How to: Care for Your Dress Shirt

So, you've buckled down and finally gotten a custom shirt. Bravo! Now, how do you care for it?

DIY

1. If  you have a colored shirt, machine wash cold. If it's white, machine wash warm. The setting depends on the quality of your fabric. Cotton is fine with a normal setting, more refined fabrics deserve a delicate cycle. And please, don't mix your whites with your colors. Duh.

  *All 9tailors shirts have removable collar stays, unless otherwise specified. Please make sure you take your stays out prior to throwing laundry in the washer--the stays could fall out during the cycle.

Courtesy of www.dreamstime.com

2. DO NOT PUT YOUR DRESS SHIRT IN THE DRYER! REPEAT, DO NOT PUT YOUR DRESS SHIRT IN THE DRYER! You had it custom-made for a reason and if you throw it in the dryer, shrinkage will occur. Remove your shirt from the washer and hang it to dry. However, it will dry with wrinkles so you'll have to take an iron to it, see the next step.

3. Ironing. Okay, fellas, it's really not that hard. It's a useful skill to know how to do yourself, rather than relying on Mom Dukes or your lady to do it for you. Check out the Art of Manliness article on how to iron properly.

    *Again, 9tailors shirts have removable collar stays. These are plastic and should definitely not remain in your collar whilst you iron your shirt. Once you have completed ironing, place them back in their allocated collar slots.

Credit: www.madehow.com

PROFESSIONAL LAUNDER/DRY CLEANING

1. Firstly, we do not recommend dry cleaning your dress shirt as the process is very harsh. However, should you have a tuxedo shirt or a dress shirt you only wear for special occasions a few times a year, dry cleaning is perfectly fine, just don't do it very often.

2. If you are sending your shirts out, request a professional launder and press from your dry cleaner.

SPOT CLEANING STAINS

Stains happen, humans are not foolproof. You should blot a stain as soon as possible to preserve the quality of your shirt. NEVER RUB. When you rub, you run the risk of ruining the fabric. 

1. Oil-based stains are best treated by dry-side cleaning agents such as Ajax powder. 

2. Water-based stains, like beer or soda, require wet-side attention, like water or Woolite. 

3. Some stains, like lipstick, have a waxy component and a colored dye component and need both wet-side and dry-side treatment. 

Some horrible stains will need professional attention, so best seek out your dry cleaner if it's a biggie and water-based or powder-based stain removers aren't doing the trick. 

When you're out and about, there's a few things that can help remedy a blemish in a jiffy. I've listed my go-tos below: 

1. Tide Stick. (love it!!!)

2. Soda water. 

3. Cold Water.

4. White Vinegar. 

5. Ammonia or Bleach. (Tread carefully and do not use on colored shirts).

Can't get a stain out of your favorite shirt? Get a fresh one! Email info@9tailors.com to make an appointment and design yourself a brand spanking new crisp, custom dress shirt.