The easiest way to ruin shirts is to dry clean. Hand wash as much as possible or machine wash using a mesh bag for protection. This will help prevent broken or missing buttons and protect the fabric.
Industrial pressing at the cleaners will loosen, break and lose buttons. This also scorches and weakens the fabric and will inevitably lead to fraying and tearing (especially at the seams).
If you like starch, (especially from the dry cleaners) garments need to be washed twice to remove all the starch build-up that has been pressed in.
Pre-treat underarms, collar and cuffs with The Laundress Stain Solution each time you wash even if you don’t see a stain. Stains can build up and appear over time from food, body products (deodorant), perspiration & body oils, etc.
To treat “ring around the collar” and cuff stains on your cotton or linen shirts*, always remove collar stays. Apply The Laundress Wash & StainBar on the stained area. (We recommend using The Laundress Stain Solution when treating food, oil, coffee & wine stains). Run hot water (we pour boiling water from the kettle) onto the area and soak in a basin. If the stain has faded, but isn’t completely gone, repeat the process until satisfied. After pre-treating, wash cotton or linen with The Laundress Detergent in the machine. We recommend the Whites Detergents for whites, Signature Detergent for colors, Darks Detergent for darks & Delicate Wash for silk. *when removing stains on silk or other blends, use cold, not boiling water.
Shirts should be damp when ironed. Add a capful of The Laundress Ironing Water to your iron and use our natural plant-based Stiffen Up spray starch. Always press from the tip (points) of the collar or cuff inwards, not the reverse which will cause wrinkling.
Avoid the dryer if possible, hang dry to extend the life of your garment and is best for ironing. If traveling or on-the-go, remove wrinkles with Crease Release our wrinkle release spray and freshen stuffed clothes in suitcases with our Fabric Fresh spray.
