Can you wash a dress shirt?

You can easily take care of dress shirts by machine washing them. Generally, dress shirts are made of cotton, and it is important to use a high-quality detergent to avoid fading and shrinkage.

Key points:

  • Most dress shirts can be washed in a machine
  • The temperature should not be too hot to avoid shrinkage
  • More delicate materials are recommended to get washed by hand
  • Always unbutton the shirt before washing

Washing a dress shirt in the machine

Use a cold water setting to prevent the shirts from shrinking or becoming unflattering, and avoid drying them out. This will also prevent the shirts from wrinkles and stains, saving you time straightening them. You can also use bleach to treat stains.

Washing a dess shirt by hand

Washing dress shirts by hand is a very gentle way to clean them. The washing process consists of pushing the item up and down in water until it’s clean and free of dirt. When washing white or light colored shirts, you should use cold water.

Important is: Unbuttoning

To avoid losing a button while washing dress shirts, you should always unbutton them before putting them in the washing machine. If you leave them buttoned, the friction within the washer will cause them to pop off. You might also risk the fabric stretching and catching on other items. Unbuttoning buttons also helps to reduce the resistance they face. The best method of washing dress shirts is in cold water.