Wash and dry shirts properly

Shirts are a commodity and wear out. There are many reasons for this – the fabric of the shirt rubs against the skin when worn, for example on the collar, on the beard, or on the arm on a watch. However, the fabric is subjected to particular “stress” when shirts are washed. The first chafing marks appear after about the 15th wash. Stiftung Warentest showed in a test in 2016 that after the 30th wash cycle, basically every shirt has more or less worn collar tips. 

Nevertheless, you can help shirts look good and be worn for as long as possible by washing and drying them with care. For this we would like to give you a few tips from RIESENHEMD:

When washing:

When washing, pay attention to the washing labels. The washing machine should not be too full. Use a suitable detergent, there are special detergents for delicate fabrics such as silk and wool, as well as for white and colored. For cotton shirts, we recommend a temperature between 30°- 60° Celsius.  Higher temperatures attack the fabric more, but are more effective against dirt, odor and bacteria. By the way, the fabrics of our shirts are sanforized – this is a natural finishing process that prevents shrinkage of the fabric during washing. 

When washing, also make sure that a gentle cycle is used when spinning (600 – 800 spinning revolutions are ideal). Do not leave the shirts in the drum for too long afterwards.

If you beat the shirt inside, it is easier to wash the collar and cuffs. If the collar and cuffs are very dirty, you can use a stain spray or pre-wash these parts by hand. If possible, you should take out the collar stays before washing and put them back after ironing.  You can wash the shirt with closed or open buttons, here there are different opinions, we ourselves have no particular preference for one or the other variant.

We would rather not recommend the use of fabric softeners. See also the article “That’s why a fabric softener is often completely unnecessary”.

When drying:

Shirts do not belong in the dryer!!! They are best dried hung up. When doing so, get the shirts out of the washing machine as soon as possible and shake them vigorously to avoid unnecessary wrinkling. Sunlight is a natural bleaching agent for whites and is especially recommended for white shirts. Coloreds, on the other hand, are best hung inside – but if you still want to dry your shirt on the line outside, you should at least hang it upside down. When drying indoors, make sure that there is enough ventilation. 

If you follow these rules, you will enjoy the shirts for a long time.

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