Custom designed t-shirts with prints are a great idea to express your personality.
All you need is the right neccessities like, svgs from Design Bundles. You can also give a personalized t-shirt or hoodie as a gift for a friend.
However, printed t-shirts with improper care may wrinkle, crumble, or even wash out completely.
It is worth getting to know the most important and, at the same time, the basic principles of printed t-shirts protection, which will allow us to enjoy decorative applications for a long time.
How to wash a printed t-shirt or hoodie so that they don’t get damaged? You can use our tips, offering the best protection for your clothes.
Pay attention to the washing symbols
It is very common to experience discomfort while wearing a t-shirt with a tag.
A lot of us decide to cut off the tags with the important washing symbols.
So if you’ve done it, you must use the universal hints. There are several methods for applying t-shirts to print.
The most popular are DTG and screen printing. Using the DTG (Direct-to-Garment) printing method, the graphics are printed directly from the plotter on a t-shirt or other cotton material.
The paint blends and binds to the material. Thanks to this, you can enjoy high-quality print after many washes. The print does not crumble or wrinkle, provided, of course, that you will proceed with the shirt in the right way.
Indications for washing t-shirts printed with DTG may seem more restrictive than other methods, such as screen printing; however, the correct procedure guarantees the label’s high durability.
As a standard, clothes with the DTG print should be washed on the left side at 30 degrees of Celsius.
Screen printing is considered an extremely durable method, and clothes with this print can be washed in 40 or even 50 degrees.
Washing printed t-shirts
A T-shirt with print is worth washing by hand.
However, modern washing machines are equipped with special programs for delicate fabrics. So we can throw our shirt into the washing machine, no worries.
However, we must remember that it should be turned inside out, regardless of whether we decide to use the washing machine or our muscles only.
Thanks to this simple operation, we will significantly extend the life of the printed t-shirts or hoodies.
During washing, it is also worth taking care of the right water temperature, which must not exceed 40 degrees Celsius.
Very high washing temperature can cause shrinkage of colored clothing as well as tearing off the print from the fabric.
Powders and other cleaning substances available on the market can easily cope with dirt in lukewarm or even cold water.
However, t-shirts should not be treated with stain removers or bleaches. It will destroy the prints. For the same reason, they cannot be chemically cleaned.
Drying and ironing
After washing, it’s time to dry. In this case, it is worth giving up the tumble dryer and letting the printed clothing drip from the water.
However, this cannot be done in the sun. Both clothing colors and prints can fade over time if exposed to direct sunlight. There is a danger that heat will change its shape and color, and the inscription or pattern will crumble or wrinkle.
The ironing temperature is also important, so you should not exceed 150 degrees of Celsius, and remember to do it on the left side.
If you are still afraid to damage the print, you can use a clean cloth, which will provide additional protection.
Taking care of your clothes every day
To enjoy great-looking t-shirts with print, you should also take care of them every day. It applies even to storage.
Always fold or roll up your t-shirt carefully, and ensure that it is in a closet. Too crumpled, compressed material will quickly stop looking good, and the print will wear off.
Try to clean any dirt immediately, because, over time, the stain may be difficult to remove. When it comes to the period you wear the shirt, even if the t-shirt does not necessarily have to be washed yet, it’s best not to put it on several times in a row.
In this way, the material will not stretch, and the fibers will return to their original shape.
Summary
In the wardrobe of each person, there are some clothes that require special treatment.
We continuously want to simplify our lives, but automatic washing machines with many washing modes are not always good for us.
We often forget that washing is not only limited to turning on the automatic washing machine. It is also necessary to segregate clothing, not only in terms of colours but also in materials.
To enjoy printed t-shirts for as long as possible, it’s worth following these few rules above. You can then expect your wardrobe to look like new for a long time.
©Paula Sieracka