How to Wash Screen Printed Shirts – Tips and Tricks

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(Newswire.net — June 4, 2019) — Printing a business or team logo on clothing comes with a bit of accomplishment and awe of the work you’ve put into the design. Even with the most durable shirt material, improper care can make clothing fade and print design to become unappealing. To ensure that the garments are kept intact and the print looks newly pressed for as long as possible, you will need to understand how to wash screen printed shirts properly.

How to Wash Screen Printed Shirts

Wash in Cold Water

When machine washing a screen printed garment, the number one rule is to wash in cold water. The colder the better. Washing with hot water will run the risk of damaging the logo and color bleeding from the print ink or shirt material. Cold water is gentle on clothing and will preserve its appearance during a wash.

Turn Clothing Inside out

Ironing and washing require that you turn the clothing inside out if it has any printed design. Doing this helps the logo stay intact by not letting the design ink come in contact with the iron or inside of the dryer. Heat settings when ironing should be adjusted to a low temperature.

Use Mild Detergents

Harsh chemicals can ruin the printed design on a t-shirt. If the garment is white with a screen printed design, it is recommended to use a stain removing pen or spot clean with bleach to not ruin the piece of clothing.  

Hang Dry

Hanging or laying clothing flat down to dry keeps the design away from heat. Depending on the type of ink, exposing it to high heat may crack it or fade it. If a dryer is necessary, low heat is best for the clothing item as well as removing it from the dryer before the garment if fully dry and let it hang dry the rest of the way.

Wash With Similar Material

To ensure the logo doesn’t fade due to friction against a rough material, wash the garment with other pieces of clothing made with the same material.

Hand Wash

An easy way to ensure the integrity of the material and logo are kept intact is to hand wash and spot wash with the right detergents and warm water. This is another great option in the case that you don’t own many pieces of clothing made with the same material. As you would do with loading it in the washer, when hand washing a screen printed t-shirt, be sure you use warm water (not hot) and a mild detergent that is delicate enough for designs and dark colors. Spot cleaning with a stain pen first and then washing it normally would be a good option as well.

Given the following information, you should now know how to wash screen printed shirts the right way. Following the tips above is a sure proof way of saving your t-shirts.