Taking care of your business shirt
photo by PinkMoose
When you need a new premium business shirt, you would like to think that when you fork out your hard earned ash that it’s going to last a decent amount of time. After all, you don’t want to always be buying your shirts every month. Here are some pointers that can help you make those shirts last for quite some time.
What you need to always do
Washing – Whenever you need to clean your business shirts, you need to proceed with caution. Yes, cotton is durable; 30 percent more so when it’s soaked in water. Make sure that you wash the shirts in warm water but keep in mind that cold water can help the shirt retain its colour. Always bleaching your shirt can cause the fibres to weaken and should only be done for stains. One of the best ways to clean your business shirt is to dry clean it.
Storing – Your business shirts need to be stored properly but only once they are fully dry. You need to keep the shirt away from a lot of moisture, as mildew loves cellulose fibres… causing it to fade in colour and destroy the fabric over time. Various bugs can be attracted to your clothing but it’s rare that they’ll eat the fibres. Thus, do not use toxic insect deterrents like moth balls. Consider using lavender and cedar for the natural protection of your shirts.
Things to consider
Washing/drying at home – When you’re always dry cleaning or do heavy starching on your business shirts, the cotton fibres can become worn down. Be sure you gently wash and dry your shirts to keep them lasting longer.
Invest in an iron/steamer – When you want to make your shirts last, consider getting an iron and steamer, two tools that can help limit how often you need to go to the dry cleaners. Steamers are great to use when you need to reduce wrinkles fast; plus, they’re safer than irons. If you want a crisp, clean shirt finish then you’ll want to use an iron. Make sure it’s set at the right temperature, as not to burn it. One of the best things you can do for yourself is to pull the shirts from the dryer while they are still damp and iron them, as cotton fabrics tend to iron better when they are still slightly wet.
Things you should never do
You should never overestimate the cotton strength. While cotton is thermoplastic and you can iron shirts at high temperature settings, it can burn the shirt if it’s left in place too long. Excessive amounts of bleach can also destroy the fabric of business shirts.
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