Washing T shirt printing can be a bit tricky. It needs a little extra care. Incorrect washing methods can fade the printing away. So, how to keep the screen printed T-shirt always looks new and fresh? Here are brilliant tips to wash and dry T-shirts with screen printing.
#1. Consider Ink Cure Time
You need to know that it requires at least 24 hours for the ink of custom garments to cure onto the fabric properly before you can wash it. So, don’t be in a rush to wash a printed screen T-shirt. Make sure that you put the freshly printed order in a box for at least a day before washing it.
#2. Ignore the T-Shirt’s Label Instructions
Label instructions on screen printed T-shirts aren’t that important. This is because not all screen printed T-shirts are produced in the same manufacturer where they are printed. In other words, the manufacturers don’t take the screen printing into consideration when they are creating the care instructions for the T-shirts. In this way, some things like harsh chemicals, dry cleaning, and heat can lead to the damage of the screen printed items.
#3. Inside Out
This is something critical but often ignored when washing a custom T shirt printing. So, make sure that you put the T-shirt inside out when you are washing it. This will help you avoid fading and pilling on the T-shirt. In this way, the fabric will always look as new and bright as you purchase it.
#4. Fabric
Checking the fabric can be a great way to preserve the quality of the T-shirt if the custom shop where you bought it doesn’t come with washing instructions. While polyester and nylon absorb less water, wool and cotton absorb more water. You need to know that the more fabric absorbs water, the bigger chance it will shrink. To avoid shrinking, you can pick up pre shrunk clothing. This can also help you minimize the shrinking risks effectively.
Aside from picking up the right fabric for high-quality washing of screen printed T-shirts, you need to consider the way you sort the fabrics as well. Make sure that you separate the dark T-shirts from the white ones as time passes. This is also important to wash the T-shirts separately from any other colors in general. You also need to keep in mind that the residual inks from other shirts are as damaging as the ink itself.
Another thing about fabric that you should consider well when washing T-shirts with a screen printing is sorting by similarly textured clothing. Some items that can cause damage to your T shirt printing are jeans and towels. Their rough textures can lead the screen printing to creek or peel. You can preserve the look of both your screen printed T-shirts and other clothings simply by keeping fabrics with the same textures together.
#5. Detergent
The next thing you should put into consideration when washing T-shirts with screen printing is the detergent. Spot stain removers are still accepted. Meanwhile, harsh chemicals such as bleach can damage your screen printed T-shirts. Make sure that you pick up detergent that is gentle on clothing. You also need to bear in mind that using fabric softeners to wash the T-shirts can degrade the inks of the screen printed items. Picking up gentle detergent products will make it possible for you to keep the T-shirts cuddly and soft.
#6. Cold Water and Air
Cold water is perfect the most if you use it to wash screen printed items. So, make sure that you press the “cold” button when you wash the T-shirt in a washing machine. It will help you to avoid things like unsightly stretching and shrinking.
The same thing should also be done with the dryer. You need to pick up the lowest heat option if you want to toss your T-shirts in the dryer. If there is a “dry option” available, it is highly recommended. The less heat used for the dryer, the better.
#7. Soft Water
Soft water is the next thing to consider if you want to wash a T shirt printing. Unlike soft water, using hard water can deteriorate the look of your screen printed T-shirts quickly. If you want to use hard water, make sure that you pour a cup of vinegar in a gallon of water to soak the T-shirts. It will help you minimize the damage caused by the hard water on your fabrics.
