How to Wash and Dry Dress Shirts So They Last Longer

A good dress shirt can last for years, or look tired after a few months. The difference is rarely the shirt itself. It is how it is washed and, even more, how it is dried. These simple habits keep shirts looking sharp for much longer.

Always start with the care label

The label tells you the maximum washing temperature and whether the shirt can be tumble dried. When in doubt, follow it, especially for shirts with a blend of fabrics or a special finish.

Washing

Sort by colour and weight

Wash white and light shirts together, and keep dark colours separate. Avoid washing shirts with heavy items like towels and jeans, which rub against the fabric and wear it out faster.

Undo every button

Unbutton the front, the cuffs and the collar points before washing. Buttons left done up pull on the buttonholes and stretch them over time.

Pre-treat collars and cuffs

Collars and cuffs pick up the most dirt and sweat. A little detergent rubbed in with your fingers or a soft brush before the wash makes a big difference.

Choose a gentle cycle and a lower spin

Most cotton shirts do not need a hot wash. A gentle cycle at a moderate temperature cleans them well, and a lower spin speed means far fewer creases coming out of the drum.

Drying: where shirts really wear out

High heat is hard on cotton. Repeated tumble drying at high temperatures can shrink shirts, weaken the fibres and leave them looking faded. It is also where most creases are made, because the shirt dries crumpled in the drum.

• Take shirts out as soon as the wash finishes.
• Shake them out firmly and smooth the collar, placket and cuffs.
• Dry them on a wide hanger with the top button done up, or on a form that keeps them in shape.

Dry and iron in one step

An automatic ironing machine is built around this gentler way of drying. The damp shirt goes onto an inflatable form, clips hold it taut, and warm air dries it from the inside at the temperature you choose, using low heat for delicate fabrics and higher heat for everyday cotton. In around 8 to 12 minutes it is dry and wrinkle-free, without tumbling and without a hot iron pressed against the fabric.

Customers find the best results come from shirts that are still wet from the washing machine. As one put it: "Best results you will get when you use shirt directly from washing machine so it's still wet."

Storing shirts

Once dry, hang shirts on hangers that support the whole shoulder, and leave a little space between them in the wardrobe. Narrow hangers leave bumps on the shoulders, which we explain in how to stop hangers leaving bumps on your shirts.

Quick checklist

• Check the care label.
• Sort by colour and keep heavy items separate.
• Unbutton everything and pre-treat collars and cuffs.
• Gentle cycle, lower spin.
• Avoid high heat, and dry shirts in shape.
• Hang them on wide hangers with room to breathe.