How to Extend the Life of Your Cotton T-Shirts in 6 Easy Steps

Your closet is undoubtedly full of cotton t-shirts you want to last forever, from the one you got at the coolest concert you've ever been to to the ones you wear daily as essentials. While cotton shirts are soft and trendy but easily ruined by a tear or stain. The first time you wash and dry one, if you do something wrong, it may shrink before you can wear it.

Unfortunately, accidents and general wear and tear mean our clothes aren't always protected from harm. However, following these guidelines will ensure that your cotton tees last as long as possible.

 

STEP 1: Keep Your Laundry Sorted At All Times

By The Type Of Fabric

Your unisex cotton t-shirts might suffer permanent damage if you don’t segregate them when washing. You may reduce the risk of rips and tears by keeping your t-shirts and other garments separate without fasteners (like jeans). Fabrics and patterns of all kinds become twisted together when you toss everything in the laundry. It would be a disaster if the pants' zipper accidentally ripped your favorite T-shirt.

Brightly-Hued T-Shirts

There must be at least one colored T-shirt among our clothes. Due to the quality of the T-shirt, however, we may see some color fading over time. Cotton t-shirts might lose their true color after the shirt's dye exposure. This is why you should always sort your whites and colors separately. Stains and dye transfers ruin the aesthetic value of a white shirt.

STEP 2: Wash Them Inside Out

Cotton garments should be turned inside out before washing. This is important if the shirt is screen printed or with embroidery. Putting them in the wash helps prevent the design from fading for dark and light colors.

Turning your shirts inside out will help you clean them better, too. Remember that the inside of your shirt is the portion that touches your skin. Because it soaks up all of your sweat during the day, it is probably dirtier than the exterior. To ensure that your washing machine removes even the most stubborn dirt, flip them inside out before washing.

STEP 3: Don't Overwash

Shirts made of cotton fabric suffer when put through the washing machine. When the material is washed and dried often, it wears out quickly. T-shirts can be worn many times before being cleaned. However, we do not advise against doing so. You don't need to immediately wash a shirt if you only wore it for a few hours and didn't sweat or spill something.

Put your favorite shirt in the dryer on the "fluff" or "no heat" mode for a few minutes if you want to give it a little bit of a clean between washes. Toss a dryer sheet in with your clean shirt for a blast of fragrant freshness without the hassle of washing it.

STEP 4: Shrinkage Protection

Cotton tends to shrink, particularly in the first wash and dry, which is one of the disadvantages of using it. Few things are more frustrating than shrinking your brand new clothes before you can even try them on. What's the good news? You can avoid it from happening if you take precautions.

Never dry a natural fabric garment. Instead of hanging your cotton shirts to dry, consider purchasing some folding tables. You may also dry them by hanging them up on a clothes rack or do so on the coolest setting to avoid further shrinkage.

Remember that cold is your friend while washing Triblend T-shirts and heat is your enemy. The printed T-shirt will last longer and keep its original color because of the cold water's protective effect on the ink. If your T-shirt gets dirty, however, be sure to give it a gentle wash in hot or tepid water to remove the stains. But obviously, you shouldn't make this a habit.

STEP 5: Properly Handling Spills

Several stain removal methods should be used depending on the type of stain. Regardless of the type of stain, it is crucial to get it taken care of as soon as possible. There's a higher chance of the stain setting the longer you wait.

You should try to clean up as much of the spill as possible, and then you may decide how to deal with what's left. For example, if you have a fresh blood stain on your tops, you should soak them in cold water before washing them. To remove dried blood stains, soak the affected area in warm water using an enzyme-containing solution for a few minutes before washing.

Pre-treating butter stains with a stain remover before washing hot water is recommended. Always rinse from the rear to prevent the water from being forced into the stain. Most stains are best avoided by not rubbing them since this can spread the stain farther into the fabric.

Ensure the stain is gone before drying the item after treating and washing it. If the stain hasn't been completely removed before drying, the heat from the dryer may permanently set what's left.

There are many ways in which your favorite cotton t-shirts might become stained. The key to victory is understanding how to effectively care for them.

STEP 6: Air Dry + Wash Cold

Let Them Air Dry In The Cool Shade

However, there is a more effective method of drying garments, especially colored T-shirts, if you want them to last as long as possible. You might try placing them outside but in the shade. Drying in the dryer can damage the cloth, so air drying or hanging it up indoors is advisable.

Don't Use Dryers

In a similar spirit, you shouldn't dry your T-shirts in the dryer. Sure enough, that's a big no-no! A printed T-shirt will likely shrink due to the heat and lose its print quality.

Refrain from Ironing

Inevitably, your T-shirts will get wrinkled, and you may wonder if ironing them will make them seem better. Just hang in there and try not to get too much heat on your T-shirt. However, if you want to avoid creases when wearing your favorite T-shirt, we recommend ironing it inside out at the lowest possible setting.

Bottom Line

Taking better care of your bella + canvas cotton t-shirts requires a little more attention than just washing and drying them and forgetting about them, but it pays off by keeping your favorites out of the trash for a lot longer. Carefully cleaning stains and washing cotton items appropriately will prevent persistent spots and discoloration, as well as the loss of a cotton shirt due to shrinking.