How wire hangers are ruining your clothes – and what professional organizers and stylists use instead

If your clothes are on hangers and not in a heap on the floor, you might not often think about our hangers.

However, it turns out what you use to hang clothing makes a big difference, both to the lasting organization of your closet and to the longevity of your clothes, with wire hangers being the worst offenders for ruining garments – even if their slim profile makes them a shoe-in saving space.

But how do wire hangers damage your clothes? And what can you use instead to organize a closet that isn’t too bulky? Here, organizers and stylists share the answers.

How wire hangers are ruining your clothes

Organizing clothes isn’t too tricky when you have the right tools, be it the best hangers to keep them in shape, or handy drawer dividers (available at Walmart).

Wire hangers might help to limit bulk and weight on a clothes rail, but they are one of the worst ways to aesthetically organize a closet, not to mention that they misshape garments and can lead to items slipping, quickly causing closet chaos. Here’s why they should be avoided.

1. They misshape delicate fabrics

So far as clothes storage ideas go, wire hangers have the highest risk of misshaping your clothes as they sag under the weight of the fabric, explains Maria Henderson, organizing expert at Henfield Storage. ‘Garments that are made of delicate fabrics or those that are bulky such as suits and coats may have distorted shoulders or sagging, as these wire hangers might not be able to provide the clothes adequate support.’

Once a wire hanger has stretched the shoulders of a garment, it will be nigh-on impossible to fix, and the item will not look as flattering on. It is best to avoid them altogether for anything that isn't as light as a camisole. ]

Here are some alternative hanger types our pros recommend:

2. They can leave rust stains

Removing rust stains from hard furnishings and floors is one thing, but removing them from clothes is another. In many cases, it is almost impossible to lift the marks completely. This is another reason why metal wire hangers are not worth the risk, says Rob Behnke, co-founder and stylist of sustainable fashion company Fair Indigo.

He says, ‘It’ll leave marks that are nearly impossible to get out when doing laundry. Honestly, they’re more trouble than they’re worth for anything you care about.’

If your clothes do have rust stains on them, your best bet is to soak the stain in lemon juice, available at Walmart, and leave the item to sit in the sun for at least 30 minutes. Then wash in cold water with a powerful detergent, such as Tide Free & Gentle, from Walmart. Repeat as needed until it has lightened or lifted.

3. They leave harsh creases

Because they are so thin and sharp, wire hangers can leave deep creases in clothing – especially items like folded pants hung over the crossbar. While there are plenty of ways to get wrinkles out of clothes, why make life more difficult for yourself?

It would be better advised to fold these items or do away with wire hangers altogether to protect your clothing and save time on chores and use padded hangers, such as the non-slip padded hangers in a pack of five from Walmart.

Keeping something like the best-selling Conair handheld garment steamer from Amazon nearby is a quick remedy for wrinkles and creases without needing to dig out the iron and board, but it is always best to avoid creases altogether.

4. Items fall off

One thing making your closet look cluttered is items half falling off of hangers or ending up in a pile on the surface below. Because wire hangers are so thin and often slippery, it is easy for items to fall off as you move things around in your closet, meaning you have to spend more time re-organizing.

All in all, this is not a very efficient way to live, more so, perhaps, than organizing a closet without hangers altogether, so consider switching to save time and better organize your morning routine.

5. They can rip fabric

Maria Henderson, an organizing expert adds, ‘The main reason that these wire hangers damage the clothes is because of their thin and sharp edges, which can result in tearing, stretching, or even misshaping of the clothes.’

If your wire hangers are old or of poor quality, rough metal or snapping supports can easily tear through the fabric, rendering your clothing obsolete. It is not worth the hassle for the sake of saving a little bit of space on the rail.

Use a space-saving hanger instead if you're short on railing to make use of vertical space.

If you need to organize a closet without buying anything and only have wire hangers to hand, all is not lost, assures Rob Behnke, stylist. ‘You could try wrapping them with foam or fabric if you’re in a pinch, but it’s a Band-Aid solution. They still don’t really hold the shape of your clothes well, and they’re not great for heavier garments. If it’s something lightweight, fine, but for anything else, I’d just skip them altogether.’