Tips to extend the life of our shirts

When we buy T-shirts and clothing in general, we usually don’t pay attention to the labels they bring. But this is a mistake! Because labels allow us to extend the life of our shirts. In fact, they show a series of instructions that seek to minimize the deterioration of it.

How to prolong the life of our shirts

Besides, it is important to understand what each of the symbols illustrated on the T-shirt labels mean. In general, between five and ten figures or emblems are shown, in this order:

• To wash
• Whiten
• Dry off
• Iron
• Special cares
•  

Technical tips to extend the life of our shirts

It is also important to take certain care and actions when we are going to clean our shirts. So, we will present you a series of recommendations for you to adopt, and ensure that your shirts stay like new for much longer.

Extend the life of our shirts taking care washing process

• We suggest that you always wash your shirts inside out, primarily those that have prints, thus protecting the colors and design of the print.
• Use the recommended amount of detergent, leaving aside the use of chlorine or bleach to remove stains. With this you cause deterioration in the fabric and color of the shirt.
• If you need to remove a localized stain, it is not required to wash the entire shirt. All you need to do is remove the spot where the stain is.
• Use neutral soaps, which have less abrasive compounds for fabrics. Program delicate cycles and cold water of no more than 30 ° C for delicate garments.

Other tips to extend the life of our shirts

• We must pay special attention to washing temperatures, according to the creator’s recommendations. Some t-shirt printing techniques, such as screen printing, deteriorate at very high wash temperatures.
• Use softeners with few abrasive compounds, and do not allow the shirts to remain wet for long periods inside the washing machine. The recommendation is to lay immediately the shirt is finished, either by hand or by machine. In this way you avoid fabric deterioration and wrinkles appear on the shirt.
• Clean the shirt after wearing it. Although you do not perceive traces of dirt, they have it, specifically sweat, which also deteriorates and stains fabrics.

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Don´t forget the drying process to care the life of our shirts

If it is necessary, do not use electric dryers. With it you only manage to alter the structure of the tissues, favoring the loss of shape by shrinking or stretching. If you require the use of an electric dryer, choose to program it at low temperatures, to reduce the deterioration of the garment.

Ideally, let the shirt dry in areas with sufficient ventilation, preventing the sun’s rays from directly impacting the shirt. In this way, you avoid a discoloration process.

Watching the ironing process to prolong the life of our shirts

To avoid wrinkles, stretch the shirt well right after you finish washing it. If wrinkles also form, we recommend the following:

• Iron the shirt with the inside face, especially those with prints. Never doing it directly on them, if possible use a cloth between the plate and the print.
• Apply the manufacturer’s recommended temperature, avoiding keeping the appliance fixed in one area, to avoid burns on the fabric.
• A good tip is to moisten the shirt before ironing it.

Follow the instructions of the manufacturer

For the most part, textile manufacturers include specific instructions for the care of a particular type of fabric. Similarly, those who make T-shirts provide a series of illustrations printed directly on the fabric or on labels. Related to the care of the garment, so that the qualities of the color and textures of the fabric are prolonged.

Below, we explain what each of these symbols mean, so you can extend the life of our shirts.

Washing symbols

It is the first symbol to be displayed, it simulates a container or container with water and indicates the following recommendations:

• If the shirt can be washed in the washing machine, or it must be washed by hand.
• On the other side, the numbering that appears inside the container with water indicates the maximum water temperature. This indication may also appear as black dots. The ideal is to comply with this advice if we want to preserve the quality of the shirt.

A special tip in the washing process

• Besides, there are variants of the common symbol, which show bars under the container. When a single bar is displayed, it suggests a gentle cycle machine wash. If two bars appear, it suggests selecting a special wash cycle. If, on the contrary, your washing machine does not have special cycles, aim to wash your garment by hand, that this method is used with t-shirts or finer clothes.

Whitening symbols

Whitening symbols are represented by a triangle. Almost all detergents, whose presentation is in powder form, have bleach in their composition. In this way, stains are eliminated on the shirts. However, if we want to extend the life of our shirts, it is important to follow these recommendations, to avoid deterioration of the fabrics.

Drying symbols

Well, it s represented by a square, which has a circle inside. When tumble drying is allowed, black dots will appear within the circle. These indicate the resistance of the shirt to the heat of the dryer, from drying at low temperature to one with high temperature. This symbology is very important, by not paying due attention to it, we can damage our shirt.

Ironing symbology

It is the most common and simplest symbol to recognize, being represented by a tiny plate, with some signs that denote certain instructions. Before ironing, set aside shirts or clothing according to the allowed ironing temperature.

The temperature

The temperature will be indicated by the number of points that are inside the iron:

• One point is for ironing at temperatures below 110 ° C.
• Two points for ironing at temperatures no higher than 150 ° C.
• Three points represent that it can be ironed at temperatures higher than 200 ° C.
• An x (x) above the iron figure, warns that the shirt must not be ironed.
• Another option shows whether or not steam can be used on the garment or shirt.

Symbology of special washes

Usually they are illustrations in the shape of a circle, and a capital letter inside. The letters suggest the product to be used for washing, in addition to the washing technique, where dry cleaners are experts. So we recommend wearing this type of t-shirt with these specialists to extend the life of our shirts in this way.

The most common are “A” for dry cleaning with any chemical, “F” for dry cleaning with mineral products and “P” for dry cleaning with products without trichlorethylene.

Properly store shirts

Another way to extend the life of our shirts is to store them properly.

• Among the main conditions, make sure that the drawers or the closet have a good smell, so that it permeates the shirts. In this way, they avoid giving off a musty smell, which usually occurs when they spend a lot of time in storage.
• It is important that you check daily for the presence of insects, such as ants that tend to break fabrics. If you detect any, you should remove all clothing to spray the area with insecticide. When the smell of the chemical passes you can save your shirts again.
• Choose hangers or hangers made of suitable materials, avoiding metal ones that can, in addition to deforming the shirt, stain the fabric with rust.

Follow the valuable recommendations given by manufacturers, and you will undoubtedly extend the life of the shirts. Plus, you’ll cut costs on new shirts.