7 Tips for Shirt Care

Whether you're wearing a $25 or $250 shirt, learning how to properly care for your shirts can prolong their life, save you money, and help you look your best. Here are 8 tips for properly caring for a dress shirt to help you get the most out of it.

Put the shirt in the dryer before ironing to remove most of the moisture. Your shirt should be wet (but not completely wet) before ironing, which makes it easier to get a perfect iron. Use the lowest possible setting.

Don't skimp on your iron. Cheaply made irons often have uneven soleplates, which can damage your shirt. Make sure your iron has a water tank.

Here's the proper way to iron a button-up shirt:

Start with the sleeves: The sleeves tend to be the trickiest. Once you start moving your shirts on the ironing board, ironing them first will help move them out of the way to prevent creases.

Iron the back: Pay special attention to the folds.

Iron the front: If you have pockets, iron from the side to the center.

Save the collar for last: Again, work from the sides to the center. 

Shirts should be hung up immediately after drying and ironing. (Trust us, you don't want to iron the same shirt twice.) Leave room for ventilation and hang shirts an inch or two apart in your closet.

You should also invest in quality hangers. Wooden hangers are best for shirts, but thick plastic hangers or sturdy velvet hangers will also work. Avoid flimsy wire hangers as they are less durable and bend easily, which can change the shape and fit of the shirt, and look for hangers with rounded corners to avoid sharp hanger marks after drying.

Stains are a pain. Removing perspiration, deodorant marks, or other types of stains can cost you time, energy, and money—and sometimes you still throw your shirts away after all that effort.

Here are some of our favorite recipes for prepping shirt sweats:

Dish soap and hydrogen peroxide

Oxidative cleaning

Aspirin and hot water

White vinegar and warm water

Lemon and salt

If your shirt is not visibly soiled or stained, consider skipping the wash. Washers, dryers, and dry cleaners can do a lot on your shirts. With each cycle, the fibers and colors in your clothes deteriorate, which is why they look less new and fade more every time you wash them.

Try not to leave your shirts in the basket for too long - body oils and sweat have more time to set, which can cause the fabric to yellow.

Stock up on these basics and keep a set at the office, in your car or bag, and at home:

A lint roller

A simple sewing kit

Stain removal pen

These essentials can go a long way, especially when you're traveling and don't have time to go to the dry cleaner. Knowing how to patch a small hole or replace a button will save you a trip to the tailor. Stain removal pens can be a lifesaver for food and drink accidents on clothing. 

Remove those plastic bags as soon as you get home from the dry cleaner. Leaving them out for too long can absorb moisture and cause the shirts to mold or yellow. Your shirt needs to breathe too!

Try ditching antiperspirant and opting for deodorant. The antiperspirant is aluminum-based and leaves a yellow stain that is difficult to remove. These stains are caused by the aluminum in the antiperspirant mixing with the proteins in the sweat.

The above is a brief description of the care skills of shirts. If you want to customize or buy new shirts, please contact us.

Metro Clothing Factory is a custom clothing manufacturer with 18 years of experience. Our main products cover all types of men's and women's casual wear such as shirts, t-shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts, pants, etc. Women's Fashion develops more than 100 styles every month. Please feel free to contact us for any custom design you want. We'll help you build your brand together.