Clothing Care Cost Calculator
Calculate the annual cost of maintaining your wardrobe including dry cleaning, laundry, alterations, and repairs.
Clothing Care Cost adds up quickly and is often an overlooked part of wardrobe budgeting. Understanding these costs helps you make smarter purchasing decisions.
Dry cleaning costs (per item, US average):
- Dress shirt: $3-7
- Suit (2-piece): $10-20
- Dress pants: $5-10
- Dress/gown: $10-25
- Winter coat: $15-30
- Silk blouse: $5-10
- Tie: $3-5
- Wedding dress preservation: $150-300
Laundry costs (at home):
- Average cost per load (water, electricity, detergent): $1.50-3.00
- Average household does 5-8 loads per week
- Annual home laundry cost: $400-1,200
Laundromat costs:
- Wash: $2-5 per load
- Dry: $2-4 per load
- Total per load: $4-9
Alteration costs (common services):
- Hem pants: $10-20
- Hem dress: $15-30
- Take in/let out waist: $15-30
- Shorten sleeves: $15-25
- Replace zipper: $10-25
- Tailored fit (jacket): $30-80
Shoe care costs:
- Shoe polish and supplies: $10-30/year
- Sole replacement (resoling): $30-100
- Heel replacement: $15-40
- Professional cleaning: $25-50
The cost-per-wear concept:
Cost Per Wear = (Purchase Price + Total Care Costs) / Number of Times Worn
A $200 jacket dry cleaned 10 times at $15 each has a care cost of $150, making the true cost $350. If worn 50 times, the cost per wear is $7. If worn only 10 times, the cost per wear is $35.
High-maintenance vs. low-maintenance fabrics:
- High maintenance: silk, cashmere, wool suits, linen (dry clean or hand wash)
- Low maintenance: cotton, polyester, synthetic blends (machine washable)
Choosing machine-washable clothing can save hundreds of dollars per year in dry cleaning bills.