Most of us have many cotton t-shirts in ourclosets that we wish would last forever—from that worn-out favourite concert shirt to the everyday essentials that are mainstays in our wardrobes.
But let’s face it, nothing compares to the first time you put on a brand-new, plain t-shirt, andthosevivid colours, soft feel, and exquisitely clear fabric. Plain t-shirts are quite popular in Australia these days, in addition to design and print ones.
If only our favourite t-shirts could last forever. While you can order wholesale t-shirts
to have access to a large supply of them, another option is taking good care of your high-quality t-shirts, which can help them last for many years.
Moreover, the appearance and feel of your t-shirt can be preserved for considerably longer by using the right washing techniques. By taking better care of, you can also save money and extend the life of your favourite clothes.
Washing t-shirts
Step 1: Separate light and tough stains
First, yourt-shirts shouldbe properly inspected for stains before being divided into two heaps. One is for light stains, while the other is for difficult stains. Here, the objective is to focus more on stubborn stains.
Many of us simply toss all our clothes into the machine without inspecting them first. However, it is essential to pay attention to the stains and sort them out as instructed if you want the bestresults.
Step 2: Turn printed t-shirts inside out
When you wash your printed t-shirts,if they rub against any clothing, their lifespan will considerably shorten. So, we recommend turning your custom-printed shirts inside out before washing themto reduce the wear and tear on the printed design.
Moreover, the inside of your shirts is in direct contactwith most of your perspiration and odours. So, this technique enables any particularly dirty areas to receive the most thorough and direct cleaning.
Step 3: Cold water and hot water separation
It is best to load and wash yourt-shirts in cold water with the fewest stains or none. On the contrary, it is best to placethe t-shirts with the hardest stains in the wash and set the temperature to warm water, and touse the hot setting if the stains seem particularly severe.
Bleach is yet another option for washing whites. Nevertheless, it is necessary to bear in mind that using too much bleach or detergent will harm your t-shirts.
Step 4: Minimise detergent use
Using too much detergent can actually make garments smell worse while also causing their chemicals and soap to harm the fabric.
As each load of laundry and washing machine is unique, it can bechallenging to determine the precise amount of detergent to be used.
So, using the trial and error strategy can be the most suitable option. As such, you can use a minimal amount of detergent, and if you think it is not enough, you can always add a bit extra the next time.
Step 5: Drying your t-shirts
It is now time to dry the t-shirts after a thorough wash. Most people simply put their just-cleaned t-shirts in the dryer. Moreover, many people turn the dryer temperature too high to save time.
However, this is one of the worst things you can do to your clothing. Here are some tips to maintain your garments’ longevity.
● Use low-temperature settings
It’s not necessary to use maximum dryer heat settings, unless you are in a serious hurry.
High heat is thegreatest offender when it comes to destroying custom-printed patterns. It can result in cracking, fading, shrinking, fabric degradation, and other issues. In addition, using excessive heat can also create unpleasant fabric odours.
Therefore, setting the dryer heat level at its lowest setting is one of the best strategies to preserve the longevity of your t-shirts.
● Tumble drying
Put your t-shirts in the dryer and set it to tumble dry if your washing machine has a drying feature. Simply said, tumble drying implies that you will not be using heat to dry.
● Air drying
It is necessary to recognise that all cotton items will naturally shrink, especially due to drying. However, hanging your t-shirts to air dry will lessen the riskof them shrinking.
Even while air drying is a great alternative if you have a room, it might not be the best choice if you live in a small apartment. Avoid direct sunlight when air-drying your clothes to prevent undesirable colour fading.
How to maintain your t-shirts after washing them?
● Ironing
Heat is the most destructive force on t-shirt designs. So, we recommend ironing your custom-printed t-shirts from the inside out, using the lowest heat setting of your iron. Sometimes, it is necessary to iron out the creases, but it is best to keep the iron and the print as far from each other as possible.
In addition, you can also place a thin piece of cloth between your plain t-shirts and iron, thereby preventing direct heat application.
● Storage
Even if you have bought cheap bulk t-shirts, we recommend avoiding stashing them in your wardrobe haphazardly. Moreover, folding shirts rather than hanging them up is betterfor the fabric. When you hang your t-shirts, gravity pulls them down over time, steadily stretching them out.
In conclusion
It only takes a little bit of effort to care for your printed or plain t-shirts. However, these efforts will help to keep your favourite t-shirts looking new and fresh for much longer.
