How To Wash Different Material Blends

Most people think buying a shirt is a simple matter, but too often people go home with their purchases and ruin them in the wash or find they don't fit right after a few weeks. That's because when people go shopping they don't always consider the material blends of shirts and the proper way to wash and care for them. The following article describes some of the most common material blends of shirts and the best way to care for them.

Silk

One of the most luxurious types of shirt fabrics is silk. Silk shirts are soft to the touch and give the perception of professionalism and elegance. Silk can be very durable if cared for properly. For the most parts, washing silk with a regular washing machine and dyer is not a good idea. Most silks should be dry cleaned, but if the dye is colorfast, you can also hand wash silk shirts in cold water using a mild detergent.

Cotton

One of the most comfortable materials to wear is cotton. Cotton blends are probably the most popular type of shirts. Cotton is a soft and natural fiber that breathes well. Although cotton can shrink when put in the dryer, most cotton shirts are preshrunk. Preshrunk cotton shirts are more durable than shirts that are not preshrunk and can be washed in the washing machine with either cold or warm water. On the other hand, if cotton shirts are not preshrunk, they will be extremely prone to shrinkage, and since most shrinkage is caused by hot water and high agitation, these shirts should hand washed in cold water with a mild detergent.

Although cotton-blend shirts are fairly easy to care for, if you have a cotton-blend t-shirt with a screen or ink print, you should probably take some extra precautions when washing them. T-shirts with prints on them are great ways to add interest to an outfit. Screen printed t-shirts can have abstract designs or fun images. They are also commonly used to unite sports teams or other organized groups. Screen or ink printed t-shirts are also great ways to express a person's personality and opinions. Many people like to wear screen prints of their favorite bands or movie stars, and many wear screen or ink t-shirts to express political views. For instance, wearing conservative t-shirt is one way to express a political view and to unite yourself with others who have similar beliefs.

However, although these types of t-shirts are popular and fun, they should also be washed carefully. If you use a washing machine, these screened shirts should be turned inside out so that as little damage as possible is done to the screen or print. Also, drying a screen printed shirt can cause the image to crack and peel off. To keep screen or ink printed shirts in pristine condition, you should let the t-shirt air dry so that the image remains undamaged. This will also prevent any shrinking.

Linen

Another common type of fabric is linen. Linen is a popular material for summer clothes because of their light weight. They also breathe very well and have crisp woven look that lends itself well to summer styles. Linen is made from the durable fibers of the flax plant. In most cases, you can probably wash linen in the washing machine on the gentle cycle, or you can hand wash linen in cold water with a mild detergent, straightening it out when drying so that the wrinkles are removed. To be safe, however, it's a good idea to have linen shirts dry cleaned.

Rayon

Another good fabric to wear in warm weather months is rayon. Made from wood pulp, rayon is lightweight, and rayon shirts tend to flow, making them cooler to wear than other fabric blends. When washing rayon shirts, you shouldn't add them with other clothes because rayon is typically not very colorfast and may bleed color onto your other clothes. You can hand wash rayon shirts in cold water; however, they will hold their shape and color best when dry cleaned.

Synthetic Fibers

If you're looking for something that is very easy to care for, shirts made of synthetic fibers are the best. There are a variety of synthetic fibers, including nylon, spandex, acrylics, and polyester. All shirts made of synthetic fibers can quite easily and safely be washed in a regular washing machine and dryer without fear of damage or shrinkage. Some people do prefer to use a low heat when drying to ensure that the color and shape of the shirt stays close to its original.

Wool

Wool is a perfect fabric for cold, winter months. It's very durable and comes from the fur of sheep and sometimes goats. It is a heavier type of fiber and when woven together is effective at keeping out cold weather. Like cotton and many other materials, wool is prone to shrinkage in hot water and high agitation. In most cases, wools should be hand washed in cold water or should be dry cleaned. They should never be put into a dryer.

There are so many different types of materials blends used to make shirts that it can be difficult to know what to buy and how to take care for them. Some people love silk shirts but rarely wear them because they hate going to the dry cleaners, and others may not understand why their fabrics seem to fall apart, shrink, or fade after being put in the washing machine. But whether you have a cotton conservative t-shirt or a silk business blouse, knowing the proper way to care for you fabrics will help protect your garments from damage and shrinkage.