Suits Unlimited's Guide on How to Wash Your Dress Shirts
To appear your absolute best, you must take extra special care of your dress shirts. It doesn't matter if the button-up shirt you're wearing cost you $25 or $250; if you know how to wash dress shirts correctly, you'll extend the life of your shirts, save money, and put your best foot forward. This manual will teach you all you need to know to maintain the quality of your dress shirts. In addition, we will discuss proper maintenance for dress shirts, including how to hang them, remove stains, and iron them so that you may enhance the life of your dress shirts and keep them looking as good as new.
How to Care for Dress Shirts in Wash and Dry
A few alternatives are available to you for laundering your dress shirts. Always make sure you read the warning label before moving on.
Option 1: Dress Shirts That Can Be Washed and Dried in a Machine
Wash cotton shirts in the washing machine like any other dress shirt. Before putting anything in the washing machine, button the shirt and pre-treat or spot-clean any particularly tenacious stains. A useful advice for people who frequently have underarm sweat stains is to wear a sweat-proof undershirt with their dress shirts. Wash shirts with light colors using a gentle cycle and hot water. When washing dark-colored clothing, always use cold water.
Utilize a high-quality detergent such as Woolite whenever it is feasible to forestall fading and discoloration. Detergents of lower grade may include chlorine, which is a staining agent and can cause fading. Please do not interrupt the wash cycle. Before you dry the shirts, let the spin cycle remove as much extra water as possible.
Take extra precautions if you want to dry your dress shirts in the dryer. Dryers are known to ruin dress shirts, particularly when set at a high heat setting. When you use a dryer to dry your dress shirts lower the heat to medium or low to reduce the risk or shrinking your shirts. It is OK to place your shirt in the dryer for a few minutes to remove the first moisture, but you should then allow it to air dry to remove the residual moisture and limit the likelihood of creases.
Option 2: Dress Shirts Cleaned Without Water
Dry clean shirts made of delicate fabrics other than cotton, such as silk, wool, rayon, and viscose. You should get as much use out of these shirts as possible before being dry cleaned because the cost of dry cleaning can range from $5 to $7 per shirt. However, it is important to remember that dry-cleaning chemicals typically contain little to no water. Investing in a high-quality sweat-proof undershirt is the most effective strategy for getting several uses out of your dress shirt, saving money, and avoiding stains. As a side note, dress shirts made of cotton can't be dry cleaned at the dry cleaners. Instead, their machine cleansed the material with water and soap before pressing it with an industrial presser and allowing it to dry. This process, referred to as a "wash and press," is quite affordable, making it a suitable alternative if you do not feel comfortable washing your clothes at home or do not have the time to do so. However, frequent trips to the dry cleaner can build up to high costs over time. Regular laundering at a dry cleaner’s and ironing can damage shirts. Request that your shirts be hand-pressed if that option is available. Because it's possible that the buttons can break or the fabric might stretch out, it's important to select a dry cleaner that you can put your faith in.