How To Wash Your Own Shirts

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Perhaps the most economical fashion tip you will ever learn is how to wash your ownshirts. Of course, taking your shirts to a dry cleaner is easier; you drop them off and they come backclean and crisp. However, washing them yourself is not only economical but virtuallyguarantees longevity. The typical cotton men’s shirt is not made to be dry-cleanedwith harsh chemicals. Yet, dropping them in a home washing machine or even taking them tothe coin machines down the hall takes a little practice. In fact, knowing how to wash ashirt is much more a matter of water temperature, soap and adequate soaking time thananything else. Your most expensive shirts will last longer if you took thetime to do them by hand. While you will have to take the time to care for them yourself,you will soon find that this time will become less and less each week as you progress inknowing how to care for your wardrobe. Thus, here are your best options for doing the jobyourself and learning how to wash your own shirts.Wash your own shirts: the basics

Before you put soap and water to your shirts you must first read the care labels stitchedinside. Designers and manufacturers actually do care about how you clean their garmentsand these labels are your guide. In fact, some shirts truly should be dry-cleaned only. Ifyou don’t understand these symbols you should check out the extensive listingincluded in the AskMen.com Style Bible that categorizes andexplains each symbol in detail. Your next step is to remove collar stays and button up thecollar and a few chest buttons to prevent the shirt from becoming twisted and entwined inthe machine’s agitator or with other garments that put far too much stress on theseams and fabric.What you'll need

A conventional washing machine is designed for convenience of use and not thepreservation of your favorite shirt. Therefore, read the operating instructions and thenwash your shirts on a delicate or hand-washable setting. This will slow down therevolutions and actions of the center agitator. Some newer machines do not use anagitator, however, you still want to use a lighter-action setting. Warm and cold water arebest for maintaining a shirt with colors. White shirts will require hot water and a dashof real bleach from time to time to keep the collar clean and free of stain buildups. Whenpossible, opt for a hypoallergenic, high-efficiency detergent without dyes or scents. Allof those extra additives may seem appealing in a store but they break down the fibers inclothing and add an additional scent to your grooming regime. Acolor-safe bleach is appropriate for a shirt with color stitching or designs, but usethese sparingly as well. Learn how to wash your own shirts while traveling --that's next... Continue Reading

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