TIPS AND TRICKS FOR KEEPING YOUR WHITE SHIRTS FRESH

Caring for your shirts

A Swan Shirt is made to be lived in, but proper care will not only increase the longevity but also decrease its negative impact on the environment. While taking care of a white shirt requires attention, your personal care is much preferred than trips to the dry cleaners. This responsibility can be daunting for some, so here we bring you simple and easy guidelines to follow to help keep your white shirt in pristine conditions for years to come.

Step 1: Washing

  • Start by preparing the shirt. Unbutton all buttons including cuff and collar buttons to prevent them from becoming loose in the rinse. Remove collar stays if there are any, otherwise they will cause the collar points to wrap awkwardly once the wash is completed.
  • Move on to pre-treating any stains or yellowing on the cuffs or collars. Use a small amount of paste formed by mixing detergent and water and rub on to troubled areas. Leave for 5 minutes then proceed to handwashing or a delicate machine cycle.
  • Wash your white shirt separately. Washing your whites with other clothes can lead to bleeding of colour, which you want to avoid at all costs.
  • We recommend washing it in lukewarm water. Remember, your shirt doesn’t need a sauna bath – so keep the water temperature in control.
  • It’s best to invest in high-quality detergents like Woolite Complete. Using low-quality detergents may contain chlorine, which can result in fading and discolouration of your white shirt.

Step 2: Drying

  • To prolong the life of your white shirt, always hang dry them on hangers for a couple hours until they are damp. It is imperative to the care process.
  • Avoid tumble drying at all costs as they cause shrinkage and wrinkles. Also, white shirts are made with mother-of-pearl buttons which are not as strong as plastic and can break and chip in the dryer.
  • While you may want to avoid drying your coloured clothes in direct sunlight, your white shirt needs to soak up the sun as UV rays aid in whitening and brighten it.

Step 3: Ironing

  • To make your white shirts look crisp, always iron them when they are still a bit damp (but not dripping wet).
  • Use a steam iron for better results. Set the iron at an optimal setting, as excessive heat can lead to scorching of the fabric.
  • To iron your white shirt properly, follow the below steps.
  • Collar: To iron the collar, starting from its underside. Iron away from the collar points toward the back of the neck area. Then turn the shirt over and iron the same way for the front of the collar.
  • Yoke: Iron the yoke area starting from the neck outwards to the center of the shirt. If there are pleats at the yoke, iron the pleats flat in the direction of the fold.
  • Cuff: Similar to the collars, iron the cuffs inside out. Always remember to lay the sleeves flat and start from the cuff upward, then iron the other side as well.
  • Shirt body:  Iron the torso starting from the shoulders down to the shirt ends. Do it step by step starting from the right torso panel then to the left panel. This will keep each side equally well-ironed. Remember to iron in-between the buttons as well with the iron tip.

Step 4: Storage

  • Make sure to hang your white shirts loosely spaced out in your wardrobe so that they have space to breathe. It can also avoid them being squished against each other which can affect their shape.
  • Consider using wooden hangers which are thicker rather than wire hangers. It can prevent your shirt from stretching itself out over its thin frame due to greater pressure.