TThere’s nothing worse than the feeling of ruining a brand new linen shirt in the wash. Knowing how to care for a linen shirt may be an essential life skill. In this article, we’ll dive into how to wash a linen shirt like a pro, breaking down everything like what supplies you’ll need, how to dry, and how to prevent and remove wrinkles from a linen garment. Sit back, relax and read along as we discuss how incredibly easy it is to WEAVE the right way was a linen shirt.
How often should you wash a linen shirt?
Linen is an absorbent and quick-drying textile that softens over time. This material can be found in almost any fabric store. In this digital age, it has become even easier to buy fabrics online. One special online fabric store, Fabric Wholesale Direct, stands out from the rest. Their collection of linen fabric is high quality and long lasting, making it the perfect choice when shopping for fabric for a linen shirt. The absorbent and quick-drying properties make linen a highly sought-after fabric when choosing material for a shirt. That said, these properties can also cause the material to break down over time after numerous washes. With this in mind, it is advisable to wear your linen shirt a few times before washing it.
What to consider before washing a linen shirt
Linen shirts themselves are generally quite easy to wash. The tricky part is doing this in a way that extends the lifespan of the clothing. Let’s discuss the best ways to wash a linen shirt, in addition to some helpful tips:
#1. Choosing the right detergent
Choosing the right detergent is essential to extend the life of your linen shirt. When washing linen, it is best to choose a mild detergent, without any additives. When washing linen shirts, bleaches, bleaches, fabric softeners and other additives in detergents should be avoided. Additionally, try to use less detergent when you wash your linens. Linen shirts are absorbent and can absorb much more detergent than other fabrics.
#2. Preparations for washing
Linen is a fine and luxurious fabric and precautions must be taken when caring for your shirt. Before washing the garment, turn the garment inside out to protect any buttons or fastenings and to prevent discoloration or damage to the front of the fabric. At this point you will also want to pre-treat any stains on the shirt. Try using natural remedies such as baking soda, white vinegar, or lemon juice to remove stains instead of chemicals. For organic stains such as blood, you can use hydrogen peroxide.
How to wash a linen shirt
#1. Hand wash a linen shirt
Hand washing is always the best option to properly care for a linen shirt. When you hand wash a linen garment, you have complete control over how it is washed. For best results, start by filling a container with cold water. Add your detergent and let the shirt soak for 10 minutes. You will then need to gently move the garment back and forth so that it can absorb the soapy water and remove any dirt. After doing this for a short time, remove the soapy water from the container and replace it with clean water. At this point you will want to rinse away any leftover detergent. Repeat this step until the garment is no longer soapy. Once the garment is wet but not soapy, it is ready to dry.
#2. Machine wash a linen shirt
Convenient but not the most optimal choice: it is possible to wash a linen shirt in the washing machine. Before beginning this step, check the care label on the garment. The manufacturer provides washing instructions, including whether the shirt can be machine washed. If it is acceptable to machine wash the linen shirt, prepare the washing machine by adding the detergent and selecting a cold, delicate setting. When washing linen, only wash similar colors and materials together. Now all you have to do is wait for the wash cycle to complete and it is ready to dry.
Drying a line shirt
Heat can ruin a linen shirt. Extreme caution is required when drying a linen shirt. The best choice for drying linen is to hang the shirt dry. This reduces the heat coming into contact with the shirt and prevents wrinkling. If hanging drying is not an option, you can also use a drying machine. Before placing the garment in the dryer, always check the manufacturer’s label on the shirt. If it can be placed in a drying machine, you should choose the lowest possible heat setting. Only place similar materials and colors in the machine. After starting the dryer, check the garment occasionally to see if it has dried. You don’t want to let the shirt dry too much or you will damage it.
Storing a linen shirt
In general, linen fabric is very prone to wrinkling, but with the right preventative measures you can prevent your linen shirt from wrinkling. The first thing you can do to prevent your shirt from wrinkling is to hang it up to dry. Once the shirt is dry, it should be hung on a hanger. You can try folding a linen shirt, but this can cause wrinkling in the folds.
Ironing a linen shirt
Sometimes, even if you take good care of your clothes, you will notice that your linen shirt has a few wrinkles. This is not a cause for alarm, as the wrinkles can be removed with an iron and a minimal amount of work. Before ironing a linen shirt, check the manufacturer’s label on the garment to see if it can actually be ironed. Next, you’ll want to turn your linen shirt inside out for protection and lay it flat on an ironing board. Set your iron to a high linen/cotton setting. While the iron heats up, dampen the linen shirt with water. Once the iron has reached the optimal temperature, iron out the wrinkles with the iron, so that the iron never remains in one place for too long. If the shirt is very delicate, you can try placing a towel over the shirt or starting with a lower temperature setting.
Conclusion
In short, linen fabric is an elegant and comfortable fabric that is used to make some of the best shirts available. Linen fabric is highly absorbent and softens over time, so caring for linen shirts is essential to their longevity. In other words, it is important not to wash a linen shirt too often as this can degrade the material over time. If you do need to wash the fabric, follow some of these helpful tips and instructions so your linen shirt will last a lifetime. Some of the necessary steps we discussed include using the right supplies, using gentle washing techniques, drying the linens properly, and storing the shirt properly. Consider using this knowledge to improve your linen shirt collection, your wardrobe will thank you!
Photo: Olga_Makina /Pexels
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