10 Basic Tips to Make Your Favorite T-Shirt Last Longer
Do you have a favorite sweater, pair of jeans, or perhaps a favorite shirt in your wardrobe that you wish could stay as good as new? As, good times, good people, and good deals like Spectrum internet and TV do last forever so your t-shirt does.
However, with careful use and maintenance, you can keep them looking fresh! If it’s a screen-printed T, you can’t stop the printing from fading away but you can try. Here, we bring you tips to boost the life of your favorite T-shirt. You can apply these tips to other pieces of clothing as well:
1: Always Read the Label Before Washing
Every t-shirt has a label and with that label comes a set of instructions for washing the item. If the label says to wash the item in cold water only, do what it says. If it says dry clean only, make sure you follow the instructions. The thing is if you go against the instructions consider your favorite shirt to wear out before its average life.
2: Wash in Cold Water
If it’s a fabric with screen-printing on it, use cold water to wash it. it’s gentler on the fabric compared to hot water. Plus, heat is the worse enemy of screen printing. It can fade and crack the printing.
3: Always Wash Them Inside Out
You are doing your favorite apparel a favor by washing them inside out. once you do that, you are making sure that the clothes won’t rub against each other, which can make a fabric fade away quicker.
4: Don’t Wash It Too Often
No, don’t have to wash your T-shirt every time you wear it. Putting the fabric in the washer and treating it with chemicals (found in detergents) and then making it pass a dryer can weaken it.
An expert tip is to hang your T-shirt in the bathroom while you’re taking a shower. The steam from the shower will refresh your Tee.
5: Don’t Use too Much Detergent and Fabric Softener
We all are guilty of adding just a little more detergent and/or fabric softener to thoroughly clean the clothes that are inside the washer. The truth is adding more detergent does not equal more cleaning. It tends to settle on your clothes, making them stiff and dull when they dry.
Try this pro tip: Reduce the amount of detergent or fabric softener (make it half). The results will amaze you. Not only will your clothes come out clean, but they will also last longer. Plus, you will save on the detergent!
6: Set the Right Temperature
Hot temperatures can make the stains set permanently, stretch the fabric, and even make it shrink. Go easy on the fabric; choose the right water temperature. Check the label to see the temperature recommendation.
7: Don’t Hang Your T-Shirt
If you are hanging your tees, you must stop doing this immediately. When you hang a T-shirt, the fabric stretches and the shirt becomes droopy. The right approach to storing your tees is to fold them and store them with lavender!
8: Use Bleach with Care
If chlorine bleach is used in too high a concentration, it can harm any fabric. It can even affect white cotton. The right way to use chlorine bleach is to dilute it before using it. Also, make sure you know how to use it safely.
When bleach is spilled on the clothes in the washer via an automatic dispenser, this can leave stains. Take extra precautions to avoid these issues, especially if you share a laundry room.
9: Learn Basic Mending
Do you throw away or stop wearing T-shirts or other pieces of clothing when a button falls or a thread becomes loose? Instead of taking the store to the dressmaker’s shop or throwing it away, with basic mending you can fix what’s wrong and wear the T-shirt again.
10: Keep a Stain Removal Pen on You
How many times have to dropped red wine, sauce, or other food items on your T-shirt? The stain can stay there and might as well become permanent if you don’t clean it right away. An easy approach to this is to keep a stain removal pen in your purse/bag.
The next time you drop something on your clothes, quickly wipe the stain with tissue paper and use the stain removal pen to treat it. Press the tip of the pen on the stain several times. You might have to gently rub the tip if the stain is big.
With these simple tips, you will be able to increase the life of your favorite T-shirt.
