Are you treating your shirt the way it should be?
They say that “The best investment that you can make is in yourself”, and rightly so. What better way to make the investment than wearing being well shirt and being your best self!? Talking of well dressed, let us talk about how to be well dressed as your corporate self.
It is pretty obvious that in this fast moving and dynamic world, people have started finding time hard to come by. And in such a shortage of time, doing the laundry really becomes a pain, especially when you need those shirts ready by Monday morning. But we can assure you that meticulous shirt cleaning is worth the effort. As much as you might not be aware of it, shirts need to be taken care of and must be dealt with meticulously to elongate their life. So the basic question here is, “How do I treat my shirt?”
Step 0:Unbuttoning all the buttons is a must.
The cuffs and collar stay if any must also be removed before washing. We call this as Step 0 and not Step 1 because this is the very basic principle before washing your shirt.
Step 1: Pre-treating the shirt.
This is a very vital step to preserve the cloth and remove any stains. This includes treating your shirt collar, the neckline, and the cuff areas with a detergent or a soap bar. Using a stain solution is also advisable. This is a major area of the shirt where we see dirt deposits as it comes off the skin and deposits onto the shirt body. Other stains such as stubborn coffee stains or food stains also need pre-treatment. Using a detergent powder, bar or a stain solution is extremely useful. Other stain removal tips include the use of baking soda, egg yolk, toothpaste use, and so on. For more stain removal tips, visit our blog https://blog.dhobig.com/2020/03/13/stingy-coffee-stains/ for more related content. We have seen multiple television ads targeted towards these stubborn stains and are one major area that defines the longevity and the color of the shirt.
Step 2: Selecting cloth types to be washed together.
Washing similar clothes together (similar material or colors) is advised. Separating light colors from dark colors is very important to avoid the after-effects of bleeding.
Step 3: Select the temperature of wash.
Using hot or warm water is a good option for white or light-colored shirts. But for the darker colors or the shirts which might bleed, the use of cold water is more advisable. Use of warm water works for wash cotton or linen. A heavily soiled shirt calls for the use of warm water. On the other hand, using cold water for regular use is the best option as it saves overall utility costs and improves the longevity of the shirt.
Step 4: The Do’s and the Don’ts.
Do not overuse the detergent. Avoid using chlorine-based bars, powders, or soap solutions. Also, select the proper washing cycle for your shirt. One can use a spin cycle for the shirts by using a medium spin speed. A slower spin speed can be accommodated for a slightly delicate and expensive shirt.
Step 5: Remove the shirts immediately.
Keeping the clothes for too long will let bacteria and mold to develop due to the humidity and temperature inside the washing machine. This gives a weird odor to the clothes. Also, keeping them for too long allows the shirts to developing wrinkles.
Step 6: Drying the shirt.
Using the dryer is a very bad option for the shirts. It will allow the shirt to shrink and distort its shape. Even if you decide to use the dryer, it is advised to pull them out when they are still a little moist to prevent shape change. The best option is to allow the shirts to dry naturally. Using a hanger to hang dry the shirt is an easy option and is advised. To prevent any stretching of the shirt, it must be positioned carefully.
Step 7: Ironing the shirt.
It is best advised to iron the shirt when it is slightly damp. It makes ironing much easier than ironing dried clothes. Also if they have dried up completely, the shirts can be damped with water and then ironed.
Step 8: Ironing the right way.
Set the iron to the correct knob as per the type of fabric of the shirt. You can follow these simple steps to get a decent iron:
- Iron the back of the collar
- The front of the collar
- Then iron the cuff area gently
- Continue upwards and iron the sleeves
- Ironing the back. Be careful of pleats andiron under them before ironing over them.
- Ironing the shoulders
- Ironing the front and the placket
And voila!! Your perfect corporate shirt is ready for use. These steps look extensive, but are definitely worth the effort to preserve the shirts and give you the perfect look. But we understand that this might be time consuming. So why not leave it to the experts? We at Dhobi G will make sure that your shirt gets the royal treatment is deserves and makes you the look like the best dressed corporate leader that you really are. So, visit us at www.dhobig.com