubborn stain with rubbing alcohol to remove it! For more tips on removing tie stains, read on!Did this summary help you?YesNo
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Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 197,849 times.
Reader Success Stories
Pat Kehoe
Apr 30, 2017
"I got pancake syrup on my silk tie. I saw it and told the dry cleaners, but they did not do anything. I used a combination of your ideas and used Tide Stain Release. I checked it on the back of the tie first for discoloration, as this is my favorite tie, then I applied the stain release to the syrup, scraped it with my fingernail to loosen it and then dabbed clean with a white undershirt. Looks fine!"..." more Rated this article:
More reader stories Hide reader stories
Did this article help you?
Yes No Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Tested by: wikiHow Video Team Co-authors: 13Updated: July 11, 2025 Views: 197,84985% of readers found this article helpful. 30 votes - 85% Click a star to add your vote
Pat Kehoe
Apr 30, 2017
"I got pancake syrup on my silk tie. I saw it and told the dry cleaners, but they did not do anything. I used a combination of your ideas and used Tide Stain Release. I checked it on the back of the tie first for discoloration, as this is my favorite tie, then I applied the stain release to the syrup, scraped it with my fingernail to loosen it and then dabbed clean with a white undershirt. Looks fine!"..." more Rated this article:
Barbara Green
Mar 10, 2017
"My husband wears ties almost every day, and usually he takes his ties to the cleaners to remove the spots he gets on them. This can get costly. We are now living on a budget, so I have decided to try and clean them myself. I have 3 ties to clean, I found your information very helpful and I will be trying this. "..." more
Linda Crites
Apr 30, 2019
"Thank you for the helpful hints on how to clean a dry-clean-only tie. It is much more cost-efficient to do it myself. A friend recently brought me a bow tie that needs some cleaning of some small spots, mostly on the inside. Now I feel I can do this."..." more More success stories Hide success stories
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1 Address the spill and resulting stain immediately. The longer you allow the spill to remain on the tie, the more likely it is that you will not be able to remove the stain completely. 
2 Remove the spill with the blade of a dull knife. Instead of wiping the spill off of your tie with a napkin, use the edge of a knife or other straight object to gently scrape off the extra substance. 
4 Use an "on the go" instant stain remover pen. Test it first on an area that will not show, such as the back of the tie, to be sure that it is not going to lift the color along with the stained spot. Also, be sure that you are using a spot remover, rather than a pen that contains bleach.[1] Advertisement 
1 Check the label to determine the fabric content of your tie. This will help you figure out the best method to clean a stain off of your tie and prevent you from ruining it. If you are unsure about the fabric, it is always better to treat the tie delicately and keep it out of the washing machine. 
2 Cover grease, oil, or ink stains with talcum powder or cornstarch. These products act to absorb stains immediately after they happen. Leave the talcum powder or cornstarch on your tie for a few hours, and then shake it off. If the stain still shows, you can repeat the process. 
6 Choose a dry cleaner for difficult stains or delicate ties. Find a dry cleaner who knows specifically how to clean a tie, but only if all else fails. A regular cleaning service may be able to remove the stain, but it will also press the tie flat, altering its appearance dramatically. The specialist will be able to remove the offending marks without changing its shape, although it might require the disassembly and reconstruction of the tie.[5] 
1 Remove your tie before you eat. If you find yourself in an atmosphere where you can take off your tie before eating, then do it. When we spill on ourselves, it is usually right down our torsos where a tie hangs. It is all too easy to spill food on your tie and leave a stain, so avoid it if you can. 